Recently a long-term client of El Dorado contacted me regarding an incident that occurred with one of their security officers. It was being alleged, by the security company’s customer, that their officer had participated in a theft resulting in the loss of over $25,000 worth of merchandise. At this time, there have been no final [...]
We have talked about issues related to security guard regulation before, but it’s time to shine a spotlight on it again, because things are starting to change even more quickly – and it may have widespread ramifications for the industry in the coming years. Security guard regulations – which include the licensing, insurance, and registration [...]
Many commercial fire alarm systems can exist in a kind of gray, where if they are operational and can be properly maintained, a replacement is not required…not until a significant change occurs. Local and state laws can have an impact here, which is why it’s always a good idea to keep up with the latest [...]
Subcontracting is a potential solution for busy PIs that need help juggling cases. A PI can either hire a subcontractor independently by personally interviewing clients or use a vendor that offers specific PI services from a larger pool of candidates. Either way, this option has its own risks as well as advantages: Here’s what PIs [...]
The independence of private investigators from local law enforcement can be an advantage to many clients, especially when it comes to privacy and discretion. However, there are situations where an experienced PI needs to ask, “Should I go to the police with this?” Some of these situations are obvious, and some require a careful balance [...]
Vehicle safety and guidelines don’t just improve security patrols or driving behavior: They also play a key role in protecting a security firm from liability and other issues related to poor vehicle performance. In the wrong situations – or without the right preparation – a vehicle can be a source of serious damage or bodily [...]
A popular security news story is making the rounds about how a key security upgrade for the El Pollo Loco restaurant chain managed to reduce false alarm costs by 95% while fixing enormous vulnerabilities in the alarm system that had led the company to pay for services it wasn’t even receiving. Stories like this tend [...]
So far, 2021 has been anything but boring – and ongoing incidents have continued to highlight the growing importance of security guards at a variety of events. But events have also shown that a poorly managed security team can do far more harm than good. One of the best examples is this particular case of [...]
When a business or homeowner purchases a security system, they want alarms that will immediately make a difference. In particular, those with monitoring services will expect that the alarms installed will instantly lead to an alert with the monitoring company and resulting emergency response. After all, that’s how the building is protected, and the damage [...]
If you’ve been watching the news or following social media stories the past several years, you have probably noticed a growing number of stories about how people have outed others – often criminals – through dating apps, catfishing, email phishing, and generally misrepresenting themselves online. It’s effective and may look like an attractive option to [...]