All Services · BSIS Licensed · PPO #122008

California Security Services, All Coverage Types From One Licensed Operator

Armed and unarmed officers, mobile patrol, fire watch, event security, construction-site coverage, residential and HOA protection, executive protection, and standing posts. One PPO. One operations team. Statewide California coverage.

The Honest Version

Most California buyers don't need every service we offer.

They need the right one for their property, their risk profile, and their budget, and they need a vendor honest enough to recommend mobile patrol when standing guard would be wasted spending, or unarmed when armed would be wrong for the site. The decision starts with what the work actually is. Visitor verification at a lobby is a different job from copper-wire deterrence at a construction yard, which is a different job again from crowd management at a permitted festival.

ShieldWise Security covers California's full scope of private patrol services under PPO #122008. We staff armed officers where the threat profile justifies it, unarmed officers for the day-to-day work that fills most posts, mobile patrol for cost-efficient overnight coverage, fire watch for sprinkler-impairment and hot-work compliance, event security for weddings and corporate functions, special event coverage for permitted festivals, construction site security for active California job sites, and dedicated coverage for hospitals, hotels, shopping centers, educational campuses, apartments, HOA communities, and private residences. Every officer holds a current BSIS Guard Card under California Business and Professions Code §7583.5; armed officers carry an Exposed Firearms Permit under §7583.2.

Below: every service with the operational angle that makes it different. Click through for the deep dive.

Emergencies and 911. ShieldWise Security does not provide legal, medical, or emergency first-responder services. In an active emergency, always call 911 first. Our officers coordinate with police, EMS, and fire, they don't replace them.
01, Officer Type & Coverage Style

How the officer works the property

Armed or unarmed, moving or fixed. Most California posts run unarmed and work because of it.

Armed Security Guards California Higher Risk

Armed Security Guards

For sites with a higher risk profile, cannabis operations, high-value retail, banks, executive details, and post-incident deterrence. Officers carry current Exposed Firearms Permits under BPC §7583.2 with documented use-of-force training. We turn down armed contracts when the site geometry doesn't support it.

Explore Armed Security
Unarmed Security Guards California Most Common

Unarmed Security Guards

The workhorse of California security. Office buildings, apartments, retail centers, hospitals, schools, hotels, and after-hours warehouses. The visible presence of a trained, licensed officer in uniform stops most problems before they become incidents.

Explore Unarmed Security
Mobile Patrol Security California Cost-Efficient

Mobile Patrol

GPS-tracked patrol routes for properties that go empty after 6 p.m. Randomized visits within contracted totals, 5-to-15 minute alarm response inside our covered zones, and daily activity reports with stamped checkpoint verification.

Explore Mobile Patrol
Standing Guard Services California Fixed Post

Standing Guard

Fixed-post coverage at lobbies, gates, docks, and controlled-entry points. Standing guard is a deliberate choice, not a default, the post has to produce specific work to earn the budget over mobile patrol.

Explore Standing Guard
02, Compliance & Time-Sensitive

Coverage driven by code, permit, or deadline

When a fire marshal, AHJ, or insurance carrier dictates the configuration, we structure the engagement around the requirement.

Fire Watch Security California Fire Code

Fire Watch

24/7 fire watch coverage for sprinkler impairment, hot-work permits, and red-tagged buildings. Hourly logs that satisfy California Fire Code and NFPA documentation standards. Same-day deployment inside our covered zones.

Explore Fire Watch
Event Security Services California Events

Event Security

Weddings, corporate events, conferences, charity galas, and private parties. Crowd management, access control, EMS lane planning, and named event managers assigned per engagement.

Explore Event Security
Special Event Security California Permitted

Special Event Security

City-permitted events, festivals, ticketed concerts, parades, marathons, and large-attendee gatherings. The permit drives the security plan; we work with the AHJ on the security portion of the application before submission.

Explore Special Event Security
Construction Site Security California Job Sites

Construction Site Security

Overnight and weekend coverage for active California job sites. The 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. theft window is real, copper wire, equipment, fuel, lumber, and fixtures all have resale markets that drive recurring patterns.

Explore Construction Security
03, By Property Type

Coverage shaped to the building you operate

Office, multifamily, HOA, healthcare, hospitality, retail, education, and estate. Each property type has its own operational rhythm.

Commercial Security Services California Business

Commercial Security

Office buildings, warehouses, distribution centers, mixed-use developments, and corporate campuses. The lobby officer at midnight is the building's brand representation as much as its risk coverage.

