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Armed posts at opening, close and cash pickups.
Best for Banks, credit unions and retail store closings
California armed and unarmed guards · PPO #121572
Armed Security Guard Services in California
Armed security guard services for high-risk California sites: bank lobbies, cash rooms, warehouse gates. Unarmed security guards cover lower-risk posts.
- Start with a 30-day trial
- CitiTrac reporting, free of charge
- A consultant on call 24/7
- 2026 Inc. 5000 honoree, founded in 2013
Quick answer
Armed security guard services put a permitted, uniformed officer at your high-risk post; unarmed guards cover lower-risk duties. Typical ranges, not a quote: $40–$100+ an hour (armed); $25–$40 an hour (unarmed). Request a quote.
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INC. 50002025 & 2026
Two years on the list
Inside an armed security shift
Armed or unarmed, every shift follows post orders.
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Brief and sign on
Post orders reviewed; shift start logged.
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Credentials on display
Patches visible; guard card, permit carried.
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Walk the rounds
Checkpoints logged with time-stamped photos.
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Observe and respond
Observe, report, call police; times noted.
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Close the shift
Report lists incidents, actions, who notified.
Scheduling armed and unarmed coverage
Overnight, weekend and holiday shifts: no overtime charges except on major holidays.
Randomized times
Rounds inside an agreed, unpredictable window.
Best for Overnight and weekend trespass, break-ins, cargo theft
Both
Armed cash post, randomized unarmed rounds.
Best for Business parks with one high-risk cash point
Included on armed and unarmed posts
Choose duties; each goes into your post orders.
Duties on post
- Lobby and gate access
- Cash-window and vault presence
- Lock checks
- Staff escorts after close
- Trespass contact and reporting
- Interior and perimeter patrols
What officers bring
- "Private security" shoulder patches, company name
- Guard registration card, carried on duty
- Armed: current firearms permit
- Armed: permit-listed caliber only
- Post-order-approved equipment only
- Rounds logged with time-stamped photos
Your site supplies
- Signed post orders, contacts
- Written entry consent
- Keys, cards, alarm codes
- Site map, high-risk points
- Trespass and police-call rules
- Post station, restroom, parking
Armed status is set per post, never assumed.
Armed or unarmed on-site officer?
Armed is a different tool, not a stronger one. Match it to risk.
| What matters | Unarmed officer | Armed officer | Mixed coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presence | Deters trespass and theft; observes, reports, calls police | Same duties, plus visible firearm | Armed only at highest-risk points |
| Typical use | Lobbies, residential communities, retail stores, construction sites | Banks, credit unions, cash handling, high-risk stock | Large sites with one high-risk door or window |
| State requirements | Guard registration, background checks, Power to Arrest | Highly trained: firearms permit, range qualifications | Credentials matched to each post |
| Cost drivers | $25–$40 an hour (unarmed); hours and posts | $40–$100+ an hour (armed) | Armed hours versus unarmed hours |
| Trade-off | No firearm; withdraws and calls police | Costs more; raises confrontation stakes | Needs clear post orders |
Typical ranges, not a quote; California cost guide Hire on-site security guards
Typical costs in California
Typical California ranges from the Citiguard cost guide. These are typical ranges, not a quote.
Unarmed guard
$25–$40
an hour
Armed guard: $40–$100+ an hour.
- $25–$40 an hour (unarmed); hours and posts
- $40–$100+ an hour (armed)
- Armed hours versus unarmed hours
| Coverage | Per month | Typical monthly range |
|---|---|---|
| Unarmed post, 8 hours a day | 240 hours | about $6,000–$9,600 |
| Unarmed post, 24 hours a day | 720 hours | about $18,000–$28,800 |
| Armed post, 8 hours a day | 240 hours | about $9,600–$24,000+ |
| Armed post, 24 hours a day | 720 hours | about $28,800–$72,000+ |
Figures come from Citiguard's security guard cost guide and are typical ranges, not a quote. Read the full cost guide
Get a written quoteWho stands your armed post
Check every officer's credentials before the first armed shift starts.
- State guard registrationEvery officer holds a California BSIS Guard Card
- Firearms permit for armed postsSidearm caliber must match the permit card.
- Supervisor visits on every postAt least twice per 8-hour shift, scheduled and random
- Ongoing armed trainingRequalification at Citiguard's Antelope Valley training facility.
- Uniform you can check'Private security' shoulder patches showing the company name.
Armed lobby post: example entryIllustration
- Property
- Example credit union lobby, Los Angeles
- Check
- 8:42 AM · pre-opening interior check
- Areas
- Staff door · Vault corridor · ATM
- Observed
- Sleeper in vestibule; rear door unlatched
- Action
- Person asked to leave; door secured
- Notified
- Operations manager (text, 8:51 AM)
What arrives after each armed shift
See what your officer checked, when, and what happened: CitiTrac reporting, free of charge.
- Daily activity report for every post
- Incident reports: robbery, weapons, trespass
- Post checks with time-stamped photos
- Who was notified, how, when
- A consultant on call 24/7 for changes
Protecting the Places That Matter
Some of the California organizations we’ve worked with.
Posts and patrols
Banks, credit unions, retail stores, residential communities: armed posts from every Citiguard office. Send your address.
