As a security professional and owner of several small businesses, I understand the importance of conducting background checks on my employees.  One of my companies employs over 100 security officers and, for several years, I was content on a standard state police background check.  After securing an account with a school district, at which we would provide security personnel, I thought it best to improve upon the manner in which we conducted our background checks.  In addition, my staff would begin conducting random background checks of our staff during the course of their employment.

Although I and my staff were confident in our state’s ability to accurately document in the background check any and all relevant arrests within our state, we were not comfortable in the fact that many of our employees had at one time lived outside of our state.  Determined to provide qualified law abiding security officers to our new client, as well as to our existing clients, we began the arduous task of investigating each and every security officer in our employ. Read more…

Over the past several months, I’ve received quite a few emails asking often vague, but sometimes important questions regarding the security industry.  Some of the questions I receive are with regards to security jobs, pay rates and job responsibilities.  In light of many of these questions, I though I would provide you with a brief overview of the best security job in the world.  For those of you under the age of 23, you just may want to consider this for a possible career move.

Many years ago, I was an active duty Marine stationed in California.  Initially trained as a Dragon Gunner (wire guided missiles), I eventually made my way over to the Military Police field.  It was while working as an MP that I learned of a program simply referred to as MSG (short for Marine Security Guard).  Upon first hearing the words “Security Guard”, I immediately lost interest.  “Why would a US Marine want to be a security guard”, I asked a senior enlisted Marine.  With a half-cocked smile on his face and his eyebrows raised, he simply said “you’re kidding right?” and walked off.

Not long after, my lieutenant came to visit me in the barracks and asked if I’d be interested in learning more about the MSG program.  Not wanting to sound too disinterested to the Lt., I said “YES SIR, I’d love to learn more about it”.  A few days later, I found myself in an office filling out paperwork for reassignment to the MSGBN Quantico, Virgina.  A couple of months later, after having been accepted, I boarded a plane for the long flight across country. Read more…

First, please allow me to apologize for this post, which is not security related.  Sure, it’s my blog and I can post whatever I want, but I still feel like I’m letting someone down.  On the other hand, my friend asked me to post something about his company’s new book, so I suppose I’m just helping out a friend.  Six of one, half dozen of the other . . . here’s my post.

The Crime Scene Cleanup Industry is a quiet seldom heard about industry with a huge profit potential.  Throughout the United States, new Crime and Trauma Scene Cleanup Companies are being created on a weekly basis.  Working on behalf of home owners, insurance companies and property management companies, crime scene cleanup companies  are contracted to restore properities to a pre-incident condition following a death or accident.  Many such companies, servicing large metropolitan areas, receive several jobs a week at an average bill rate of over $200 per hour.  According to industry professionals, every job requires at least two technicians and can often take upwards of eight to twelve hours per technician. If my math is correct, such a job would bring in nearly $4,000.  A few of these a week and you’ve got a nice little business. Read more…

As the owner of a security guard company, I feel inclined to post this for all of you searching for security guard jobs.

My company, Trinity Executive Services, Inc. has been in business since 1994.  Having only recently left the Marine Corps after a six year tour of duty when I started Trinity, I had this vision of a security guard company that would offer the premier security officers in the city.  I would create a company that was fun to work for, offered a competitive pay rate, provide rewards to officers who went above and beyond the call of duty and would establish a sense of pride and honor in the officers I hired.  Now, fifteen years later and after going through thousands of officers, I’ve come to realize that most people looking for a security guard job just don’t care.  The security industry is only a stepping stone for some and a place to sleep of most others. Read more…

How often do you vary your route to and from work?  How often do you sit and look around your house, before getting out of your car? Do you roll up your car windows when stopped at a stoplight?  Do you have your keys in hand when approaching your car in a parking lot?  Do you park in a well-lit area?  Do you keep your bedroom door locked when sleeping at night?  If someone were to come into your office with the intent of killing people, do you have an escape route planned?  Do you ALWAYS know who is knocking on your door, before you open the door? Read more…

As a police officer and security professional, I’m constantly reminded of the importance of home security.  Contrary to the violent world we live in, our right to feel safe and protected within our own home should never be compromised or violated.  Yet on a daily basis, thousands of homes across the country our invaded and destroyed.  Thousands of lives every year are changed as a result of home invasions, burglaries, kidnappings and vandalism.

Although crime can never be eliminated, it can be deterred.  From firearms to alarm systems, reinforced doors to safe rooms, the number of products on the market today to aid in home security are endless.  Camera systems, bar locks, sirens, mace, bats and motion sensors, regardless of your budget, security products can be found.  But what really works? Read more…

So you want to know how to become a security consultant.  Just as with any other business professional, becoming a security consultant takes years of education and work experience.  Most security consultants specialize in a particular industry such as: the hotel industry, hospital industry, real estate or retail industries.  Most security consultants work for major companies and are responsible for overseeing all security related tasks and issues associated with that company.   Those consultants with a wide range of experience in several different types of industries often start their own consulting business and are hired on an as needed basis.  During the ongoing conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, many security consultants have been hired by the US Government to train security and police forces abroad.  Independent security consultants often make a six figure income, which can double if the work is in a high risk area.

There are several different paths one could take to become a security consultant.  Here are just a few recommendations to keep in mind as you explore your desire to become a security consultant. Read more…

Some of you may wonder why the title of this post is “safety meeting topics free”.  On a daily basis, well over one thousand people search for information regarding “safety meeting topics free”, and I want to be at the top of the search engine results page.  You see, last week I was the victim of a house fire.  It wasn’t a terrible fire, as it was largely contained to my garage, however I realized how dangerously close I came to losing everything.  So, if you are looking for a free safety meeting topic, please read this post regarding “fire safety”.  If the information I have to share can save just one family, this post and it’s peculiar title will be well worth it. Read more…

Taurus Firearms (Forjas Taurus) started in Brazil in 1941.  With the release of its first firearm, the Model 38101SO Revolver, Taurus Firearms soon became a major firearms manufacturer in South America.  Today, as one of the largest small arms manufacturers in the world, Taurus Firearms continues to grow.  Not to diminish the fact that Taurus Firearms manufacturers a superb firearm, a much greater catalyst to their growth came in 1984when they became the first firearms manufacturer to offer a lifetime repair policy.  Since it took other manufacturers years to offer the same policy, Taurus Firearms was able to capture the bulk of US firearms sales through the early 1990’s.  Taurus Firearms continues to post record profits every year. Read more…

As a law enforcement officer and former Marine, I have been around guns for the past twenty years.  I have witnessed numerous deaths and serious bodily injuries as a result of both the legal and illegal use of firearms.  Although a society free of any weapons would be ideal, an ideal society is far from the one we live in.  Many proponents of our right to bear arms lean on the 2nd amendment, while some have no idea what an amendment is and simply like guns (for more information on the 2nd amendment and what it really means for gun owners and gun control laws, please read Marc Rubin’s post at Newsvine).   Regardless of the legal or personal reasons one might choose to justify his or her right to possess a firearm, the bottom line is “if the bad guys have guns, the good guys must have them too”.

Current gun control laws are primarily based on the Gun Control Act of 1968.   Although individual states may have a wide variety of laws and regulations that govern an individual’s right to carry a firearm, we all have the right to own a firearm.  The Gun Control Act of 1968 was primarily drafted to provide for better control of the interstate traffic in firearms.  The act also provides for us a list of those who are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.  According to the National Rifle Association (NRA), “The following classes of people are ineligible to possess, receive, ship, or transport firearms or ammunition: Read more…