The County of San Bernardino, CA, a sprawling 20,160 square miles of mountains, valleys and desert west of Los Angeles, is one of the fastest-growing counties in the U.S. More than 1.7 million people live and work in the county’s 31 cities, towns and incorporated communities, and at some point, most of those citizens need to interact with county officials.
That usually means visiting what San Bernardino locals call the “super block” of county offices—a downtown area where the County Government Center and County Courthouse are located, along with buildings housing the offices of Human Resources, Public Health, the Sheriff’s Department, the District Attorney, the Treasurer-Tax Collector and other government agencies.
“Several hundred citizens come here each day, whether it’s for jury duty, to pay taxes or do other business, and many of them have no idea which building they need to go to,” says Talitha Andrew, Securitas USA account manager. “We post an officer at the parking lot entrance each morning to direct people to the right areas, and also staff an information desk in the County Government Center rotunda.”
The information desk serves as a communications hub for Securitas USA, where CCTVs are monitored around the clock and calls requesting security response are received and dispatched. Security activities are closely coordinated with Donna Wilson, a San Bernardino deputy sheriff, whose office is nearby.
“The Securitas USA officer at that desk—Ruth Birdsong during business hours—really serves as the county’s ambassador to the community,” says Wilson. “She’s friendly, knows our city and county government, and is an excellent communicator.”
Customer service is a priority for all Securitas USA officers at the site, especially when dealing with citizens who may adamantly disagree with a county policy or action. That happens sometimes at the weekly Board of Supervisors meetings, with the board chamber filling with a capacity crowd of 160 citizens and media. Securitas USA officers conduct magnetometer screening of everyone attending the meetings, and X-ray all hand-carried items.
Long-Term Relationship
Securitas USA has provided security services to the County of San Bernardino since May 1991, and now provides a total of 120 security officers who help protect county offices and employees at 43 separate locations.
Securitas USA responsibilities at County of San Bernardino locations include parking lot patrols and parking enforcement. Even with more than 2,000 parking spaces for county employees and visitors in the “super block” area, parking is a perennial problem. Securitas USA officers are authorized to write citations for cars parked incorrectly or too long in visitors’ parking.
Securitas USA officers also provide a security presence and deterrent to bad behavior at many of the Human Services locations around the county. “The officers often are a calming influence for people who come to us requesting various social services,” says Randy Frazier, a staff analyst in the Administrative Support Division of San Bernardino County’s Human Services Department. “That’s a very stressful situation from some people, and sometimes requires security officers to intervene in order to help maintain a safe environment for county employees and other citizens.”
Frazier oversees the county’s Human Services construction projects and renovations of leased facilities, and often calls on Securitas USA to assist with temporary security required at those sites.
“I admit that sometimes I don’t give much notice when officers are needed at one of the locations, but Securitas USA is always very responsive,” says Frazier, who currently has three construction projects underway. “Someone arrives in less than an hour.”
Sheriff’s Lieutenant David Weinberg, who has administered parts of the Securitas USA contract with the County of San Bernardino for the past five years, says, “The good thing about Securitas USA is that I never have to make a request twice. It’s hard to be critical when they provide such a consistently high level of customer service.”