MEXICO—Operating a guarding service company in a country riddled with crime, violence and corruption, combined with laws that prevent security guards or any non-military or law enforcement citizens from possessing weapons, means an increased focus on other means to protect its clients.

“Security officers have to be sharper because they don’t have weapons,” said Tom Cseh, deputy director of Vance International Mexico, a company recently purchased by Andrews International. “We train our guards using Secret Service standards on how to read people’s body language and we spend a lot of time on human relationships to deal with difficult situations.”

And while it may seem like an impossible battle for unarmed security guards to face the growing number of violent gangs that are rampaging Mexico, Cseh said he thinks the law has actually saved a lot of lives. “Having worked in three other Central American countries where everyone was allowed to have weapons, if the bad guys wanted to attack a facility where there are armed guards, they are going to kill him,” he said. “Whereas in Mexico, where you have unarmed guards, they usually will not be killed.”

Roberto Reyes-Rico, is the Mexico regional president for Securitas, which on Dec. 1 acquired the security services of Grupo Argos, including its 900 employees, making it the second largest private security services company in Mexico, according to a statement released by Securitas. Reyes-Rico said that private security companies are facing significant competition from auxiliary police, who are legally allowed to carry weapons. “Some clients want to hire them because they have the perception they’ll be more secure,” he said. “The truth is that if they don’t know how to react or communicate as fast as properly trained guards, they face a far worse scenario than with an unarmed private security company.”

Collaborating with law enforcement in general has become more difficult as issues of corruption continue to infiltrate police forces. “Unfortunately, at least at the state and municipal level there’s a general belief that police officers are corrupt,” said Cseh. “It doesn’t mean that all policeman in state and local departments are corrupt but there’s a general tendency for commanders and subordinates making traffic stops to expect bribes.” Dealing with corruption issues makes it even more difficult for private security companies to know whom to trust when their clients are involved in kidnapping or extortion plots that could likely involved corrupt police officers.

However, Reyes-Rico said that despite the corruption and competition issues stemming for police forces, he thinks that situation is changing and “we will have better communication and become a stronger arm for security as a whole, both public and private forces.”  

But utilizing strong forces, whether it be police or private guard services, isn’t the only critical element to protect clients and individual citizens. Cseh said it’s equally important to train clients who face daily threats including kidnapping, extortion, carjacking and violent theft.

“As far as clients are concerned, we put a lot of emphasis on personal security,” he said. “We run security awareness seminars which we offer at different levels for upper management, middle management, spouses, adult children, etc.” In addition, Vance offers driving sessions that teach clients how to avoid illegal roadblocks or other jeopardizing situations they may face while driving. “We’re very proactive in that area, knowing that bad guys probably have guns and we don’t, so using vehicles and common sense as a weapon.”

Most corporations, particularly foreign companies, have fairly advanced security technology in place, ranging from video surveillance systems to strict access control systems, said Cseh. In addition, many companies (and a growing number of private residences) have panic buttons installed that immediately contact Vance’s emergency response teams during an attack or incident.

Using this multi-faceted approach to security has enabled Vance to make progress in the protection of its clients. “We feel confident that we’re doing the right thing in Mexico as far as training our people and clients,” he said.

And as the battle against violence and corruption continues, at least for the near future, Rico-Reyes said he is hopeful that Mexico can regain measures of security. “This is not just a small issue – this really is war – and I think we had to see blood, but we’re moving in the right direction,” he said.