Armed security guards, booked through licensed companies
Armed coverage is a regulated service with real licensing, insurance, and liability implications. Tectus coordinates it through security companies that are licensed to provide it — and helps you work out whether you actually need it.
Start here
If you are facing an active threat, call 911 first
Booking a guard is not an emergency response. If someone has threatened you, is following you, or there is a situation in progress, contact 911 and local law enforcement — they can respond in minutes and have authority a private officer does not have.
Private security is a planned control: a standing presence at a site, an event, or a post over a defined period. It works alongside law enforcement, not instead of it. Once the immediate danger is handled, a coordinator can help structure ongoing coverage.
What it is
What "armed" changes about a security engagement
An armed officer is a licensed security professional who is separately permitted to carry a firearm on duty. In most places that means credentials beyond a standard guard registration — additional training, firearms qualification, and a distinct permit — held by the officer and backed by the employing company’s insurance.
Because requirements differ by state, and sometimes by the specific post or venue, availability is not uniform. Some markets have deep armed capacity; in others, fewer companies staff it. A coordinator can confirm what is available for your location and dates before you commit to a plan that depends on it.
The honest version
Armed is a different tool, not an upgrade
It is tempting to treat armed coverage as simply the stronger option. It is more accurate to treat it as a different risk posture with its own trade-offs: higher hourly rates, a narrower pool of qualified officers, insurance and liability implications for your site, and a visible signal to everyone present about how you have assessed the situation.
Plenty of engagements are better served by unarmed officers — access control, crowd management, hospitality-facing posts, and most event work. Cash-handling sites, high-value inventory, certain executive protection details, and specific client or insurer requirements are the common reasons organizations specify armed. If you are unsure, describe the situation and a coordinator will talk through both options rather than defaulting to the more expensive one.
Who is responsible for what
Licensing sits with the company that employs the officer
Companies in the Tectus network provide licensing and insurance documentation for the areas they serve, including armed credentials where they offer armed service, and Tectus reviews it. The officer is employed by that company — Tectus does not employ officers or provide the security itself.
That structure matters for your paperwork: certificates of insurance, licensing documentation, and post orders come from the company performing the work, and you can ask for them as part of booking.
Booking armed coverage
What to have ready
Site and jurisdiction
Where the post is — armed availability and rules are location-specific.
Hours and duration
Single shift, recurring post, or event window with start and end times.
Why armed
The reason drives the assignment — cash handling, client mandate, insurer requirement.
Venue rules
Some properties, venues, and leases restrict armed coverage. Check first.
Documentation needs
COIs, licensing proof, and post orders you need before the first shift.
Headcount
How many posts — the guard calculator estimates a range for events.
FAQ
Armed security guard questions
Yes, where licensed companies in your area provide it. Submit a request specifying armed coverage with your location, dates, and hours, and a coordinator confirms availability and pricing before anything is booked. Availability varies by market.
Generally yes — armed officers hold additional credentials and the coverage carries different insurance implications, so hourly rates run higher. The pricing estimator shows a live range for your exact configuration, including armed status.
Requirements differ by state and sometimes by post, and typically include credentials beyond a standard guard registration along with firearms qualification. The employing security company is responsible for holding and maintaining those credentials, and provides its licensing documentation to Tectus when it joins the network.
It depends on the site, the risk, your insurer, and the venue’s own rules — and unarmed is the right answer for a large share of engagements, including most event work. Describe your situation and a coordinator will walk through both rather than assuming the armed option.
Call 911 first. Law enforcement can respond immediately and has authority private security does not. Private coverage is a planned measure for a site or period, and a coordinator can help arrange it once the immediate situation is handled.
No. Tectus is a marketplace — officers are employed by security companies that Tectus vets when they join the network. Those companies perform the protection work and carry the associated licensing and insurance.
Armed coverage
Talk through the right posture for your site
Submit a request or call 970-793-7700 to reach a coordinator.
