Riverside Supervisors Authorize Funding for Security Firms
Riverside CA April 18 2019
Riverside County supervisors signed off Tuesday on allocations potentially totaling $8 million a year to retain the services of nine private security firms whose personnel work at multiple county facilities.
The agreements, approved by the Board of Supervisors without comment, will be in effect until the end of fiscal year 2022-23 and involve the following companies:
Absolute Security International, Alltech Industries, American Guard Services, Briggs International, Global Security Services Inc., GoldenStart Security, National Business Investigators, Power Security Group and World Private Security.
“Security guards at county facilities are intended to provide a measure of safety to both county personnel and constituents, mitigate potential issues and assist with contacting public safety resources in the event of an emergency,” according to a Department of Purchasing & Fleet Services statement posted to the board’s agenda.
The $8 million annual aggregate allocation for the group of contracts was based on a projection that the county would spend roughly $7.87 million in the ensuing 12 months to cover payments to the firms.
However, officials noted that the outgo could fluctuate either way depending on the needs of individual agencies that employ the guards, some of whom work at the County Administrative Center, the District Attorney’s Office, the Information Technology, Mental Health and Public Social Services departments and the Transportation & Land Management Agency.
Most of the guards are stationed at the front entrances of each building, checking credentials and conducting metal detector screenings.
The appropriations for security services will come from a mix of General Fund revenue, internal service accounts managed by the individual agencies, along with state and federal disbursals, according to the Department of Purchasing & Fleet Services.
