Five Steps to Take After a Break-In

Hopefully, you’ll never experience a robbery, but if you do, it’s essential that you know the proper steps to take afterwards so you can get on with your life. This post from your trusted security professionals will cover a few valuable safety tips in Fort Myers, FL:

  • Alert the authorities: Your first step after you notice a break-in is to call 911. Even if the perpetrator is long-gone, the police will still need to file a report and get a statement from you. If we’re lucky, the police will be able to catch the thief before he strikes again.
  • See what’s missing: Once the area has been cleared, you’ll need to walk around and make a record of what’s been stolen. Jewelry, cash and electronics are the typical big-ticket items thieves look for, but they could steal anything that’s valuable.
  • File an insurance claim: Assuming the robber was able to get away with some valuable items, you’ll want to file a claim with your insurance company. Though they can’t replace your treasures, your insurance company can at least write you a check for the cost of the stolen goods.
  • Change your locks: There’s never a better time to change your locks than after a break-in! Getting new locks on all your exterior doors helps keep your home safe and gives you peace of mind that the robber won’t be able to return quite so easily.
  • Schedule a security consultation: Finally, you’ll want to call a team of security professionals and arrange a consultation. A consultation is the ultimate way to ensure your home or business is as safe as it can be going forward.

Benefits of a security consultation

Arranging a security consultation is one of our best safety tips in Fort Myers, FL. Here’s how one can help your business or home:

  • Know potential weak spots: Even with security cameras and alarm systems, all areas of your building or home aren’t equally protected. A professional security consultation will identify these weak spots so we can beef up security in those areas.
  • Develop a plan: Depending on the weak spots identified above, we’ll tailor a plan to suit your needs. This plan could include everything from setting up security cameras to hiring full-time guards. No two cases are exactly alike, which is why we take plenty of time to develop the best approach for you.
  • Prevent future break-ins: With the right plan in place, we can prevent a break-in from ever occurring again. Consultations aren’t free, but compared to facing another break-in, the cost is well worth it.
  • Ensure peace of mind: We guarantee your mind will be at ease after speaking with our professionals. Our security experts have decades of industry experience providing comprehensive consultations for homeowners and businesses.

Whether you’ve been the victim of a break-in or you just want to prevent one altogether, be sure to give our team at American Pride Security Services, Inc. a call. In addition to providing some great safety tips in Fort Myers, FL, we’ve been providing trustworthy security services for over three decades—we look forward to assisting you soon!

Tips for Dealing with the Homeless

Whether you realize it or not, the Fort Myers area is home to nearly 3,000 homeless individuals, numbers that are higher than those in several other parts of the state. While the local community has made great strides in recent years to embrace and support these underprivileged members of society, there is still much to do. Meanwhile, nearly 3,000 homeless people are living and sleeping on the streets.

With so many souls on the street, business owners will almost inevitably find themselves interacting with the city’s homeless population at some point or another. Sometimes, for example, it may become necessary to ask a homeless person to leave the store or office or ask them to move along from the outside of your storefront. That’s when it’s critical to ensure that you have a team with security skills for handling the homeless population in Fort Myers, FL.

The unvarnished truth

Studies indicate that as much as 80 percent of the homeless population of the United States are addicted to drugs or suffering from mental instability of some kind. Your heart may break for the people who find themselves without a roof over their heads, but the fact remains that such ailments can make certain homeless people unpredictable and even dangerous.

When the situation becomes hazardous, you’ll be glad you’ve got an expert with security skills for working with the homeless population of Fort Myers, FL.

It’s a conversation, not a fight

When the time comes to interact with the homeless population in Fort Myers, no one wants to spark a conflict. The goal is to find a solution that suits both parties without causing a scene. Most of the time, that’s precisely what will happen. Research indicates that, regardless of their personal afflictions, the vast majority of the homeless population, about 80 percent, are peaceful and cooperative.

Of course, that leaves about one in five members of the homeless population who could pose a potential threat to your safety and the safety of your customers or employees. When those instances occur, a properly-trained security professional will engage in skilled diplomacy—they won’t engage in a fight.

