Hiring unlicensed security personnel is dangerous and illegal. Unlicensed guards have not undergone a criminal history check and usually have little or no training. If their actions harm someone, the employer is liable. Worse yet, hiring an unlicensed security guard is a misdemeanor crime in California.

I mention all of this because I found an ad today on Craigslist offering to hire inexperienced and unlicensed security guards for an upcoming event in Ojai. The ad doesn’t say what the event is, but it appears that the guards will be working in violation of state law.

If the organizers of the Ojai event read this, I urge them to ensure that any security personnel they employ, either directly or through a third party, are properly licensed, thoroughly trained and adequately insured.

As a public service, my firm will provide basic advice to anyone with questions about hiring security services and personnel. We can also verify that a potential security service provider is properly licensed. Both the advice and verification service is available free of charge. Inquiries should be directed to our Security Advice Line at (805) 715-1542.

— Robert A. Gardner, Camarillo
(The writer is an independent security consultant. — Editor)