The decision to hire a private security company may follow an incident where your existing security was breached or to prevent an incident from occurring.  The question is: "How do I select a private security company that will meet our needs?" Good question as finding the right one is perhaps the most critical decision you will make as the selected company will be responsible for the safety and security of your tenants and property.

Consider this: small private security companies often get their guards from employment pools as they may not be able to provide the necessary training, equipment, or pay like the larger companies.  I am not implying you shouldn't consider a small company, but to be aware of this before making your final decision.  Just how do you start this all important process?  Perhaps the best source is "word of mouth" from other property managers who have hired a private security company.  Another option is to search the member directory of your Chamber of Commerce, contact your local Better Business Bureau and, of course, search the Internet.  Now that you have a list of possible companies I recommend:

• Research your states licensing web site to learn the private security license requirements.  Download the requirements or take notes so you have a reference for later on in the selection process.
• Determine if the company is licensed.  This can be done by logging in to http://www.secstates.com then scroll down to your state.
• Log on to your county's clerk of court web site or the clerk of the court in the county the company is located to learn if the company has been sued for breach of contract, negligence, or other civil/criminal offenses.
• Google the company.  Often reviews will be listed or news articles that include this company will be online.
• If you know of a reputable vendor screening company, contact them and let them do the research.

So far so good!  Now we start the elimination process. The next step is to make an appointment with the sales agent, manager, or owner of each company on your short list. First impressions are important thus a professional company will want to make a good impression with an office that is organized and clean not cluttered and chaotic. Look for license or education and professional certificates on display as companies that take advantage of on going education and are engaged in professional organizations have little to hide.  If guards are present note their appearance-are they professional looking with clean and pressed uniforms or do they look like the just tumbled out of a clothes dryer? The guards good appearance and their equipment will go a long way to gain the confidence of your residents.  As I previously said, this is a very important decision so do not hesitate to ask the representative the tough questions such as:

• Is the company and the guards insured and bonded?  By whom?
• Are the employees required to pass a FCRA compliant background check and who conducts it?  You want a professional HR or consumer reporting agency to over see this most important job.  Just a online check is not enough.
• Are the guards required to pass random drug testing and if so, how often?  Ideally every 3 months is good.
• What type of training do the guards receive? Are the guards offered in service training? How frequent?  Well trained guards are a must as last thing you want is a poorly trained police wannabe on your property.
• What equipment does the company provide?  Ideally you want a guard equipped with a uniform, photo ID visible to your residents, handheld radio, flash light, watchman's clock, foul weather gear, and a book of the companies SOP (standard operating procedures)
• Do the guards receive basic first aid and CPR training? Your guard may be the first person on the scene of a medical emergency and knowing what to do can make a real difference.
• If the company provides armed guards verify the guards must pass initial state approved firearms training and re-qualification at a gun range at least once a year.  Again, training can not be stressed enough.
• Of course the cost of the services and benefits must be clearly understood.

After all questions and concerns have been answered to your satisfaction don't stop there! Continue by explaining what you expect from the company and the guards. For example:

• You want to be able to review the guards activity log for his/her shift. The more detailed the better, for example: "completed one hour foot patrol ever other hour between 1100 and 0700.  Varied pattern. 2315 (11:15 pm) found door unlocked to laundry room. Room secure, door locked. 0600 resident in 105 could not get her car started.  Stayed with her until road side assistance arrived"  No further incidents".  "Nothing happened all night" is not acceptable!
• Guards should understand you want them walk the property to check for unlocked doors, broken windows, unlocked gates, etc. and to drive through the parking lots, especially at night, giving tenants an potential troublemakers visible proof there is a security presence.
• Have a clear understanding of under what circumstances you, or whoever is on call, are to be contacted and to how to get copies incident reports.

Now that you have made your selection the final step is to draw the all important contract.  It may take some negotiations to get the contract that suits your needs but it will be worth it, and of course, always have your attorney review any contract before it is signed.

The decision to hire a private security company is a very important one and, hiring the right company, can be very beneficial to you and your residents. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions.