One of the first questions Arizona property managers ask us is whether they need an armed security guard. Sometimes the answer is yes. More often it is no, and an unarmed officer who is well trained for the site is the better choice. The decision should come from the property and its history, not from how the post sounds on paper.
SecureOne has provided contract security since 2002, and we work in Arizona under DPS License #1003621 from offices in Tempe, Mesa and Tucson. This is how I would think through the choice.
What an unarmed officer is for
For many Arizona properties, a visible, professional unarmed officer is the right fit. Unarmed officers handle access control, front desk and lobby coverage, gatehouse security, parking lot monitoring and help for customers and residents. They staff hotels, HOA and apartment communities, senior housing, retail centers, offices, warehouses and construction sites.
The value of an unarmed officer is mostly in being seen, being trained and being on time. Someone in uniform at the gate or the front desk discourages a lot of trouble before it starts, and a trained officer who knows the residents, the tenants and the vendors notices when something is out of place.
When an armed officer makes sense
Some sites call for more. We assign armed officers to properties where the risks are greater, such as financial locations, cannabis facilities, high-value warehouses and sites that have had serious incidents. If a property handles cash, holds inventory that is easy to resell or has a record of violent incidents, an armed post deserves a serious look.
An armed officer also changes the job. The officer carries more responsibility, the training requirements are higher and the cost is higher. A good security company will tell you plainly when it thinks an armed post is not needed.
Questions to answer before you decide
- What has happened on this property in the past year, and at what times?
- Does the site hold cash, firearms, cannabis or high-value inventory?
- Are officers expected to deal mainly with residents, guests and customers, or with intruders?
- Would a patrol or a camera trailer cover the risk instead of a full-time post?
- What do your insurer, your board or your lease require?
If most answers point to customer service, access and visibility, an unarmed officer is likely the right start. If they point to valuables and a history of serious incidents, talk through an armed post. Either way, we review your site, your concerns and your post orders before anyone is placed at your property.
Training matters more than the sidearm
Arizona registers security guards through the Department of Public Safety, and armed guards must complete additional firearms training before they can work an armed post. That is the minimum. Our officers complete state-mandated training plus advanced training that includes First Aid, CPR and AED, nonlethal force, arrest and control techniques, and active shooter response. Every officer also receives site-specific training before assignment, so the person at your gate knows your property and your policies.
We hire people with prior military, law enforcement or security experience, and our in-house Director of Training builds programs for each industry and facility. Training continues after orientation.
Mixing armed, unarmed and patrol
Many properties do not need one answer all day. A cannabis facility might keep an armed officer during business hours and rely on 24/7 patrol services overnight. An HOA in the East Valley might staff the gatehouse with an unarmed officer and add patrol through the common areas. A construction site might use a solar camera trailer at night with mobile patrol checks. Our patrol vehicles use GPS Insight tracking and in-car 360-degree cameras, and officers file reports, photos and patrol checks in Vision Insights, so you can see what happened on each shift.
Plan for the heat
Arizona summers shape every outdoor post. An officer at an open gate or on a long foot patrol needs shade, water and a schedule that accounts for the hottest hours. Ask any security company how it plans outdoor posts in July and August, armed or unarmed.
Ask for references
About 76% of SecureOne’s new clients come to us through referrals from existing clients. The property manager of an 1,800-home community in Phoenix told us our technology saved tens of thousands of dollars in their time alone, and an automobile dealership facility manager in Scottsdale told us they had been pleased with our services for 6 years. Call the references you are given, and ask how problems were handled.
Talk to us about your property
If you are deciding between armed and unarmed coverage for a property in the Phoenix area, the East Valley or Tucson, we would be glad to walk the site with you and give you our honest view. Call (888) 834-5285 or request a quote.