Visit most security companies’ websites (including ours) and you will see talking points, such as ‘Licensed and Insured’, ‘Veteran Owned and Operated’, ‘We Exclusively Hire Veterans’, ‘Highly Trained’, ‘Protect People and Property”, etc. These are designed to lure you in so you will consider them when deciding on a company to protect you, your staff and visitors, or your assets. The question is, are they telling the truth? Chances are, probably not.
These companies are not necessarily lying, though some are. Many of these companies just perceive themselves to be more than they really are. What are you getting for your money? How can you tell? How can you determine what you are going to get if you are still looking for a company? The following will give you some insight as to how security operates in Colorado and how to determine the level of service you are going to get.
Armed/Unarmed
Some clients may not want guns or have guns visible to the public. Sometimes, it’s cheaper to have unarmed security. But ask yourself this: What can unarmed guards do that your staff can’t? Not much really. At best, unarmed guards in a uniform may act as a deterrent for some people, but for those who are career criminals or those who possess a level of ‘street smarts’, the visual deterrent does nothing. They know that the unarmed guard can’t do anything but call the police. By the time the police arrive, they are gone. Unarmed guards are mostly not allowed, nor should they be allowed to stop or detain suspects. They are not equipped to defend themselves should the suspect take an aggressive stance. Unarmed guards can’t do anything to protect you, your staff, or your assets. All they can do is dial 911. You and your staff can do that yourselves and save money in the process. If you don’t want any type of weapons visible, consider using plain clothes, concealed carry security.
Licensing
Is your security company licensed? The State of Colorado, as well as a few other states, have no licensing requirements at all. However, there are a few municipalities that do require licensing, and with that, require a specific amount of approved training. The only way to know if they have any kind of training is to find out if they have a license for one of the municipalities that require it. Why is licensing and training important? Guards are required to have a certain amount of training before they can be licensed. Without this training, you and the company you have hired open yourselves up to liability and litigation due to untrained guards handling situations in the wrong manner. It can also cost you customers if they are not trained to act in a professional manner. Ask to see your security contractor’s license. Ask for profiles on the guards they are going to send you.
Guards and Training
What level of training do your guards have? Has your contractor ever let you visit a training class? Have you ever asked to see a class? Have the guards undergone a background check? What experience do they have?
Insurance
Have you seen a COI (Certificate of Insurance) for your contractor? If they provide a patrol service, are the vehicles insured? Workers compensation (if required)? Unemployment Insurance (if required)? It also doesn’t hurt to request that they name you as an additional insured on their policy and send you a copy of the COI with your info on it.
Military and Law Enforcement
For some companies, it’s almost stolen valor to claim veteran status. Some that claim to be owned and operated by veterans only have silent partners that are vets, or have vets that own the company, but no veterans actually running the company. Also, to claim that your guards are military or law enforcement veterans, at least 51% or more should be. Frankly, 75% would be a better number to claim that title.
Guarantees
Does your contractor guarantee any type of results? Have they actually proved they’re value?
Not all security companies are bad. There are some good ones out there. Just make sure to fully vet them to make sure you are getting your money’s worth. Make sure you are not getting locked into a contract with a hefty early termination cost. Most good companies will require a minimum two week notice to cancel a contract early. As long as you give that notice, your fee for terminating early should be very little or nothing at all.
Thank you Mr. Nickerson. In his defense, the ‘Unlawful Discharge’ was not his fault. He owns a particular model of Taurus firearm that was on a long list of other Taurus models that were recalled. For whatever reason, these models could fire on their own just from being bumped and not even touching the trigger. If you own a Taurus handgun, I urge you to go to the following link to see if your model is on this list. https://www.tauruscartersettlement.com/
I attended the New Shooter Seminar and it was very informative. I needed to take a Gun Safety Course because I was involved in a court case involving the “Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm.” I explained my situation to Mr. Michael Alexander that ” I was court ordered to attend a gun safety course. He promptly scheduled me to attend The New Shooter Seminar which I attended. When I went to court, The District Attorney stated ” the course was more than sufficient,” meaning it was very thorough in teaching gun safety. I would suggest to any that I meet that the gun training I received was excellent! I would to thank Mr. Alexander for his promptness in responding to my situation.