Choosing a security company

When evaluating which security company best meets your needs, Platinum Security suggests verifying the following information.

Registration with Bureau of Security and Investigative Services

The Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) is a division of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) that has jurisdiction over Private Patrol Operators (a.k.a. security firms).  Licensing and certification ensures that the business operator and specific employees have passed a criminal background check and have met DCA requirements.  To verify a license go to: https://www.dca.ca.gov/bsis/lookup.htm

Insurance Coverage

All security companies should have certificates of insurance on hand, detailing the company’s Workmen’s Compensation coverage and General Liability coverage.  If a company does not have these certificates, they should be able to obtain them within 24 hours.  California State minimum for General Liability insurance is $500,000.  Workmen’s Comp should be for $1,000,000.  The Nevada minimum for General Liability is $100,000.

Hiring Practices

Ask potential security firms about their hiring standards and processes.  What’s the minimum level of education they require their security officers to possess?  Do their employees have current Guard Cards and Social Security cards?  What kind of experience do the officers have?  What are they looking for in the interview process?  What kind of training are the officers put through?  Do they make employee records available to audit?  Do they perform background checks?

You can lodge complaints about security firms at the California Department of Consumer Affairs Complaints Web Page: https://www.dca.ca.gov/online_services/complaints/

There’s also information about security firms at California’s Department of Consumer Affairs Consumer Information center at https://www.dca.ca.gov/consumer/cic/index.shtml