Finding a quality patrol service can be a challenge. It is easier in a smaller market because a company's good reputation is important to its survival. In large metropolitan areas, a poor patrol service can survive longer and get away with substandard service. This is because there is so much work that lost accounts have little immediate impact on their ability to stay in the marketplace. The other problem is the labor pool. In big cities, all security agencies draw from the same labor source. A poor quality officer can drift from agency to agency for years and end up patrolling your property.
The best way to locate a quality security patrol service is to get a referral from a satisfied customer. It is always best to get multiple proposals and don't consider price alone as the deciding factor. Ask for references and check them. Ask to see licenses, insurance papers, and samples of reports that will be used on your property. Check with the state licensing board to see if any complaints have been filed against the company or if their patrol license is valid. Ask to see a copy of the contract and study it or have your attorney review it. It is usually a good idea to sign the security company contract if it contains language that attempts to limit their liability or shift insurance responsibility to you.
Make sure that you are involved in drafting the detailed post orders and make sure that they are dated, signed, and incorporated into the contract. If the post orders need to be modified, do it in writing. Finally, actively supervise the guard service and make sure you receive and read the reports.
