PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator PPO #122730 BSIS / DCA licensed PPO #122730 CA Private Patrol Operator
Summit Force Security Group logoSummit ForceSecurity Group
What kind of security

When to Call Police vs. Your Security Company

Updated 2026-07-20 · 6 min read · Sacramento, CA dispatch

PPO #122730

Short answer

Call 911 for any situation involving danger to a person, an active crime in progress, or a medical emergency — security officers are not a substitute for police and are trained to observe, document, and de-escalate rather than to make arrests or intervene physically. Call your security provider for non-emergency issues like suspicious activity, noise complaints, parking violations, and routine property checks; they can also assist by staying on scene and providing documentation if police are also called.

Security guards are not police

A private security guard, armed or unarmed, does not have police powers. In California, security officers generally have the same citizen's arrest authority as any private person, and their training emphasizes observation, documentation, and verbal de-escalation rather than physical intervention or arrest. That's by design — it keeps incidents from escalating and keeps liability and risk lower for the property, the residents, and the officer. It also means security should never be treated as a replacement for calling law enforcement when a real emergency is happening.

The practical dividing line: if someone is in danger, a crime is actively in progress, or you need police authority to resolve something (an arrest, a restraining order violation, a serious assault), call 911 first — then notify your security provider so they can support on scene, secure the area, and document what happened for you. For anything that doesn't rise to that level — a suspicious vehicle, a noise complaint, an unauthorized person asked to leave who complies without incident — your security provider is the right first call.

Who to call, by situation

SituationCallWhy
Person in immediate danger, active violence, medical emergency911Requires police/EMS authority and response
Suspicious person or vehicle, no immediate threatSecurity providerObservation, documentation, and non-confrontational response
Trespasser who leaves when askedSecurity providerResolved without police authority needed
Trespasser who refuses to leave or becomes threatening911, then notify securityMay require police authority to resolve
Vandalism or theft discovered after the factSecurity provider (and police report if needed)Documentation first; police report for insurance/investigation

What security can do alongside police

  • Stay on scene to secure the area and provide a timestamped, written account of what was observed.
  • Flag recurring patterns (same vehicle, same individual) that support a police report or restraining order request.
  • Coordinate site access for responding officers, including gate codes or building access.
  • Follow up with property management and residents once the immediate situation is resolved.

Official sources & local data

We link to the agencies rather than reprinting them, so you always land on the current version. Summit Force is not affiliated with or endorsed by any agency listed here.

Connected concepts

This page is a node in our security knowledge graph. Follow the chain instead of starting over.

The services this applies to

Where we cover this

Questions we get every week

When to Call Police vs. Your Security Company — the follow-ups

Can a security guard arrest someone?
See our myth vs. reality guide on this — generally guards have the same limited citizen's arrest authority as any private person, not special police powers, and are trained to avoid physical intervention where possible.
Will calling 911 for a false alarm get me in trouble?
No — if you believe there's an emergency, call 911. It's always better to have police assess a real concern than to hesitate; use your security provider for anything clearly non-emergency.
Should I call security or police first for a break-in in progress?
911 first, immediately, then notify your security provider so they can respond on scene and assist.

Keep reading

All 8 Security Decision Center pages

Get a walk-through for your property

Flat hourly or per-pass pricing, quoted in writing from Sacramento dispatch — usually within one business day.

1-800-823-5337Get a free quote
Free site assessment

Tell us about your property

Send a few details and a supervisor will walk your site, identify the vulnerable hours, and return a written coverage plan with flat hourly pricing — no obligation.

  • Same-day response on urgent coverage requests
  • Licensed, guard-card verified, uniformed officers
  • GPS-tracked patrol reports delivered every morning
  • Short-term, event, and long-term contracts available