One of the first and most pressing questions any client will face when considering appropriate security and protective services is whether or not to select armed guards. Why are firearms necessary? What are the differences between armed and unarmed guards, and how does one calculate their associated costs and benefits?

First and foremost, armed guards prevent many crimes from ever beginning. The best response to criminal activity is to prevent its occurrence, rather than simply observing and reporting it. Vast amounts of research and the study of criminal psychology consistently demonstrate that people intending to commit a crime are heavily influenced by their perception of opportunity, ease of effort, and risk level. An entrance unattended in a darkened area is an opportunity. A clear path to a target with no substantive human opposition makes an attack seem easy. An offender who believes no other weapons are present will consider their risk to be much lower. Conversely, the presence of a guard equipped with a firearm immediately and greatly elevates that risk and increases the effort & difficulty necessary to attempt the crime, thus shrinking the opportunity and causing many potential offenders to abandon their hostile plans. A federal government survey of felons found that 40% had not committed one or more crimes because they feared that their prospective victims were armed.

Simply put, a guard with a gun can stop a crime in its tracks. This is not achieved by aggressive initiation of drawing and firing the weapon, but instead, the placement of a prepared and visibly armed guard will change the potential offender’s assessment of their opportunity, and in many cases will prevent them from engaging. This deterrent is extremely valuable, and because so many possible crimes are never initiated as a result of it, the full extent of its benefit cannot truly be measured. Needless to say, every crime not committed is a victory, and properly trained armed guards are a vital part of that winning effort.