Violent crime rates have risen sharply in the past few years. In Washington, D.C., total violent crimes have increased by 21% as of May 16 compared to 2021, and homicides increased by 4% with 72 recorded so far this year. Fox News Digital examined crime data from Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C., and found violent crimes have increased anywhere from nearly 5% to up to 40% compared to the same time frame in 2021. Violent crimes are typically defined as reports of rape, sexual assault, robbery, assault, and murder. With this in mind you may want to consider hiring professional security guards.
There are some descriptors in particular that if they apply to your business or property, should really have you considering the use of professional, trained security officers. If your business is located in a high crime area, a professional security officer will help protect it from theft and let potential visitors know they are safe on your property. Businesses with expensive equipment like construction companies, car lots, or high-end luxury retailers, need security officers at night and on weekends in particular to help watch over and protect their valuables. This also applies if your business offers financial services. In this case daytime security officers are also important to help provide extra surveillance and protect employees from potential workplace violence. If you have a business in which your employees are extremely busy, a security officer can watch over your property and notice things that other employees may overlook. If you oversee a residential community, the presence of security officers allows tenants to relax knowing that trespassing and safety issues can be handled properly.
If any of these circumstances apply to you, your facility can greatly benefit from the use of highly trained and qualified, professional security officers.
Crime Deterrence, Minimizing Loss, and Incident Response
The mere presence of a security officer can be a significant deterrent to criminals. A 2021 study by the University of North Carolina Charlotte found up to 50% of offenders would choose a different target if they saw a uniformed officer present. Security officers are a hugely impactful crime deterrent of crime including assault, vandalism, and theft, all of which damages an organization’s reputation and bottom line. If an incident does occur, security officers will be able to assist law enforcement agencies by reporting anything they saw and, when applicable, they can provide video surveillance. The average police response time is 9 minutes and 35 seconds. Instead of waiting for the police to arrive, having a security officer onsite will ensure an immediate response during a dangerous situation. Security officers can prevent suspects from getting away, interview witnesses, and secure victims. They can keep the incident contained, the damages can be kept to a minimum, and further injuries may be prevented. A security officer is equipped to handle breaches in security and protect your property. This will help minimize the disruption to your business. A trained security officer knows how to respond to a variety of crisis situations. Whether is be a would-be burglar, a vandal, fire or flood, a medical emergency, safety risk, or an angry customer or employee, a good security officer will be able to provide an immediate and effective response in any given situation.
Peace of Mind
By hiring a security officer, you are demonstrating to your employees, customers, and/or tenants that you care about their safety. This care and concern contributes to more positive relationships with customers and happier employees, who will work that much harder to ensure the success of your business. The mere presence of a trained security officer gives people a greater sense of security and protection. Creating this safe environment will boost your employee retention rate and increase the number of customers willing to work with you. By hiring a professional security officer to be in charge of surveillance, you can rest easy knowing that someone is vigilantly watching out for any potential concern, freeing you to focus on other matters.
Customer Service
Security officers must know every inch of a property to adequately protect it. This means that they can be of help to any customer searching for a specific area of your property. At night, they can escort any customer, tenant, or employee who feels uneasy walking through the parking lot alone. A security officer can be utilized to man a front desk and track visitors in a controlled access building. A good security officer will help you create an environment that is safe, friendly, and engaging for your employees, tenants, and customers alike.
National Protective Services is here to help you.
National Protective Services, Inc. is a women and minority owned private security firm with more than 40 years’ experience serving Virginia and Maryland. We specialize in both physical and electronic security. Our mission is to provide unparalleled customer care, and to provide an effective, personalized security service. We don’t just serve clients; we forge relationships that last for years. This is why many NPS clients have remained with us for more than a decade. We offer a range of services, tailored to fit the needs of each client individually. Contact us today at 1-800-382-2703 to schedule a short, free, no obligation consultation and see how it feels to be protecting like family.