Whether executive protection, site security, or special events such as weddings and public gatherings choosing the right firm to provide security personnel is not as simple as opening the phone book.
Security personnel are supposed to reduce liability, not increase it. The industry’s ironic little secret is that too often firms are primarily concerned with providing a competitive bid, resulting in guards with minimal training (12 hours initial and 6 hours continuing per year in MN), and who are frequently paid at or near minimum wage. Front desk receptionists often make twice what security officers do despite the fact that we also entrust to them our reputation and image, as well as a significant ability to avoid or cause liability.
To find the necessary qualities in a security professional requires a high rejection rate in the hiring process, extensive training, and holding the highest standards as our mission, not profits. This requires paying a livable wage, anything less cannot demand the loyalty required to do the job properly.
R. Steven Rogers Protective Services trains all of its Agents and Officers to OUR minimum standards which include:
- All State Mandated Training.
- CPR, AED and First Aid (adult, child and pediatric).
- Lawful Use of Force focusing on awareness and avoidance.
- Armed training and certification even for unarmed personnel.
- Liability, both civil and criminal including pass-through liability.
- Conflict resolution / De-escalation and situational management.
- Control and defensive techniques focused on minimizing injury.
Premises liability is a delicate dance. Businesses are liable for injury on their property, so if no evaluation is done or either inadequate or no measures are taken to provide for the well being of patrons, liability likely exists. This comes in several forms – civil (lawsuits), loss of reputation / trust, and more, whereas professional security can increase customer confidence and reduce your liability at the same time.
A property owner has a duty to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition and to provide warning of any concealed dangers that should be known to people who come on to the property. There is a river of case law on this type of damage, and many cases run well into the millions. Here are a few interesting examples of liability:
“Prior to this incident, there had not been any reports of any crimes against any persons”
“a breach of this duty does not require a showing of prior criminal acts on the premises.”
So clearly a business has a duty to know the crime types and rates in the area, a duty even when there is no historical basis to presume a threat, and is liable for injury or assault on adjacent properties if control exists such as parking lots rented, even temporarily. Is your business aware of its legal duties? Have you done due diligence by having a professional security audit? What measures have you taken?
On the flip side there are countless examples of companies and security firms exposed for the poor judgment and actions of security personnel, a few examples are found Here, Here and Here
And improper hiring / licensing / training will cause liability as well.
Addressing risk management should not increase your exposure. Finding and mitigating risk is the one of the never-ending tasks of business management. Choose a good partner to assist you.
Will you find cheaper? Absolutely. If you are choosing a protective firm based solely on price, we will not likely be your choice. If you are looking for professionalism, knowledge and a company that will understand and address your specific needs, you have come to the right place.
Our clients have included Presidential and Congressional campaigns, businesses, and individuals. We have managed events ranging from high value targets with over 3,000 people in attendance to one officer site security details.