What should be considered when choosing a private security company?

Why Is Private Security Company Selection Important?

Purchasing a private security service does not only mean the appointment of a certain number of security officers in an establishment. The safety model required in the site, residence, factory, warehouse, office building, hospital, educational institution or other facilities may vary according to the physical structure of the facility, entrance and exit points, human and vehicle movements, working hours and risk profile.

Therefore, when choosing a private security company, the company's legal authority, operational planning approach, field inspection, personnel management, incident reporting system and corporate competencies should be evaluated together, rather than just comparing the staff unit price.

How Should the Company's Operating Authority Be Controlled?

In Turkey, the operating permits of private security companies and administrative transactions related to the sector are carried out within the framework of the current practices of the private security legislation in force and the competent public institutions. Verifying from current official sources whether the company is authorized to operate in the private security area before purchasing the service is one of the basic controls.

It is a healthier way to check the current validity of the document and authority, rather than the cost of documents or monetary amounts that can vary over the years.

Should the number of staff be determined without a risk analysis?

The safety needs of every facility are not the same. The main entrance, parking and visitors’ movements on a site are in the forefront; change of walls at the factory, shipping doors and environmental security; while on the office building, visitors’ management and controlled access can be critical.

For this reason, professional assessment must first determine which risks are to be controlled; the number of personnel, task points, and shift structure must be established after this assessment.

How to Evaluate Task Points and Shift Plan

It is not enough to see the total number of staff in the offer. The main entrance, the vehicle entrance, consultation point, camera monitoring area, rotating route, loading area or other critical points must be clearly defined in which the task will be placed.

What information to transfer in shift changes, how to record events, how to take action in incomplete personnel, and how to manage mission delivery responsibility should also be determined before the service begins.

Why Field Control and Event Reporting is Important

It is not enough that the private security service is only planned at the beginning of the project. The use of the facility, visitor density, workflow, or risks may change over time. Therefore, it is important for the service company to be able to conduct field inspection, evaluate the operation and transfer the necessary improvement proposals to management.

It is preferable that important events be recorded rather than simply transmitted verbally; that service be monitored in a measurable way with field observations, incident records, and management reports when necessary.

How should the powers of a private security officer be assessed?

The powers of private security officers are not unlimited. The mandate, term of office, and powers defined in the legislation in force must be evaluated together. Therefore, it is important for the service provider to not only have their staff on the field, but to establish an operating system that correctly manages the boundaries of duty and authority.

Should Physical Security With Technology Be Planned Together?

Technologies such as CCTV, access control, alarm, plate recognition, and so on are not solutions that replace physical security alone. In the right project, technology can be used as a control layer that supports the security guard's mission on the field, strengthening detection and recording capability.

The incident detected with the camera should be part of the operation plan, how to receive it on the field, who to transfer the warning from the access system, and how to record the event.

How to Read Corporate Standards and Certificates

ISO and similar management standards can provide important information about a company's approach to managing certain processes in a systematic manner; however, a certificate alone should not be considered a guarantee of good service. The true value of standards is the evaluation of operations, quality, risk, business continuity, information security and other management processes along with how they are implemented in the field.

Why is the lowest price alone not enough?

Even if the number of personnel is the same in two private security offers, the scope of operation may not be the same. Field inspection, shift management, operational responsibility, reporting, staff backup approach, and risk assessment can change the actual scope of the offer.

Therefore, when comparing the bid, not only the total price, but which services are included in that price, and how to manage it, should be compared.

Private Security Company Election Checklist

• The operating authority of the company was checked from the current official source.
• Facility and risk needs were assessed.
• The mission points are clearly defined.
• Staffing and shift schedules have been defined.
• Mission delivery system announced.
• Field inspection method identified.
• Event recording and management reporting system announced.
• Lack of staff or change process has been announced.
• The relationship of field operation with technological security systems was assessed.
• Institutional competence and standards were examined.
• The offer was not only assessed on price.

Related Services and Resources

Currentity and Legislation Note

This content is a general evaluation guide on the process of purchasing private security services. Private security practices may vary depending on the nature of the facility, the task area, and the regulations in force. For current legal and administrative applications, the current regulations published by the Ministry of the Interior and the Directorate General of Police's private security Supervisory Department should be based on. Annually varying penalties, fees, fees, and similar amounts are not fixed into permanent guide information.