Protecting Against Theft, Fire and Water Damage
American Calstar Security
When the sun goes down on a construction site, the job is just beginning for American Calstar Security (American Calstar). The company, a dba of LA Best Security Inc., provides security services for commercial and residential clients throughout California.
“According to the National Equipment Register, theft from construction jobsites costs the industry up to $1 billion each year,” says owner Balbir Gill. “We give our clients peace of mind by protecting equipment and jobsites from costly theft and vandalism.”
Headquartered in North Hills, California, American Calstar has more than 20 years of security expertise in protecting both small and large facilities and construction sites. In addition to construction clients, American Calstar provides security services for gated residential communities, hospitals, schools, offices, apartment complexes and hotels. “Our security guards are stationed in security shacks, trailers, within buildings and in parking lots,” Gill explains. Services can be ongoing or timed for a special event like a concert, festival or other outdoor event.
Customized Services
The company partners with clients to customize services that meet the unique needs of each site. “Every project is different,” says sales manager Ed Oyler. “Some construction sites are as large as 10 acres, necessitating motion detectors and a video-monitoring system. Others projects are situated in urban settings with a large homeless population. We work to understand the needs of our clients and provide services that are appropriate for each situation.”
For clients, such as hospitals, gated communities and business offices, a popular security package includes an on-site security guard and a security shack. “This service is perfect for customers who need constant monitoring of incoming and outgoing visitors,” Gill says.
Construction sites and mobile home facilities often opt for a security guard and a trailer unit, which is either sold or rented to a client. “With this package, we can offer services up to 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Oyler says.
The company provides both armed and unarmed security guards. “There have been instances in the construction industry where a project manager is held at gunpoint in broad daylight,” Oyler says. “Clients who work in areas with a high crime rate often require an elevated level of security services. We can provide those clients with an armed security guard with hourly patrols, providing around-the-clock protection.”
Leveraging Technology
Gill notes that American Calstar is always searching for new technology that improves and enhances its security services. “Several years ago, we invested in video-surveillance technology that provides a heightened level of protection. This is a popular service for our construction clients, where jobsites can be very large.” A security guard monitors up to 16 live camera feeds from an on-site security trailer. “If the guard spots something amiss, he or she can be at that location on the jobsite within minutes,” Gill says.
Live camera feeds can also be accessed through a password-protected online account. “Clients can log in and monitor their jobsites day or night, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Oyler adds. He says that common theft of items on construction sites includes generators, tools and copper wiring. “When equipment or materials get stolen, it not only drives up costs to replace stolen items, but can negatively impact the project schedule.”
In addition to strategically placed cameras, American Calstar also employs motion sensors. “If someone jumps a fence, we’re going to know it,” Oyler says. He adds that the company employs highly qualified technicians for the installation and maintenance of all security equipment. “Clients can rest assured that security equipment works as intended.”
Engaging Police
In areas with large homeless populations, American Calstar security guards are skilled in controlling and managing situations without undue confrontations. “If a situation with an intruder begins to escalate, our security guards are trained to engage the local police,” Gill says.
The company has established working relationships with local law enforcement agencies and public safety departments across California, according to Gill. “When a dangerous or hazardous situation arises, having a good relationship with local officials can translate into faster response times,” he says.
Police also have an in-depth understanding of local crime. “When we come onto a new site, we work with police to gather information regarding local criminal activity. In this way, we know what to expect on-site and can better protect a client’s assets, personnel and property,” Gill says.
Above and Beyond Training
American Calstar has a team of more than 50 employees and hires additional security guards as needed. “We employ guards who live and work in the area. Local security personnel have an understanding of an area’s living conditions, public attitudes, criminal activities and economy, which can differ from city to city,” Oyler says.
All employees undergo in-depth training before ever stepping foot on a client site. “We developed our training program in-house. It goes above and beyond what’s required by California state law,” Gill says.
In addition to protecting against theft, American Calstar security guards also keep on the lookout for instances of fire and water damage. “Many of the construction sites are new-builds,” Oyler says. “In the past, our security guards have alerted clients to instances of arson and situations where a newly installed water pipe leaks. Our goal is to protect the property—whether from theft, fire or water damage.”
Once a security guard himself, Gill had the opportunity to purchase a security company more than 20 years ago and jumped at the chance. He and a dedicated team of employees have worked hard to grow American Calstar into a well-respected private security company. “In those early days, we went door to door and site to site, meeting general contractors and construction companies and sharing how we could help,” he says.
At any given time, American Calstar has security guards at 100 different client sites. “Word-of-mouth is extremely important in our business,” Gill says. “It’s how we’ve more than doubled our size in just 10 years.”
Gill notes that the company has had some clients for more than a decade. “Jobsites may change, but clients come to us again and again, project after project,” he says. “American Calstar provides exemplary performance at a competitive price. We do what we say we’re going to do, and clients know that when it comes to the safety of their investment, they can count on us.”