Private Security Companies

[jnc36rcpd]

As much as I cringe at the discussion of private security firms in the Mindset and Tactics forum, I know that the federal contractors in the National Capital Region usually have higher standards and responsibilities. Anyone with knowledge of these firms that could suggest one for a retirement gig? I don't have a problem standing a post, but I'd like to find a place where I could eventually use my instructor certifications (firearms, OC, Taser, active shooter, officer survival, use of force). Thanks and be safe.

[TGS]

USMS Court Security Officer through Akal, InterCon etc is the best gig in terms of people you work with and job duties. I'm not sure which company holds the contract(s) in this area.

Diplomatic Security Uniformed Division, contracted by InterCon, is going to be high up there as well with a starting pay of $32/hour in the NCR....the personnel are a little more variable in quality in DC compared to USMS, and the dudes who go in and get assigned to SOU (Special Operations Unit, basically just officers with active shooter training) generally don't stay too long as they're more capable dudes and working towards an actual police job. They have a fairly large K9 program as well, in addition to an honor guard if that JROTC-Nazi stuff is your thing. Initial training is 4 or 5 weeks with a few days per year refresher, and you qual once a year within that (all currently in Woodbridge, VA). Duty gear is Class B's with corframs (or BDUs/boots for K9 and SOU), concealed body armor, duty belt with Sig P229, two spare mags, cuffs, monadnock baton, flashlight, and radio.

You'll generally be standing post at an interior checkpoint in one of the many State Department buildings in the NCR, but there's some roving/vehicular stuff and exterior vehicle control points as well....one of the DSS UD security guards is even on camera getting stick time on the Turkish goons in 2016. If you end up working the Harry S Truman building, you'll do a lot of arrival and departures for visiting dignitaries and posting a lot of diplomatic events. There's limited opportunity for travel as well, primarily to support DoS operations at the UN General Assembly every September. About 40% have SDUSM credentials, and the hiring standards don't weed out window lickers but it's good enough that you'll generally be around responsible people and not brand new security guards with no experience that want to wear double thigh holsters and black trench-coats.

DHS is all through FPS. Maybe there's an FPS guy on the board, but from what I understand and have seen, their contracted armed security officers get paid less than USMS and DSS.

There's a ton of one-off jobs for various NGOs and museums in DC as well that I don't have any real information on, but if you can think of a museum or NGO, there's a good chance they have an armed guard contract. DC has some weirdness to it where they're all technically Special Police Officers.....I'm not sure what sort of limited arrest authority or protection that confers (if any).

[Rex G]

In case it was not yet on your radar screen, the Federal Reserve has its own security/protective service, with actual police/LEO powers. I was speaking to one, in Houston, when we were checking a suspicious vehicle call near their perimeter, and learned that retired federal and state LEOs were among the members of their service, as the Federal Reserve is not actually a US government entity, therefore, there is not the usual mandatory retirement at age 57, or so.

I made a note-to-self, to look into working for the Federal Reserve, after retirement from HPD, but when retirement actually happened, aches and ailments were part of the reason. I would have to get my gimpy shoulders well-doctored, before I would feel comfortable wearing a uniform, in an officially-armed occupation, again. So, I have not looked into actually applying, anywhere, yet.

[Trooper224]

USMS Court Security Officer through Akal, InterCon etc is the best gig in terms of people you work with and job duties. I'm not sure which company holds the contract(s) in this area.

Paragon Systems holds the current contract for Federal Courthouse security.

[jnc36rcpd]

Thanks for the information, guys. I had considered Paragon and InterCon, but the Federal Reserve was not on my radar.

I have never encountered InterCon to my knowledge, but I have seen job announcements on Indeed. Since most of the employee reviews seem like bad restaurant reviews on Yelp, some better and more detailed information is valuable.

Paragon is among the contract agencies I have seen at the private range with which my former agency has a contract. Their people and training seemed higher quality than most. The fact that they brought their own wooden barricades to the range when most organizations (including my former outfit) made due with the target stalls struck me as an indication of serious trainers.

Thanks again and be safe.

[TGS]

Paragon is among the contract agencies I have seen at the private range with which my former agency has a contract. Their people and training seemed higher quality than most. The fact that they brought their own wooden barricades to the range when most organizations (including my former outfit) made due with the target stalls struck me as an indication of serious trainers.

It's all about what the client wants and pays for, which is why it's easier to associate the quality of the people you'll be working with and job conditions by referencing the client you're actually working for day-to-day, such as DSS, USMS, FPS, Smithsonian, Holocaust Museum, etc. ETA: Indeed, the company holding these contracts can flip-flop back and forth between a set of companies over the years.

You can have one company (like Garda or G4S) and on one day when they qualify their people for contract A you'll wonder if they're actually supposed to have guns in the first place, and then the next week at the range will be guys from contract B and they could practically be stand-ins for the 75th Rangers. I specifically mention Garda and G4S for this reason, because that's 100% the case with the contracts that they hold.

When it comes to working on contract, it's more about the stipulations of the contract than the company holding the contract.

[Trooper224]

Indeed, the company holding these contracts can flip-flop back and forth between a set of companies over the years.

When I was going through the process with the USMS for the federal courthouse gig the contract changed hands. I was halfway through the process and Paragon got the contract, which meant I had to start all over again. That made my day.

[TGS]

When I was going through the process with the USMS for the federal courthouse gig the contract changed hands. I was halfway through the process and Paragon got the contract, which meant I had to start all over again. That made my day.

That must've been a PITA.

Did you finally get onboard, or did it end up not being worth the hassle?

If you're working now, how do you like it thus far? Must be a big change going to work dressed like a professor instead of a uniform...

[Trooper224]

That must've been a PITA.

Did you finally get onboard, or did it end up not being worth the hassle?

If you're working now, how do you like it thus far? Must be a big change going to work dressed like a professor instead of a uniform...

I have been hired, but haven't started working yet. I got measured for my uniforms and body armor at the end of November and as soon as the gear comes in I'll go to work. My new boss told me it took two months to get everything in for the last hire. I retired on 12-01 because I was told to be ready to go by December, so the extended vacay's been a little irritating. Fortunately, I don't need the job to keep the lights burning. Yes, dressing like a sportscaster instead of a storm trooper will be a change. So will working in a confined environment with other people. I spent a lot of years alone in a patrol car out on the road. I have met several of the people I'll be working with and I think it will be a good fit. The pay and the schedule are what kept me trudging through the process.

[jnc36rcpd]

I fired off an on-line application for Inter-Con this afternoon. I don't have high hopes as I did not attach a CV. That said, since the announcement was for one part-time position, I decided that speed might be of the essence.

Certifications were on the application. Unfortunately, I could not immediately determine if some certifications were active since I am now retired. On the plus side, the one current certification I could find was a TCCC class from the State Department's Operational Medicine Unit.

Thanks again.