Armed, unarmed, or off duty police?
Each one fits a different job. Pick the one your risk calls for. Events and larger sites with several posts can use more than one, on one contract.
The three officer types
All licensed, supervised, and held to law enforcement standards. What differs is the job.
Unarmed guards
Lowest cost per hour
Licensed, uniformed officers for access control, lobbies, parking, patrol, ID checks, and customer facing posts. The right choice for most posts most of the time.
Armed guards
Costs more than unarmed
Licensed armed officers where cash, product, or targeted threats concentrate: entries, vaults, cash counts, closing, and high value sites overnight.
Off duty police officers
Highest cost, highest experience
Active and retired law enforcement for peak hours, high profile clients, known threats, and supervision of the rest of the team.
Sites with more than one post
Ways larger sites and events keep cost down without cutting coverage.
Armed lead, unarmed team
Pay the armed rate for one position. Unarmed officers handle the rest under that lead.
Armed where risk concentrates
Entry, vault, cash office, and closing. Unarmed on parking, lobby, and access control.
Officers for peak hours
Off duty police on Friday and Saturday nights, payroll days, events, or after an incident, not every shift.
Patrol instead of idle posts
Randomized patrol visits with photo proof often replace a quiet overnight post for a fraction of the cost.
Which officers fit each industry
Primary means the officer type we usually lead with. Common means it is part of most programs. As needed means for specific situations.
Questions we get
Can one contract include armed, unarmed, and off duty officers?
Yes, when you need two or more officers. Events and larger sites often work this way: one schedule, one invoice, one point of contact. A single post gets the one officer type the risk calls for.
Is an off duty officer always better than an armed guard?
Not always. Off duty officers bring more experience and judgment, which matters for high profile clients, known threats, and supervision. For a routine armed post, a licensed armed guard is often the better value.
When should I go armed?
When cash, product, or a known threat is concentrated in one place, or when you've already had a robbery or violent incident. Armed coverage is a deterrent, not a default.
Can you cut my cost without cutting coverage?
Often, yes. The usual moves are replacing an idle overnight post with randomized patrol, using an armed lead with unarmed staff, and scheduling officers only for peak hours. Send us your current schedule and we'll show you the options.
Not sure which fits?
Tell us what you are protecting. Kevin will recommend one and send a written quote, usually the same day.