There are no “heroes” here

If and when a homeless individual steals from your store or becomes abusive to you, your employees or your customers, a security professional’s job is to intervene. That said, they should never move to touch a homeless person. The proper response is a calm instruction to leave, followed by an equally calm call to the police.

Your sense of safety won’t be preserved by a so-called security professional who is ready to escalate a conflict and get physical with a member of the homeless population.

Get help from American Pride Security Services, Inc.

At American Pride Security Services, Inc., our entire team is trained in security skills for working with homeless population in Fort Myers, FL. We understand that our job as safety officers is to preserve the peace in your establishment, and we take that job very seriously.

Since we opened our doors, American Pride Security Services, Inc. has offered Florida’s best security surveys and consultations, property patrol, building lockup and alarm setting, industrial security and so much more.

You deserve the best security team money can buy, and American Pride Security Services, Inc. can provide it. Contact us today to learn more.

Why Colleges and Universities Should Prioritize Campus Security

Anytime you have a large group of people together in one space, you have a security concern. Colleges and universities are often hubs for rallies, concerts, guest lectures and other special presentations that can attract members of the public. There is also no denying the fact that over the last two decades, there has been a rise in gun-related violence on college campuses. Whether you need specialized event coverage or your own dedicated school security service in Fort Myers, FL, American Pride Security Services, Inc. can help prevent security issues and act accordingly if they arise.

Here are some of the reasons why campus security is so important:

  • Help keep students and parents at ease: The overarching reason behind hiring campus security is to give the students, their parents, professors and staff precious peace of mind. Many parents are nervous about sending their child off on their own for the first time, and students can be just as scared. Knowing the campus is safe and secure will greatly alleviate their fears.
  • Prevent sexual assaults: While on-campus sexual assaults are nothing new, particularly vicious ones have been making the news in recent years. Having campus security patrolling the grounds makes it easier to prevent potential issues and keep crimes of opportunity from occurring.
  • Safely supervise rallies and protests: College is a time-honored environment where young political activists can make their voices heard. However, in this polarizing political environment, what should be peaceful protests or inspiring rallies can often turn violent. Heated words and vastly different opinions are a breeding ground for altercations. Having extra security detail on hand is a smart way to allow students to voice their opinions while carefully watching for any potential risks.
  • Act as first responders: In the unfortunate event of a disaster or act of violence, school security services in Fort Myers, FL provide valuable first responder services. Having security on hand can make the difference between life and death, since they will be right on hand to assist.
  • Cut down on alcohol- and drug-related incidents: In many students’ minds, going to college is synonymous with getting out from under their parents’ watchful eyes—which often means experimenting with drugs and alcohol. With drugs and alcohol come lowered inhibitions, and occasionally violent or dangerous behavior. Security ensures that any potential issues are addressed as quickly and easily as possible, without involving the city police. Whether it’s a noise complaint or a fist fight, you’ll be glad you had someone to deescalate the situation.

School security service in Fort Myers, FL

At American Pride Security Services, Inc., we consistently employ and deploy highly-trained security experts wherever they’re needed. Whether you need an intimidating presence, complete with imposing personnel and official uniforms, or you’re looking for a plain-clothes security officer to provide low-key peace of mind, know that we’re here to help. Call us today to find out how we can staff your campus with experienced and knowledgeable security personnel. We look forward to telling you more about what we can do for you.

Reasons Why Security Guards Are More Efficient Than Video Surveillance

If you own or operate a commercial or residential property, you know how important it is to put up security cameras around the building. Cameras can help identify bad guys committing a crime, or even stop them before the act if they notice they’re on film, but that’s pretty much all cameras can do. Security cameras alone simply won’t cut it anymore.

