Safeguard On Demand provides licensed security guard services in San Mateo, the mid-Peninsula city of about 103,000 residents halfway between San Francisco and Silicon Valley. San Mateo is headquarters to Franklin Templeton, Roblox and GoPro, and Sony Interactive Entertainment ranks among its largest employers. Our armed security guards and unarmed officers protect its office buildings, Hillsdale-area retailers, transit-oriented apartment communities, medical facilities and the event grounds that draw visitors from across the Bay Area.
San Mateo’s violent crime fell about 30 percent in 2024, according to FBI data, but theft remains constant: larceny accounted for 1,577 of the city’s 1,882 reported property crimes. Shoplifting, package theft and vehicle break-ins near the Caltrain stations and El Camino Real are the problems owners describe most. We address them with foot patrol officers, marked vehicle patrols and incident reports that give managers and police the details they need.
San Mateo accounts are managed through our Silicon Valley branch in Mountain View, a short drive down US-101, with a dedicated field supervisor for every client. Coverage can start with one evening officer at a residential lobby or grow into a multi-site program that adds remote video monitoring for garages and loading areas. All clients receive 24/7 live dispatch, GPS-verified rounds, daily activity reports and a free site assessment, and most posts are staffed within 24 to 48 hours.
Full liability and workers' compensation coverage, with certificates of insurance provided before the first shift.
Background-checked, BSIS-certified officers trained for your property type.
Live dispatch and an on-call supervisor every hour of every day.
Get a written security plan and quote for your San Mateo property.
San Mateo residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 estimate)
Drop in reported violent crime in 2024 (FBI)
Share of 2024 property crime that was larceny-theft (FBI)
Typical staffing time for a new San Mateo post
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates (July 1, 2025); FBI Crime Data Explorer, Offenses Known to Law Enforcement (2024); City of San Mateo Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (2022) for principal employers
These are the risks our San Mateo clients ask us to solve most often, and the service that answers each one.
Larceny made up 84 percent of San Mateo's reported property crime in 2024, much of it at retail centers and along El Camino Real.
Parking near the Hillsdale, Hayward Park and downtown Caltrain stations is exposed to quick smash-and-grab thefts.
Newer transit-oriented communities such as those at Bay Meadows handle high package volumes that attract theft.
Headquarters and multi-tenant office buildings need controlled entry, lobby coverage and evening rounds to prevent unauthorized access.
The San Mateo County Event Center hosts fairs, trade shows and festivals that bring crowd, parking and perimeter challenges.
Downtown blocks near Central Park and the Caltrain station contend with loitering, graffiti and late-night disturbances.
Every property type carries different risks. We match officers, post orders and patrol schedules to the way your San Mateo property actually operates.
Lobby officers, visitor management and after-hours patrol for financial, gaming and technology headquarters.
Uniformed loss prevention and parking patrol for Hillsdale-area retailers and downtown merchants.
Courtesy patrols, amenity checks and package-room oversight for transit-oriented and downtown communities.
De-escalation-trained officers for county medical facilities, clinics and medical office buildings.
Crowd control, bag checks and perimeter coverage for fairs, expos and community festivals.
Campus patrol, parking enforcement and event coverage for college and school campuses.
San Mateo properties often serve several audiences at once: employees, residents, shoppers and commuters. Our officers are trained to be approachable and firm in equal measure. We staff reception and lobby security for office and residential buildings, standing guards for construction gates and loading docks, and fire watch coverage whenever a fire alarm or sprinkler system is impaired.
Peninsula clients work with a California-licensed Private Patrol Operator that has 11+ years in business, 130+ officers statewide and leadership with 30+ years of combined law-enforcement and private-security experience. Officers hold BSIS Guard Cards, armed officers carry BSIS exposed-firearm permits, and each one completes our officer training program. Each account is backed by full bonding and insurance. Learn why Peninsula clients choose Safeguard On Demand.
Our Standards at a Glance
San Mateo’s biggest security challenge is not dramatic crime but steady, everyday theft. The answer is an officer people recognize, on a schedule thieves cannot predict.
— David NawabiPresident & CEO, Safeguard On Demand · 11+ years protecting California properties
The FBI Crime Data Explorer shows San Mateo recorded 243 violent crimes in 2024, down 30.1 percent from the prior year, alongside 1,882 property crimes: 1,577 larcenies, 207 motor vehicle thefts and 98 burglaries. The pattern is clear. Opportunistic theft is the risk most likely to affect a business or residential community, and a professional security assessment is the fastest way to find where a property is most exposed.
Hillsdale Shopping Center, with more than 120 stores, anchors the city’s retail economy, and the adjacent Bay Meadows development has turned a former racetrack into 83 acres of offices, homes and parks. The College of San Mateo overlooks the city from the western hills, and the San Mateo County Event Center hosts year-round exhibitions. We support these districts with private security services and business park security for the office corridors along US-101 and SR-92.
Across the San Mateo Bridge and along the Peninsula, our supervisors also protect clients in Hayward, Redwood City and San Francisco. That reach lets property managers and employers standardize coverage across multiple sites. Our service areas page lists every California community we protect.
See every city we cover on our California service areas page.
Rates depend on hours, post duties and whether you need armed security or unarmed officers. Patrol-only programs cost less than a full-time on-site officer. San Mateo clients receive a free site assessment and a written proposal, and no long-term contract is ever required.
Yes. We provide lobby officers, courtesy patrols, package-room checks and parking enforcement for apartment and condominium communities throughout the city, supported by camera monitoring where useful.
We can. Our officers handle crowd management, entry screening, parking control and overnight booth security for trade shows, fairs and private events.
San Mateo posts are generally staffed within 24 to 48 hours. For urgent needs, our 24/7 dispatch center can often place an officer the same day. Reach our team to book a walkthrough of your property.
In most cases we can staff a standard post in San Mateo within 24 to 48 hours, and emergency fire watch or standing guard coverage can often begin the same day. Our 24/7 dispatch center coordinates scheduling from our Silicon Valley branch in Mountain View, so a supervisor is reachable at every hour, not just during business hours.
Yes. Safeguard On Demand is a California-licensed Private Patrol Operator, and every officer holds a current BSIS Guard Card. Armed officers carry an additional BSIS exposed-firearm permit. The company is fully bonded and insured, and certificates of insurance are provided to every client before the first shift. Read more about our security guard training standards.
Whether you manage an office, a retail center, a construction site or a residential community, Safeguard On Demand provides the licensed security San Mateo property owners trust. Call (800) 640-2327 today.
Our Headquarters – 200 N Tustin Ave, Suite 210, Santa Ana, CA 92705
Email – INFO@SAFEGUARDONDEMAND.COM