Explore Commercial Security
Apartment Security Services California Multifamily

Apartment Security

Multifamily property coverage, courtesy patrol, lobby and leasing-office presence, package room oversight, garage patrol, and after-hours noise response. Documentation written to support resident retention and premises-liability defense.

Explore Apartment Security
HOA Security Services California HOA

HOA Security

Gated single-family communities, condo associations, planned communities, and 55-plus active-adult communities. Patrol routes built around the property's actual geography. Monthly board reports structured for 10-minute review.

Explore HOA Security
Hospital Security Services California Healthcare

Hospital Security

Acute-care hospitals, emergency departments, behavioral health units, outpatient clinics, and urgent care. Trauma-informed officers trained in de-escalation specific to clinical environments. Officers support clinical staff; they don't make clinical decisions.

Explore Hospital Security
Hotel Security Services California Hospitality

Hotel Security

Luxury, full-service, limited-service, and destination resort properties. Front desk presence, late-night patrol, parking and valet support, pool deck and amenity oversight, private event coverage, and guest management.

Explore Hotel Security
Shopping Center Security California Retail

Shopping Center Security

Neighborhood centers, regional malls, lifestyle centers, power centers, and outlet centers. California retail in 2026 doesn't have a shoplifting problem, it has an organized retail theft problem, and the response requires center-wide coverage.

Explore Shopping Center Security
Educational Campus Security California Schools & Higher-Ed

Educational Campus Security

K-12 schools and higher-education campuses operate under different legal frameworks. K-12 assignments run unarmed in compliance with California school firearm restrictions. Higher-ed assignments coordinate with sworn university police, not as a replacement.

Explore Campus Security
Residential Security California Estate

Residential Security

Private estates and high-end single-family homes. Officers work inside a household, coordinating with the principal, family, household manager, and staff on the operational rhythm of the family that lives there. Discretion is operational.

Explore Residential Security
04, Specialized Engagements

High-touch coverage that runs differently

Threat-driven, low-profile, structured around the principal, not a guard standing by the door.

Executive Protection California VIP

Executive Protection

Threat-assessment-driven engagements for principals, family members, and visiting executives. EP is a structured discipline, advance work, route planning, transitions, low-profile coverage, not an armed bodyguard following the principal around. Many initial inquiries lead to a recommendation against EP because the actual exposure doesn't support it.

Explore Executive Protection
Decision Framework

How to choose the right service

If you're not sure which service fits, here are the questions we ask first, before quoting anything.

What's the actual risk?

Not the worst-case scenario, the recurring pattern. Vehicle break-ins in your parking lot at 11 p.m. are a different problem from copper-wire theft at an active construction site, which is a different problem from gate-crashers at a wedding. The risk pattern shapes the configuration.

What hours need coverage?

Daytime active operations rarely need standing security. Properties that close at 6 p.m. and reopen at 7 a.m. have a 13-hour exposure window where mobile patrol typically does the job for less than a standing guard would cost.

Compliance or risk?

Fire watch, special event coverage, and certain hospital assignments exist because a permit, code, or accreditation requires them. Risk-driven coverage (commercial, residential, retail) has more flexibility in how it's configured.

Who are you accountable to?

Property managers want daily activity reports. HOA boards want monthly summaries structured for board meetings. Insurance carriers want documentation that holds up after a claim. The reporting deliverable shapes the engagement.

What infrastructure exists?

Properties with cameras, alarms, access control, and a property management company need a different configuration than properties without. We work with what's there, we don't insist on replacing it.

What does honest look like?

After the site walk we recommend the configuration that fits the actual work, sometimes a different service than the prospect first asked about, sometimes mobile patrol when they were considering standing guard. We say so. We recommend the right fit, not the most expensive option.

The Constants

What's the same across every service

Different services, different post types, but the operating discipline doesn't change.

BSIS-licensed officers

California Business and Professions Code §7583.5, 8-hour Power to Arrest before first shift, 32 additional mandatory training hours within six months, 8 hours annual continuing education. Armed officers carry Exposed Firearms Permits under §7583.2. DOJ and FBI LiveScan before placement.

Written post orders

Vague post orders are how contracts go sideways at insurance audit time. Every shift starts with documented post orders the officer carries.

Documented daily activity reports

Every shift produces a written log delivered to your inbox the morning after. Incidents trigger same-night incident reports. Reports are structured to be useful for property management, insurance carriers, and AHJs.

