Dallas is home to hundreds, if not thousands, of apartment complexes, condos, townhouses, and other forms of multifamily residences. This many people living together in a single building or a small area can be wonderful for community, but not so great for safety, security, and noise. This is why a growing number of apartment complexes chose to employ the services of a courtesy officer.
Understanding What a Courtesy Officer is
Everyone understands the word “security guard” and knows precisely what this person is doing. This term may elicit the thought that there is a need for such measures, putting a bad look on the apartment complex. The word “courtesy officer,” on the other hand, brings to mind something much less innocuous. This title has the word “courtesy” right in it! This is one reason why many apartment properties are making the shift to courtesy officers when assigning titles to employees who provide on-property security functions.
While it sounds more polite, having an on-site courtesy officer can lead to some confusion among residents. Is this the same as a mobile security guard? Let’s take a closer look at the increasingly prominent role a courtesy officer has within our many Dallas apartment complexes.
According to career website Indeed.com, a courtesy officer is a security professional who provides surveillance and basic protection to the residents and property of an apartment complex. Their primary function is to keep everyone in the community safe.
A contract security guard’s duties are externally managed by their Dallas security company, but a courtesy officer’s employment falls under the umbrella of property management. For this reason, their job functions do not come with a predefined set of assigned tasks. The most common job duties for a courtesy officer include:
- Enforcing complex or community policies
- Watching for package thefts
- Helping residents with accessing amenities and lockouts
- Patrolling the complex
- Assisting with after-hours concerns
As you can see, they are ultimately quite similar to security guards in function. Courtesy officers act as a deterrent for crime.
Hire Statewide Patrol to Fill Your Need for a Courtesy Officer
There are limitations to what tasks a courtesy officer can perform as they do not have the authority to enforce local laws. This means that the difference between a security guard and a courtesy officer lies within legal liabilities. While there are some benefits to having a courtesy officer, there are some pretty big gaps as well. The solution is to hire not one courtesy officer, but an entire team of security personnel. The solution you’re looking for is Statewide Patrol!
We offer a 24/7 emergency dispatch number that can be provided to your answering service.
If you do opt for a courtesy officer, Statewide Patrol can be contracted to work when your regular courtesy officer is working another job or out-of-town. This is because we provide services on a month-by-month basis; no long-term contract needs to be signed.