Where armed officers make sense in Santa Monica
- High-theft retail. Stores on the Promenade, in Santa Monica Place and along Wilshire Boulevard that deal with repeat or organized theft.
- Late-night hospitality. Bars, restaurants and hotels near Ocean Avenue and Main Street where closing time brings confrontations.
- Garages and staff exits. Escorts and coverage for employees leaving after dark.
- Sites with a history. Buildings where threats, assaults or weapons have already been part of an incident report.
Armed or unarmed? We will tell you honestly
Armed coverage costs more and changes the feel of a property, so we do not recommend it by default. We look at your incident history, layout, hours and the people your officer will deal with, then tell you whether an unarmed guard, an armed officer or a mix is the right fit. Some Santa Monica clients use armed coverage only on Friday and Saturday nights and unarmed officers the rest of the week.
For lots and garages that sit empty overnight, our mobile surveillance vehicle can watch the space without a full-time post. More about our approach is on the armed security page, and everything we cover locally is on the Santa Monica page.