How to Hire a Security Company in Nashville
- Locally Owned
Since 2010 - BBB Accredited
Better Business Bureau - 200+ Properties
Protected in Middle TN - Nashville Chamber
Active Member - GNAA Member
Greater Nashville Apt. Assoc. - IFMA Nashville
Facility Management Assoc.
The Right Security Partner Pays for Itself
Hiring a security company is a high stakes decision. The right partner reduces incidents, protects your tenants and assets, and reflects well on your property. The wrong partner creates billing disputes, no shows, and exposure to liability you assumed was covered.
This page is a buyer's guide rather than a sales pitch. We have served Middle Tennessee properties since 2010, and the patterns below come from talking to hundreds of property managers, asset managers, HOA boards, and facility directors about what worked and what failed in their previous security relationships. Use it whether you are evaluating First Class Security or any other provider.
Mistakes to Avoid
Each of these shows up regularly when a security relationship goes wrong. Watch for them before you sign.
1. Choosing the lowest price without checking what was cut
The lowest hourly rate almost always reflects what is missing. Common cuts: thinner background checks, less officer training, no Nashville based supervisor, lower insurance limits, and high officer turnover. Compare what is included in each contract before comparing the rate.
2. Skipping Tennessee licensing verification
Tennessee requires both the security company and every officer to be licensed by the Department of Commerce and Insurance. Unlicensed officers void your insurance coverage and expose you to liability if anything happens on site. Ask for the company's license number and a sample officer license before signing.
3. Accepting vague background check claims
"We background check our officers" can mean a $15 instant database lookup or a full federal and county criminal review. Ask which level of check is performed, whether it includes prior employment verification, and how often it is refreshed for long term officers.
4. Unclear contract terms and surprise fees
A clear contract spells out hourly rate, minimum shift length, overtime billing, holiday rates, mileage or travel charges, and how either party can change or end the agreement. Vague language is where billing disputes are born. Ask for a sample contract and read every line item before signing.
5. No documented communication and escalation plan
Who do you call at 2 AM when there is an incident? Who is the officer's supervisor and how fast can they get to the site? What does the incident reporting look like the next morning? If the answers are vague during the sales process, they will be worse in practice. Insist on a written communication plan as part of the post orders.
6. Hiring a company with no real local Nashville presence
National providers can quote your property without ever sending a person to walk it. When something goes wrong, the supervisor is in another state and the local officer is on their own. A Nashville based company sends a supervisor for the walk, knows the area, has relationships with Metro Nashville Police and area fire marshals, and is accountable to the same community it serves.
7. Treating security as a commodity instead of a partnership
The best security relationships function like a partnership where the supervisor knows your property, the officer becomes part of your team, and incidents are handled as a joint conversation between you and the security company. Treat the relationship transactionally and you will get transactional service. Build it as a partnership and the value compounds over time.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign
Bring these to every security company interview, including ours. The answers tell you most of what you need to know about who you are hiring.
- Is your company licensed by the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, and what is your license number?
- What insurance limits do you carry, and can I see a current certificate of insurance?
- How are officers screened? Do you run a full federal and county background check?
- What training does every officer complete before their first shift?
- Will I have a dedicated supervisor, and where are they based?
- How fast can a supervisor get to my property?
- What is the average tenure of your officers?
- Can I see a sample post order before signing?
- Can I speak to two current clients in my industry?
- What is your incident reporting process and timeline?
- How do you handle officer call outs and shift coverage gaps?
- What does the contract look like, and are there any fees beyond the hourly rate?
Where We Land on Every One of These
Use these answers as a benchmark when interviewing any security company.
Licensed and insured
Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance licensed. Every officer holds an active state license. $5 million general liability insurance plus workers compensation on every officer.
Real background checks
Full federal and county criminal background checks on every officer at hire, with prior employment verification. Records refreshed annually for long term officers.
Nashville based supervision
Every account is assigned a Nashville based supervisor who visits the post in person on a regular cadence, is reachable 24/7 by phone and radio, and handles escalations directly.
Clear contracts
Every contract spells out scope, rate, minimum shift, overtime, escalation, and incident reporting. We send a sample contract during the quote stage so you can read it before signing anything.
Local accountability
Privately held and Middle Tennessee owned since 2010. Our leadership lives in the same communities we protect, and we grow by reputation rather than aggressive expansion.
Partnership approach
200+ properties trust us with ongoing coverage. Many of our longest accounts have been with us for over a decade because the officer becomes part of the team and the supervisor knows the property.
Hiring Common Questions
What should I look for when hiring a Nashville security company?
Verify Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance licensing for both the company and every officer assigned, confirm general liability insurance of at least $1 million (First Class carries $5 million), confirm workers compensation coverage, ask how officers are background checked and trained, and confirm a Nashville based supervisor is reachable 24/7. Ask for references from current clients in your industry. Long term local ownership is a strong signal of how the company treats both officers and clients.
Should I always choose the lowest priced security company?
The lowest price often reflects what is missing rather than what is included. Common cuts include thinner background checks, less officer training, no Nashville based supervisor, lower insurance limits, and inexperienced staff. Compare what is actually in the contract before comparing rates. The right comparison is total value at a given coverage level, not just the hourly number.
What questions should I ask a Nashville security company before signing?
Ask: Is the company Tennessee licensed and what is your license number? What insurance limits do you carry? How are officers screened, trained, and supervised? Will I have a dedicated point of contact and who is my supervisor? What is the average tenure of your officers? Can I see a sample post order? Can I speak to two current clients in my industry? What is your incident reporting process? How do you handle officer call outs?
Why does local Nashville presence matter for a security company?
A Nashville based company has supervisors who can be on your property in minutes, an officer roster recruited from the local market, relationships with Metro Nashville Police and area fire marshals, and accountability to the same community it serves. National providers staff from the same labor pool but make local accountability someone else's job. For ongoing security where every shift matters, local ownership is the model that holds up.
What should a clear security contract include?
A clear contract spells out scope of service, hours of coverage, hourly rate per officer type, minimum shift length, how overtime is billed, who supervises the post, communication and escalation procedures, incident reporting cadence, what insurance is carried, and how either party can change or end the agreement. Vague contracts produce billing disputes. Specific contracts produce smooth partnerships.
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