Introduction
Security guards are of paramount importance to the physical security of your employees, events and facilities. Security guards need to be included in the overall protective blanket of the organization. Even when security guards are outsourced, they need to be an integral component of your security plan and not considered separate function.Once you have decided your organizational needs for short or long term security guard(s), the complexity of your security requirements that the security guards will fulfill will need to be defined. Are the security guards required for a special event or an addition to your ongoing physical security plans? The target of this guide is to provide knowledge to help you decide about what needs to be considered when hiring security guards. If your security requirements are very complex then an assessment by onsite security professional is recommended. You may want to consider hiring an external security consultant to help you write and review the request for proposal (RFP) you will send to security guard contractors. When hiring an outside security consultant to help with the proposal make sure they do not have ties to any security guard staffing agencies so you can get unbiased third party assistance.
Will you only need security guards for short term work or special events?
The first decision to make is - do you require security guards for the short term or long term? Long term guards need to be deeply integrated into your security plan and be part of the security team. Short term guards are needed for special events and times of heightened security. Hiring short term guards usually means they are required for a particular function and that function needs to be defined and communicated perfectly to your short terms guards and the security guard agency.
For more about “Short Term Outsourced Security Guards”, click here.
Interactions with Outsourced Security Guards
It is important to remember that the guard has two major functions: first is to be present to deter and detect unusual or suspicious activity and second to safeguard property and people. How a security guard interacts with your organization is an indicator how that security guard will follow policy and how members of your organization will respect the function of the security guards.For more about “Interacting with Outsourced Security Guards”, click here.
Criteria for Security Contractor Selection
As soon as the need for a security firm has been determined on an immediate or long term basis, a security contractor needs to be selected. Make sure you select a company that has valid license. You should be certain that a company is reliable and in good standing.All of the following criteria should be reviewed:
- Adequate Insurance
- Reputation
- Verifiable References
- Experience and Management
- Training and Qualifications
- Staffing
- Documentation
- Equipment Issues
- Clear Proposal
- Costs
- Contract
For more about “Criteria for Security Contractor Selection”, click here.