Industries served
- Apartment and HOA Security
- Business Park Security
- Campus Security
- Government Facility Security
- High-Rise and Loft Security
- Energy and Utilities Security
- Logistics and Transportation Security
- Manufacturing Facility Security
- Hotel, Motel and Resort Security
- Medical Center and Hospital Security
- Construction Site Security
In depth
Choosing armed security guard services for your site
Decide by risk, not by the firearm. Armed security guards make sense where a post handles cash, guards high-value stock or has a history of incidents involving weapons. Unarmed guards handle most access control, lobby duty and patrols at residential communities, retail stores and construction sites. Many properties need both: one armed officer at the vault door or cash window, and unarmed officers everywhere else. Write that choice into your security plan post by post, along with what the officer should do when a situation escalates. Consultant site reviews are by phone or video by default, in person when the client wants it. Tell us about your property and the hours that matter most.
California adds state screening on top of the guard card before an officer can carry a firearm on your post. California firearms permit applicants must be at least 21 years of age. The permit lasts two years. To renew it, the officer completes four range qualifications during that term, each preceded by a two-hour use-of-force and de-escalation review. The officer may carry only the calibers printed on the permit card, so ask to see it on site. Armed officers complete regular range requalification, de-escalation and use-of-force decision training, active-shooter response and scenario drills at Citiguard's Antelope Valley training facility, in addition to baton, pepper spray, power to arrest, antiterrorism and CPR/AED training.
Armed security for banks and credit unions depends on officers who already hold current permits. BSIS asks firearms permit applicants to allow 6-8 weeks from the date payment was cashiered before asking about application status. A provider that must hire and permit a new officer for your bank cannot staff the post quickly. Citiguard staffs armed officers for banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. Post orders for a bank lobby often cover opening and closing, the teller line, the ATM vestibule and staff walks to the parking lot after close. Request a quote with your address, banking hours and any past incidents, and compare it with the typical ranges in the security guard cost guide.
Armed guard services in detail
Open a topic below.
When unarmed guards are enough
Unarmed guards suit access and patrols; go armed for cash, weapons, high-risk stock.
Permits must stay current
By law, a Firearms Permit may not be renewed after expiration. Ask dates.
What stands behind armed officers
Effective January 1, 2022, the assessment must be completed prior to submitting an initial permit application.
What a compliant uniform shows
Check for 'private security' shoulder patches naming the company and a guard card.
How fast an armed post starts
Start: typically within 24 to 48 hours, same day for urgent needs.
Questions to ask any company
Ask any armed security guard company: who tracks permits, who supervises nights?
Hiring armed guards
Straight answers before you request a quote.
Why Hire Armed Guards?
Hire armed guards when cash, weapons history or high-value stock raise the risk beyond observe-and-report coverage. California firearms permit applicants must be at least 21 years of age.
What do armed security guards do?
Armed security guards deter robbery and theft, control access, run patrols, and observe and report under your post orders. They are private security, not police, and call police when needed.
When Should You Hire Armed Security Guards?
Consider armed security guards for banks, credit unions, cash handling, high-value stock or past incidents involving weapons. Plan ahead: choose a provider whose permitted officers are already on staff.
Armed security for banks in Los Angeles?
Citiguard staffs armed officers for banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. A typical bank post covers the lobby, vault corridor, ATM vestibule and staff lot. Request a quote today.
Armed vs unarmed security: which fits?
Unarmed guards suit trespass, lobby duty and access control at residential communities, retail stores and construction sites. Go armed, or mix, where cash, weapons or high-value stock make posts high-risk.
How do armed security guard services work?
Armed security guard services run on post orders, the security plan for each shift. Officers walk rounds logged with time-stamped photos and GPS at checkpoints and write up every incident.
Use of force: how are armed officers screened?
Before a first firearms permit, California requires a state assessment of judgment, restraint and self-control. Staying highly trained means a use-of-force and de-escalation review before each range qualification.
How to check security company officers are licensed?
Look up the company's Private Patrol Operator license on BSIS's Verify a License page, then ask each officer for a current guard card. An armed officer may carry on duty only the calibers listed on the firearms permit card. A buyer can check this on site. Citiguard is a licensed California Private Patrol Operator (PPO #121572).
When can armed coverage start?
Armed posts start typically within 24 to 48 hours, same day for urgent needs. Citiguard offices are staffed 24/7/365. Send your address, hours and reason for armed coverage.
What do armed guards cost?
Typical ranges, not a quote: $40–$100+ an hour (armed) and $25–$40 an hour (unarmed). Hours, posts and armed status set your quote; see the security guard cost guide. security guard cost guide
Can I mix armed and unarmed?
Yes. A mixed plan posts an armed officer only at the highest-risk point, such as a cash window or vault door, with unarmed guards covering the lobby, gate and patrols.
Which offices staff armed posts?
Choosing an armed security guard company starts with where officers are based: armed posts from every Citiguard office. Find your county, then request a quote with your address and hours. Find your county in service areas
Armed or unarmed guards for your property
Request a quote for armed security guard services, or call 800-613-5903. Bring the details below.
- Property address and layout
- Hours needing coverage
- Past incidents, cash handling
- Armed, unarmed or mixed
Request a Quote
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