No PPO license number on the cover page
California requires a Private Patrol Operator license for every security company that bills for patrol. If the proposal doesn't proudly print the PPO number, the vendor either doesn't have one or doesn't want it verified.
'Monthly summary report' with no GPS data
Modern patrol vendors deliver a per-tour report with GPS pins. A vendor offering only a 'monthly summary' is offering plausible deniability, not documentation.
12-month lock with no cancellation clause
Long lock-ins protect the vendor from their own performance. Demand a 30-day no-fault out and an SLA — missed tours = right to cancel.
National 800 number for dispatch
Your incident at 3 AM should reach a Sacramento dispatcher in two rings. A national call center routes you through a queue that wastes the most expensive minutes of any active incident.
Armed-as-default pitch
Armed patrol carries 5-10x the liability tail of unarmed. For 95% of property-management contexts, unarmed visible deterrence outperforms armed presence. A vendor pushing armed-as-default is selling fear, not security.
Vague language around 'random checks'
Tour count, tour windows, and check-point list should be specific numbers in the SOW. 'Random checks throughout the night' is not a deliverable.
No sample report attached
Any vendor proud of their reporting will attach a sample PDF to the proposal. If you have to ask for one, the answer about reporting quality is already in.
Officer subcontracting (1099 guards)
Some vendors subcontract patrols to 1099 contractors. That breaks supervision, training, and insurance chain-of-custody. Ask: 'Are your officers W-2 employees of your company?' Get the answer in writing.
Insurance certificate that names a different entity
Always check the COI's named insured. If it doesn't match the entity on the contract, the coverage may not extend to the work being performed at your property.
Want a proposal that passes this audit?
Call (530) 902-9390 and we'll send a Stormhammer proposal you can grade against every flag on this page.