KALAMAZOO, MI -- An unlicensed security contractor has provided volunteer protection to Chairwoman Stephanie Moore at Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners meetings.

A police report was filed by a resident last week, who felt the private guards are an attempt to silence dissenting points of view. Moore said their presence helps her feel safe in the commission chambers after receiving threats from residents.

In response to hostile interactions with constituents, Moore expressed a need for heightened security at public meetings last month. A retractable divider was placed between public seating and commissioners, and Moore has used the volunteer services of WLP Executive Protection Group, LLC.

"I don't know where people are coming from and I don't want to be in a position where I have to react," Moore said. "I just want to be safe."

Moore said she has experienced verbal attacks, physical intimidation and harassment in the last year. After she expressed safety concerns to friends at WLP, owners offered to send unarmed security guards to the meetings free of charge.

The company does not have a contract with Moore for services.

It also doesn't have a current state license.

According to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, its license to operate as a security guard agency expired in June 2017.

In an email to MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette, WLP co-owner Ron Ware said he didn't know the license was expired until a police report was filed on Jan. 9.

State law requires security guard agencies to be licensed every two years.

Ware said a renewal application was submitted to the state last year, but WLP neglected to include other required information. The process includes things like employee background checks and fingerprinting, as well as other experience requirements for security companies.

The private contractor is located in Kalamazoo and co-owned by Ware and James Pitts.

Pitts and two WLP security guards attended a Jan. 9 county board meeting where Moore was voted to the chair position. The two guards wore black commando sweaters, black pants and a radio earpiece, and one had on a baseball cap with a black and yellow WLP logo.

After noticing the men, Kalamazoo resident Zachary Lassiter searched for WLP in a state database. He failed to find an active license and filed a complaint with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office.

According to the report, Pitts told Detective Sgt. Michael Boisonault they were there to provide security for Moore.

Boisonault later discovered Pitts and another security guard present at the meeting had never been fingerprinted. The third man was fingerprinted in 2014.

Lassiter told police he felt intimidated and threatened by the presence of security guards. Police did not find evidence that Lassiter was intimidated, but the case was referred to the Michigan State Police.

"If he feels that way he should stay out of the way," Moore said. "(You) go after a person's credibility and livelihood (and) think it's all fun and games -- that's a bad sport."

Lassiter has been openly critical of Moore in public meetings and on social media. Last year, Lassiter questioned Moore's conduct and professionalism multiple times and filed a campaign finance complaint with the Secretary of State.

Moore said Lassiter is part of the reason she feels unsafe.

Last week, she filed a police report against Lassiter and another city resident. She accused Lassiter of passing the barrier in the commission board room, following and filming her in public and harassing her online.

"I have a great deal of fear for (Lassiter)," Moore said.

The situation has created a hostile working environment, she said. Moore said she feels singled out due to being an African-American woman.

Lassiter denied threatening and following the board chairwoman. "This is clearly an attempt by Moore to silence those that disagree with her," he said.

Lassiter said Moore's use of security guards is "an attempt to intimidate constituents," as security at Board of Commissioners meetings is already provided by the county sheriff.

The sheriff's office posts a plainclothes deputy at each meeting, which are also sometimes attended by the sheriff and undersheriff. Moore said she didn't want to "strain the budget" by requesting additional deputies, deciding to accept the help of WLP.

Moore said county meetings are open to the public, and she won't tell WLP to stay away until its license is reinstated.

During the course of the investigation, Boisonault learned that WLP was also employed by Kalamazoo Public Schools. The district paid WLP $23,168 for security services since June 30, 2017.

District spokesperson Alex Lee said the district was notified of the expired license on Jan. 11. The two security officers are "off the job," Lee said.