With the hundreds of licensed security guard companies in Ontario how do you choose the most suitable company to secure your event, property or protect an individual?
Ontario Security Hub helps you make informed decisions in quickly selecting a security company by comparing several key details of these companies:
1. Is the security guard company licensed as a security, private investigation or dual (both security and private investigation)?
Under the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, a security guard is a person who performs work, for remuneration, that consists primarily of guarding or patrolling for the purpose of protecting persons or property. A private investigator is a person who performs work, for remuneration, that consists primarily of conducting investigations in order to provide information. A company that is licensed as dual can provide services of both security guards and private investigators. Even if you do not plan to hire services of a private investigator, a company that is licensed as dual demonstrates additional expertise with its ability to offer those services. The Private Security and Investigative Services Act can be accessed here.
2. Does the security guard company offer dedicated in-house training prepared and delivered by their own employees?
The Ontario Ministry mandates that security guard basic training courses be at least 40 hours long, including certification in Emergency First Aid/CPR. This is the basic requirement to obtain a security guard license and can be either classroom-based or web-based. By offering additional training beyond the basic requirements such as de-escalation and use of force, security guards are more prepared to deal with challenging situations. Some security companies offer additional training to their guards by contracting a third party provider. Although this is an improvement over just the basic Ministry requirements, this training is often only offered to a selection of their guards and not on a regular basis. In-house training delivered by the security guard company’s own employees on top of the mandatory Ministry training further demonstrates commitment to their guards.
3. Does the security guard company have a marked security vehicle available for mobile patrols?
There are situations when the security guards contracted to protect your property may need additional support in an emergency or unfamiliar situation. A mobile security vehicle operated by an experienced security supervisor can provide this back up when needed. In the event a guard does not show up for their shift, a mobile supervisor can also cover until a relief is arranged. This can also apply to posts with only one guard. The mobile supervisor will be able to cover for washroom and lunch breaks so the post does not become unattended.
Start looking through our website of security guard companies in Ontario while keeping these details in mind: ontariosecurityhub.ca. If you have worked with a company that is not yet in our system, we would appreciate if you could add the company and share your experiences. We hope to help you reduce the amount of time sorting through the numerous licensed security guard companies in Ontario so you can start working with them as soon as possible.
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