Named operations management

Our Operations Manager runs ShieldWise day-to-day. When something goes sideways, you have a number for the person responsible. Not a call tree.

Verifiable license

PPO #122008 appears on every page, every quote, and every invoice. License status, expiration, and qualified manager are publicly verifiable on the BSIS license lookup.

Month-to-month contracts

Most ShieldWise contracts run month-to-month with 30-day cancellation. We earn the renewal each month rather than locking clients into terms they don't want.

11+ years
In Business (since 2015)
PPO #122008
California BSIS Licensed
$2 million
General Liability Insurance
24/7
Dispatch & Response

Current California Security Guard Rates

Security Guard Pricing

Unarmed security: Custom pricing. Armed security: Custom pricing. Final pricing depends on shift length, location, number of guards, and contract term. Multi-month contracts qualify for 10 to 15% volume discount on multi-month contracts. Call (714) 716-7430 for a free site assessment and customized quote.

How much do unarmed security guards cost in California?

Unarmed BSIS-licensed officers from ShieldWise Security typically range Custom pricing. The exact rate within that band depends on shift type (day vs. overnight), county, number of guards, and contract length. Multi-month contracts qualify for 10 to 15% volume discount on multi-month contracts.

How much do armed security guards cost in California?

Armed officers (BSIS Exposed Firearms Permit) from ShieldWise Security typically range Custom pricing. Armed coverage is recommended for high-value retail, cannabis, banking, executive protection, and properties with documented armed-incident history.

Do you offer free quotes?

Yes. Every ShieldWise engagement starts with a free site assessment and a written quote with no obligation. Call (714) 716-7430.

Common Questions

Frequently asked questions

Real answers. Click any question to expand.

Which security service does my property need?
That depends on the property type, hours of coverage, risk pattern, and any compliance requirements affecting the engagement. Office buildings typically run lobby coverage plus after-hours patrol. Apartment buildings run courtesy patrol with optional lobby presence. HOAs run patrol with gate coverage where applicable. Construction sites run overnight and weekend patrol or standing post depending on theft exposure. Retail centers run common-area patrol with a parking-lot focus. We recommend a configuration after walking the property, and sometimes the recommendation is a different service than what was first asked about.
Are all your services BSIS-licensed?
Yes. ShieldWise Security operates under California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services Private Patrol Operator License PPO #122008. Every officer assigned across every service holds a current BSIS Guard Card under California Business and Professions Code §7583.5. Armed officers across armed security, executive protection, and applicable specialized assignments hold an Exposed Firearms Permit under §7583.2. License is verifiable on the BSIS license lookup.
Can I combine multiple services on one property?
Yes, and many engagements do. Construction sites frequently combine standing post at the gate with mobile patrol of the perimeter. Apartment buildings combine courtesy patrol with lobby presence. Hotels combine front desk coverage with late-night patrol and event support. Mixed configurations get quoted as a single engagement with the post mix specified.
How do I get a quote for security services?
Call (714) 716-7430 or email info@shieldwisesecurity.com with the property address, the type of coverage you're considering (or the problem you're trying to solve), and the hours you want covered. We respond within one business day. For sites that warrant it, we walk the property before quoting. The written quote includes our PPO number, scope of post orders, hourly rate, and minimums.
What does it cost to hire security guards in California?
Pricing depends on service type, hours, armed versus unarmed, post type, location, contract length, and any specialty requirements. Mobile patrol typically prices lowest per coverage hour because it spans multiple visits per shift. Standing guard prices higher per hour because of the continuous on-site presence. Armed coverage prices above unarmed. Specialized engagements (executive protection, fire watch with same-day deployment, residential estate coverage) price differently from baseline patrol. We quote in writing after a site walk.
How do you handle incidents and emergencies?
Officers stabilize the scene, ensure 911 is called when warranted, coordinate with arriving emergency services, and document the incident in writing. Same-night incident reports go to the designated client contact. Major incidents trigger review by our Operations Manager. Officers don't substitute for police, EMS, or fire response, in active emergencies, always call 911 first.
Can I cancel my contract if the service isn't working?
Most ShieldWise contracts run month-to-month with 30-day cancellation. We earn the renewal each month. If the coverage isn't doing what you need, we'd rather hear that and adjust than lock you into a contract you don't want. Specific contract terms are in writing in the engagement agreement.

Get a quote for your California property

Pick the service that fits, or if you're not sure, call and tell us what you're trying to solve.