The two ways apartment security is priced
Multifamily properties buy security in one of two shapes, and the price gap between them is enormous. A dedicated officer is priced by the hour and gives you a physical presence for the entire window you pay for. Mobile patrol is priced per pass or per month, and gives you documented, randomized visits instead of continuous presence.
Most Sacramento apartment communities under 150 units start with mobile patrol, then add a standing weekend post if the problem is people rather than property. Communities over 300 units, or any property with an active tenant-safety complaint on record, usually need the standing post from day one.
2026 apartment security cost ranges
These are our actual quoted ranges for Sacramento, Placer, Solano, and East Bay multifamily properties. No fuel, holiday, or dispatch surcharges are added on top.
| Coverage type | Typical price | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile patrol, 2 passes/night | $250–$450 / month | Under 100 units, property-crime problem |
| Mobile patrol, 4–6 passes/night | $550–$900 / month | 100–250 units, parking and dumping issues |
| Standing officer, 8 hrs nightly | $28–$45 / hour ($5k–$9.5k / month) | 250+ units or active tenant complaints |
| Weekend-only post, Fri–Sun nights | $1,400–$3,200 / month | Pool, clubhouse, and party-noise problems |
| Courtesy patrol, 12 hrs overnight | $10,000–$16,000 / month | Large communities wanting a named on-site officer |
What actually moves your price
Two identical-looking properties can be quoted 30% apart. These are the variables that do it:
- Shift length — a 4-hour post is priced higher per hour than a 12-hour post because it is harder to staff
- Hours of day — overnight and holiday coverage carries a staffing premium built into the hourly rate, not billed separately
- Number of buildings and separate entrances an officer must clear on each round
- Whether the post includes parking enforcement, tow authorization, or tenant-facing conflict
- Gated vs. open access — open-access properties need more passes to produce the same deterrence
- Contract length — annual agreements price below month-to-month because scheduling is predictable
What the cheapest quote usually leaves out
If a bid comes in dramatically under $28 an hour in this market, something is being cut. The usual candidates are workers' compensation coverage, general liability limits below $1M, officers working without a current BSIS guard card, or a company operating without an active Private Patrol Operator license. When an incident happens on your property, that gap becomes your liability, not theirs.
Ask for three documents before signing anything: the PPO license number, a certificate of insurance naming your property as additional insured, and the guard card status of the officers who will actually be posted. All three take five minutes to verify.