Small communities, such as apartment complexes or residential streets, often deal with issues related to safety and security. Especially in cosmopolitan cities with populations that are mostly unknown to one another, issues with crime, violence and security are a part and parcel of daily life. This makes residents who prioritize their safety opt for security services often, but many are in a quandary between choosing security patrol services or a dedicated on-site security guard.
It is no doubt that security services are essential, especially given the statistics relating to home break-ins and theft in US households, as given by several surveys of the population. Hundreds of thousands of Americans every year pay millions of dollars in losses after thefts, with the average loss during a break-in being about 2700 dollars, not including costs for repairs, and subsequent security.
Even after these terrifying statistics, only 23% of American homes are professionally secured with Security patrol services by a qualified agency. This article will educate you on the differences between security patrol services, and security guards.
Patrol Services
Most commonly, these are security vehicles that are contracted to set up a security routine on the property. This is a very reasonably priced service, as the cost of the guards is distributed amongst the multiple properties that might be on the security agencies route. Typically, a contract is established that determines the number of visits by the security patrol every day. This can be a great way to get a basic security protocol for a reasonable price, but it does have its own pitfalls.
To those who are in the know, it is obvious that a security patrol service is going to be cheaper than a dedicated guard, but what implications does that have on the Quality of security at that place? The biggest hit to quality comes from the fact that the response time is lagged, often taking several minutes to arrive at a scene after an incident. There is no real-time protection, say if there is an active break-in or other event.
Security patrol services are therefore useful for a limited scenario, where someone just wants to set up a basic security routine to take care of their basic needs, and establish to criminals that there is an active security presence.
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Dedicated Security Guards
A dedicated security guard can provide a completely different, comprehensive security value to your property. A dedicated security guard signifies that you take your security needs seriously, and are actively looking after your assets, capital, and people. This kind of guard may be more expensive, but when the total cost is shared across the many residents in an apartment complex or gated community, the individual cost ends up being a reasonable amount for a decidedly higher quality of service.
Dedicated security guards can respond immediately to events, and can maintain a higher degree of relations with the community actively, as they spend so much time on-site. This can be a boon for spotting and fixing security issues proactively, as lines of communication will be much more accessible. For certain clients, this makes dedicated security a much better option for their security needs.
Whether you choose a dedicated security guard or go with security patrol services, a security presence is absolutely essential for peace of mind and safety. Schedule a consultation with a security company today, and they can help you investigate the option that would be appropriate for you.