Armed security guards are licensed protection officers authorized to carry a firearm on post — the highest-tier deterrent for properties, principals, and operations facing credible threats. 247 Private Security fields BSIS-certified, DOJ-permitted armed officers across Los Angeles County and Southern California from our Chatsworth dispatch, available on post in under 90 minutes, every hour, every day, since 2009.
What armed security guards do
Armed guards are stationed at high-risk posts where the visible presence of a firearm acts as a deterrent, and where any escalation requires lawful, trained, immediate response. Unlike unarmed officers, armed guards complete additional state-mandated firearms training, hold a current California DOJ Exposed Firearm Permit, and pass annual range qualification. They serve at properties where ordinary security would be insufficient: estates with high-value contents, executives with credible threats, cash-handling operations, weapons-licensed venues, production sets with public-figure principals, and any post where the threat picture warrants armed coverage.
Every armed officer on our roster carries:
- California BSIS Guard Card (mandatory baseline)
- California DOJ Exposed Firearm Permit (annual renewal)
- Active range qualification (annual, documented)
- First Aid + CPR certification
- Defensive tactics + use-of-force training specific to private security
- Annual scenario-based refresher training conducted in-house
Where armed security is appropriate
Armed coverage is not the right answer for every post. We recommend armed officers when one or more of the following applies:
- Credible threats documented through prior incidents, public-figure status, or active investigations
- High-value assets on site — cash, jewelry, weapons, controlled substances, irreplaceable art
- Remote or unsupervised locations where law-enforcement response time exceeds 15 minutes
- VIP / principal protection during travel, public appearances, or sensitive engagements
- Cash-in-transit between vault, vehicle, and deposit
- Vacant high-value properties during owner absence or estate transitions
- Public events with confirmed threats against speakers, performers, or attendees
If your situation involves general access control, lobby greeting, or routine property patrol without elevated threat indicators, unarmed security officers are typically the more appropriate choice — same training baseline, lower liability profile, lower cost.
What’s included in our armed security service
Every armed deployment from 247 Private Security includes: uniformed armed officer with marked patrol vehicle (where applicable); scheduled or 24/7 coverage based on operational needs; 24/7 dispatch oversight from our Chatsworth command with continuous radio contact; documented post orders specific to your property, principal, or event; real-time incident reporting delivered to designated contacts within minutes; coordination with LAPD / local law enforcement when required; $2M general liability insurance covering every officer on post; and no subcontracting — every armed officer is on our payroll, vetted, and trained by us.
Why 247 Private Security
PPO #120440, licensed by the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services since 2009. Every armed officer carries a current DOJ Exposed Firearm Permit with annual range qualification — verified and documented in our compliance file, available for client inspection. $2 million general liability insurance on every officer-on-post. We do not subcontract.
Get armed security guards on post in Los Angeles
Ready to deploy armed officers to your property? Call dispatch at 818-805-4342 for emergency same-day scoping, request a written quote for retainer pricing, or review our Southern California coverage map to confirm your area. For non-armed posts (lobby, gate, retail, construction), see our unarmed security guards page instead.