Crime rates are not slowing down and there is not enough state-provided security personnel who can cover every resident. At some point, you feel cautious about your tangible and intangible assets and want to ensure their safety. This is where personal security comes into play.
It has been around for centuries so it is far from a novel idea of our age. However, there is so much specialization in this with many variables that you can leave out of the equation if you want to hire the best guys.
In this post, we are going to share some fine points that will help you choose the best option. Fret not, there are plenty of security companies. You can even find some of the best security companies in St. Petersburg FL.
So, here are the tips to remember.
Training & Qualification
This is of paramount importance. You need a security officer by your side who has ample training and experience in the situations you can face. His job is to anticipate any threat and effectively minimize any repercussions due to those threats and risks.
Based on the function they are supposed to do, security personnel should have the relevant training, preferably under military or paramilitary institutions. This develops a sense of acting rather than reacting which is the objective of hiring security in the first place – to secure the assets.
An ideal security guard should have all the qualifications for carrying and using a weapon, with experience of using it and dismantling any threat through violence or a serious threat of violence.
Licensing & Insurance
This may seem obvious to some that a security officer should be licensed and insured, but it is worth mentioning when you are meeting prospective companies for your peace of mind. Take a close and hard look at all the relevant paperwork, including authorizations issued by the state. Make sure that papers are not expired and are in perfect order to avoid any liability down the line.
As a general rule of thumb, security agencies are licensed, bonded, and insured because running a security company is a lot different than running a dry-cleaning joint.
Communication Skills
Security officers are not hot, brute, killing machines. Their primary objective is to keep the assets from harm’s way. This is a two-edged sword because different circumstances demand different approaches. They need to make the decision when to resort to violence and when to avoid it.
At the heart of it, every security officer should have excellent communication skills and a knack to read non-verbal signals. Of course, they are authorized to use weapons in desperate times but often we have seen witty and composed officers taking control of the situation without even the threat of violence. So, excellent communication skills are a must.
Background Security Clearance
You cannot just hire a security company out of the blue without taking a peek under the hood. A stiff background check about the inception and operations of your prospective security company is a must. Ask your investigator to also delve into the hiring practices and personal backgrounds of all the employees in the company.
Often, security companies give out all the necessary details a client asks, but it best to involve third-party expertise to get a security clearance on this one.
Specialization
The nature of assets that need protection varies so it is only natural that their security requirements cannot be lumped into one generic whole.
While meeting potential security companies under your radar, make sure you tell them exactly why you are hiring a security company and what type of assets you want to protect.
Following are some specialized security disciplines;
- Unarmed Professionals
- Mobile Patrol
- Loss Prevention
- Armed Guards
You need to get that company onboard that has trained officers in your desired area. For instance, if you want to prevent shoplifting and retail theft, an unassuming, unarmed guard is the best option. If you need personal security, the ideal candidate should be a jack of all trades, such as driving, weapon handling, etc.
Budget
No one has carte blanche for security needs and almost every decision boils down to price at some point. Generally, people who seek personal security do not worry about paying the premium price to secure their assets.
As there is no way you can find a “cheap” security company, you can always strive to strike the
perfect balance between the value of your asset and the budget of security in the long term. This takes careful accounting and assessment.
Hiring a security company requires research and study of all the factors that come into play. There is no room for rash decisions so be absolutely sure about a company before drafting and signing a contract with it.