Along with installing cameras, you need to hire a security guard service in Fort Myers, FL to patrol your building or complex. Keep reading to learn some of the advantages of bringing on a few guards to watch your property:

  • React in real time: Even if your cameras detect a criminal, the bad guy is going to be long gone by the time the police arrive. That’s where a security guard can really help! A trained guard can catch the criminal before he flees into the night.
  • Prevent wrongdoing: As we mentioned above, a security camera may deter a would-be-criminal from breaking the law, but cameras are not as effective as seeing a uniformed guard. Bad guys are going to move right along as soon as they catch a glimpse of your security force.
  • No technical issues: Surveillance devices are more advanced than ever before. While that’s certainly a good thing, it can also lead to some technical troubles or even lost footage. Since they’re highly-trained humans, security guards will never experience technical glitches.
  • Greater long-term value: Security devices need to be replaced every few years. Constantly upgrading your equipment gets pretty expensive after a while. When all is said and done, a security guard is less costly and provides better service than a camera.

Qualities to look for in a good security guard service

As you now know, it’s essential to hire a security guard service in Fort Myers, FL, but not just any old company will do. Here’s what to look for in a good firm:

  • Great reputation: The first thing you should look into is the company’s reputation around town. If their former and current clients are happy and satisfied with their service, you will be too. Read online reviews to see what people are saying about the company before you hire them.
  • Trained guards: Anyone can put on a uniform and say they’re a “security guard,” but you don’t want an amateur looking out for your building when you’re not around. Make sure the company you hire employs highly-trained and experienced guards.
  • License and insurance: Just like when you’re hiring a general contractor for a home project, you should always go with the company that’s licensed and insured. Going with anyone without the proper license and insurance will surely end in disaster for you and your business.

If you want a security company that meets all of the criteria mentioned above, look no further than American Pride Security Services, Inc. We’ve proven time and again to be the ideal security guard service in Fort Myers, FL for all sorts of properties, communities and businesses. Call us today to learn more about all of our security services.

Signs Your Office Building Needs a Security Officer

Regardless of the type of business you run, chances are, you’ve thought about the potential security threats facing your enterprise on at least one or two occasions. For retailers, the push to maintain tight security is extremely evident. Office enterprises, however, often let security fall by the wayside.

You store sensitive data, computers and other pieces of highly expensive technology in your office building. In an era of rising economic uncertainty, there are few things more important to the success of your business than the assets you keep on hand, and the intellectual property stored on your company’s computers.

While you might think that your alarm system or the building’s built-in security network is enough to safeguard your assets, you’re not fully considering the true amount of risk that your company faces. Often, the only way to truly and adequately protect your place of business is by hiring a licensed security professional.

There are a number of reasons why you might want to consider hiring an office security service in Fort Myers, FL, including the following:

  • Your building’s been burgled: If you’ve recently had your building burgled or broken into, you should absolutely contract a security officer at the earliest possible moment. Once your building’s been targeted, criminals will know that it’s an easy place to gain access to, meaning you are likely to be a repeat target.
  • Rising neighborhood crime: Neighborhood crime trends are consistently shifting, and some once-safe suburban areas are becoming increasingly dangerous. If the crime in your neighborhood is on the rise, or if you suspect it might start to rise in the near future, you should consult with an office security service in Fort Myers, FL.
  • Car theft and burglary is common: You and your employees shouldn’t have to worry about car burglary or theft while you’re at work. Unfortunately, many people are concerned that their cars will be stolen or broken into while they’re on the clock.
  • Safety incidents are a concern: Security officers don’t only stop crimes—they also assist with other safety concerns. For instance, if an employee falls while walking down the stairs, the officer will spot them and be able to assist. This is particularly valuable if you have a lot of elderly employees or clients.
  • Non-secured parking lot and building access: If the building that you lease already has security at the gate, you’ll probably be fine without hiring your own security team. If your parking lot simply opens up onto the street, however, you should seriously consider the benefits of working with a professional office security service in Fort Myers, FL.

For more than three decades, American Pride Security Services, Inc. has been a trusted provider of office security service in Fort Myers, FL. We’re proud to provide our clients with high-quality security assessments and plans. If you’re looking for new ways to keep your employees and your assets safe, reach out to one of our highly skilled security professionals. We’ll work with you to develop and implement a security plan that will optimize your building. Contact us today to learn more.