Hiring event security services: what you should know

There are plenty of reasons to hire a security contractor. Knowing what questions to ask when looking for the perfect event security services team can be a bit more difficult to figure out.

To help you, we've compiled a list of information you should be requesting from any prospective event security company. When compiling a list of things to ask of your potential security contractor, our main consideration was transparency. The security of your guests is important and if you are to trust someone else with their safety, it's best to know everything you can about them.

A good security company will be able to provide you with everything we've listed, and if they aren't forthright, you should consider finding someone else. Some information you should be asking for:

1. Financial history

1. Audited financial statements for past year

2. Proof of adequate bonding and insurance

3.Any history as debtor in bankruptcy cases

2. Performance history

1. Any and all previous contracts with agency

2. Any and all contract terminations

3. Any and all debarments or determinations of non-responsibility

4. Any and all court disputes over past five years, outstanding judgments against the contractor, or damages assessed on any contracts

3. Compliance history

1. Any and all investigations, citations or penalties assessed against company owners, partners or officers by relevant government agencies

2. Any and all violations of licensing laws, or any investigations, citations, penalties or disciplinary action taken against company by a licensing agency

4. Business integrity

1. Any and all investigations, convictions or liability related to firm making false claims or material misrepresentations

2. Any and all owner or officer convictions in crimes involving the bidding, awarding or performance of government contracts, or crimes of fraud, theft, embezzlement, perjury or bribery

5. Company employee relations

1. Any and all violations of employees’ freedom to form a union

2. Any and all violations of minimum wage laws

3. Any and all unfair labor practice charges or complaints against the company

4. Any and all violations or penalties under the Federal Labor Standards Act and the Service Contract Act

‍For more information on hiring security services check out the Stand for Security site, and find out about The 5 types of event safety plans you should be making but aren't.

Image: Krzysztof Hepner via Unsplash