219 security guard and private security companies in San Francisco, California. Ranked by license status, profile views and recommendations.
Part of the directory of security companies in California. New to California? See how California security licensing works.
219 companies · Page 1 of 5
1 CERBERUS SECURITY & PATROL
A&F SECURITY SERVICE
A1 PROTECTIVE SERVICES, INC.
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AM/PM SECURITY SPECIALIST
AMB PROTECTIVE SERVICES
AMERICOM CENTRAL STATION
ARG GLOBAL INC
ARMADA PROTECTIVE SERVICES INC.
ARMADA SECURITY
ASPIRE PROTECTIVE SERVICES
AURA FIRE SAFETY
BAY VALLEY INTEGRATION, INC
BIG-EYE SECURITY, INC.
BLACK BEAR SECURITY SERVICES, INC.
BLOCK BY BLOCK, CALIFORNIA
CALBAY PROTECTIVE SERVICES, INC.
CENTRAL PARKING SYSTEM
CHARLES PFISTER, INVESTIGATIONS & RESEARCH, INC
CITISHIELD INCORPORATED
CONCENTRIC ADVISORS, INC.
CORE1 SECURITY SERVICES
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San Francisco concentrates corporate headquarters, financial services, and a dense downtown retail core that has made loss prevention and storefront security a top priority in recent years. Building lobbies, tech offices, hotels, and special events sustain year-round guard demand, and many businesses supplement on-site staff with camera systems and mobile patrols. It is consistently one of the most expensive US markets for contracted security.
The providers below are ranked on merit, but the final check is yours. Work through these four steps before you sign anything in San Francisco:
Private security in California is licensed at the state level by the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), Department of Consumer Affairs. A legitimate company operating in San Francisco holds a Private Patrol Operator (PPO) license, which means it has cleared California BSIS's ownership, background-check and insurance requirements. Ask for that license number in writing and verify it yourself — a certificate on the wall tells you nothing about current standing, since a license can be suspended or revoked.
Hiring an unlicensed company is a risk you carry. In California, operating without a license is misdemeanor (Cal. Business & Professions Code §7582.3). Operating as an unlicensed private patrol operator (or knowingly engaging a non-exempt unlicensed one) is a misdemeanor punishable by a $5,000 fine, up to one year in county jail, or both; falsely holding oneself out as licensed (badge, ID/business card, letterhead, or advertising) is a separate misdemeanor with a fine up to $10,000, and a conviction bars BSIS licensure for one year (five years on a second offense).
San Francisco scores 53/100 on our Crime Index (grade D), which makes it safer than 18% of the 759 US cities we track. The index is built from FBI Crime Data Explorer reports for a population of 815,330.
Crime Index
Crime rates describe a city, not a specific address — the right level of coverage depends on your block, your hours and what you're protecting. Use the neighborhood breakdown to see how San Francisco varies internally before you scope a contract.
See the full San Francisco Crime Index and neighborhood breakdown