01
Patrol versus a posted officer
Continuous presence or unpredictable checks: how to weigh the options.
Read the guideResources
Guides for planning private security.
Plain-language guides for Palo Alto facilities teams, written around the questions that come up before a walkthrough.
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Resources
Guides.
02
Security walkthrough checklist
How to prepare, what’s reviewed and what the quote includes.
Read the guide03
Construction site security planning
Access, materials, after-hours coverage and fire watch.
Read the guide04
Fire watch preparation
What to confirm, what to tell the officer and what the log should show.
Read the guide05
Event security planning
Staffing, credentials, restricted areas and venue coordination.
Read the guide06
Security for shopping centers
Common areas, parking, service corridors and peak seasons.
Read the guide07
Medical office security
Lobby presence, parking rounds and after-hours response.
Read the guide08
Guards vs remote video
Live camera monitoring and a posted officer each guard a Palo Alto property differently. This guide sets them against each other and shows when to use one, the other or both.
Read the guide09
Post orders checklist
A post orders checklist for Palo Alto properties: the station and its hours, shift duties, rounds, visitor rules, logs, call lists and the shift handoff, ready to print.
Read the guide10
Coverage hours planner
A planner for choosing between a daytime post, evening and overnight coverage, or officers around the clock, built around how a Palo Alto property is used hour by hour.
Read the guide11
Cost calculator
Price a Palo Alto guard post or a run of patrol visits before you call: enter the officers, hours and nights you have in mind, and this security guard cost calculator returns a monthly range you can plan around.
Use the calculatorGetting the most from these guides
Each guide answers the questions facilities leads, property managers and event organizers raise in a first conversation about security. Start with the one closest to your property, then read the walkthrough checklist before we visit; it lists the documents and details that make a quote accurate.
The guides explain trade-offs rather than push a single answer. Patrol, a posted officer and camera monitoring each suit different hours and risks, and combining them often gives the best coverage.
Which guide fits your situation
If your offices or research buildings sit empty overnight, begin with the patrol comparison. Builders and general contractors get the most from the construction planning and fire watch guides read together.
Retail centers, medical buildings and event organizers each have a guide written around the way their spaces are used day to day, from service corridors and parking to lobby presence and guest credentials.
A few useful answers
Common questions
Which guide should we read before the walkthrough?
The walkthrough checklist. It covers what to gather, what gets reviewed on site and what the written quote contains.
Are these guides written for Palo Alto properties?
Yes. They are built around the offices, research campuses, retail streets, medical buildings and private events found across Palo Alto.
Can we print the walkthrough checklist?
Yes. The walkthrough guide offers a printable checklist at the top of the page, ready to fill in before we visit.
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