UPK9 provides licensed, insured armed security officers throughout California under Private Patrol Operator license PPO #121776. Our officers hold BSIS Guard Cards and valid firearms permits, and many come from military and law enforcement backgrounds. We are a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned business headquartered in Folsom. Call (866) 875-9411 or request a quote.
When an armed officer is the right call
Armed security is not the default answer, and any company that sells it that way is not looking after you. An armed post raises your liability profile and your cost. It is justified when the threat environment, the asset value, or the response time genuinely warrants it.
Situations where our clients deploy armed officers:
- High-value asset protection — cash handling, cannabis operations, pharmaceutical storage, jewelry, and precious metals
- Executive protection and dignitary details
- Workplace violence risk — hostile terminations, restraining order enforcement support, and credible threat response
- Healthcare and behavioral health facilities — emergency departments and psychiatric units
- Government facilities and public meetings
- Critical infrastructure — utility substations, water treatment, and fuel storage
- Retail and commercial sites in areas with documented violent crime exposure
- Special events where the threat assessment supports an armed presence
If your situation does not call for it, we will tell you and quote you unarmed officers instead. That is a cheaper contract for us and a better outcome for you.
Licensing, training, and compliance
California is one of the more heavily regulated states for private security, and the compliance burden falls on you as well as on us if you contract the wrong vendor.
- PPO #121776 — UPK9 operates under a California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services Private Patrol Operator license
- BSIS Guard Card — every officer is registered and current
- BSIS Firearms Permit — every armed officer carries a valid exposed firearm permit, with the required range qualification maintained on schedule
- Baton and chemical agent permits where the post requires them
- Background screening and drug testing on every officer
- Liability insurance and workers compensation — certificates of insurance provided before deployment, with your entity named as additional insured on request
- Use of force training and documented post orders for every assignment
- Joint training with partner organizations at both the local law enforcement and federal level — our people train with the people who set the standard
How we staff a post
1. Threat assessment. Free site walk, in person or by video. We assess your actual exposure, not a template. This produces the post order.
2. Written post orders. Every officer works to a documented set of instructions specific to your site: patrol routes, escalation thresholds, reporting chain, emergency contacts, and what the officer is and is not authorized to do. Undocumented posts are how incidents become lawsuits.
3. Officer assignment. We assign consistent officers to a site wherever possible. An officer who knows your building, your staff, and your normal is worth several who do not.
4. Supervision and reporting. Field supervision, documented shift reports, and incident reports delivered to your point of contact.
Combined armed and K9 coverage
Most of our clients contract UPK9 because we field both. An armed officer at a fixed post plus a roving explosive detection or firearm detection K9 team covers threats that neither element covers alone, under one contract, one insurance certificate, and one point of contact. Splitting that across two vendors creates seams, and seams are where incidents happen.
California service area
Folsom headquarters, statewide coverage: Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom, Stockton, Modesto, the San Francisco Bay Area, Oakland, San Jose, Fresno, and Bakersfield. See our full California service area.
Frequently asked questions
What does an armed security officer cost in California?
Armed posts price above unarmed because of permit requirements, training burden, insurance, and officer pay. Rates depend on shift length, site risk, coverage hours, and contract term. Long-term posts price better than short call-outs. Request a quote and we will scope it against your actual site.
Are your officers licensed to carry in California?
Yes. Every armed officer holds a current BSIS Guard Card and a BSIS exposed firearms permit, and maintains the required range qualification. We provide documentation before deployment and on request at any point during the contract.
Can you provide officers on short notice?
Often, yes, depending on the region and the shift pattern. Emergency and short-term coverage is available. A permanent post staffed properly requires a bit more lead time, because we would rather assign the right officer than a warm body.
Do you carry insurance?
Yes, general liability and workers compensation. We provide certificates of insurance before the first shift and can name your entity as additional insured.
Will I get the same officers each shift?
That is our standard practice for ongoing posts. Continuity produces better security than rotation, and it is one of the more common complaints we hear about larger national guard companies.
Do you provide uniformed or plainclothes officers?
Both. Uniformed presence is a deterrent; plainclothes suits executive protection and sensitive corporate matters. We will recommend based on what you are trying to achieve.
Request an armed security quote
Free threat assessment. No obligation. Talk to an operator, not a call center.
Call (866) 875-9411 | Email info@upk-9.com | Book a video meeting
UPK9 Inc. — 50 Iron Point Circle, Suite 140, Folsom, CA 95630. PPO #121776. A Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business.
Related services: unarmed security guards · red team K9 audits · explosive detection K9 · firearm detection K9
Based in the capital region? See K9 detection and security services in Sacramento.