Orders of Protection

Security firms are growing as companies look to thwart workplace violence.

By Steven Totten
[email protected]
602-308-6508 @PhxBizSteven

Security firms in the Phoenix area are seeing an uptick in business from companies that want to keep their employees safe.

Tom Parella, president of Bulletproof Securities Inc., said one of the reasons for demand is because of workplace violence.

“The demand has steadily increased each year for the past five years,†Parella said. “We have seen a substantial increase in workplace violence incidents, as well as threats against persons.â€

Last year, news reporter Alison Parker and photojournalist Adam Ward, employees of CBS affiliate WDBJ in Roanoke, Virginia, were shot and killed by a former co-worker during a live filming.

The event was a shock to many, especially considering the public nature of what happened. But many companies find that workplace violence is a common occurrence.

According to CNN Money, which cited federal records, there is an average of 700 workplace homicide victims a year. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, 2 million workers are affected by some form of workplace violence each year.

As a result, companies are bringing on security guards more often than they have in the past across the country, including in Arizona.

“The demand has steadily increased each year for the past five years, we have seen a substantial increase in workplace violence incidents, as well as threats against persons.â€
-Tom Parella, Bulletproof Securities Inc.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, security guard employment grew by almost 17 percent between 2006 and 2016.

Though Arizona doesn’t have nearly as high of security guard employment as California or New York – where larger numbers of high-profile people and businesses demands more – firms in Arizona have seen a very clear surge in demand for their services.

The Phoenix metro has one of the highest employment levels of security guards, according to the BLS, with an estimated 18,310 security guards in the area.

Of the 10 security firms asked whether the demand for armed guards has increased, all 10 responded with a resounding yes.

The demand for our armed guard has risen dramatically,†said Michael Morrison of LionHeart Security Services. Some firms, such as EagleForce Security LLC, report increases in demand as high as 200 percent.