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Is there a word (or prefix) that describes people who are responsible for something but not really authorized to do anything as regards that responsibility? I'm interested specifically in security but maybe there's a more general term. I thought of "para-professionals," but that seems to describe more people like law clerks or medical technicians.

Examples: security guards who are responsible for protection but not imbued with the power of police officers, toll booth collectors who can't really do anything about people who don't pay, crossing guards who can't write tickets, etc...

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    An adjective often used to describe such is 'toothless', but I assume you're after a noun / noun phrase.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jan 31 at 19:24
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    "Low-level functionaries". I don't think this is really as well-defined a class as you think. Tollbooth staff can presumably record licence places and many tollbooths have cameras, and toll companies may be able to issue requests for fines/penalties (with various legal standing); security guards and other private security staff may have some powers depending on jurisdiction (as well as common law and conditions of buying a ticket or entering a premises); parking attendants aren't police but can issue tickets; etc. Pseudo-cop or rent-a-cop would apply to some but certainly not all.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Jan 31 at 20:17
  • Everybody (-: -- kind of a joke, but truth
    – JosephDoggie
    Commented Jan 31 at 21:56
  • Toothless functionaries?
    – Raydot
    Commented Feb 1 at 16:08
  • Well @StuartF you'd be surprised by what I think, but that occurred to me and point taken. Security guards surely have the authority to detain and forcibly remove people and some carry guns. But they just aren't cops. I'm looking for the level just under full-bore.
    – Raydot
    Commented Feb 1 at 16:11

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Such a person or group could figuratively be described as toothless, meaning lacking in enforcement power. It is often used to describe an entity tasked with monitoring something, but which can't really do anything about it.

In the specific case of security, you'll sometimes hear non-police security personnel derisively referred to as a "rent-a-cop" or "mall cop", referring to their relative lack of authority.

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  • I think "toothless functionaries" is it. Thanks all!
    – Raydot
    Commented Feb 1 at 16:12

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