For many people, safety is non-negotiable at workplaces, events, or even at home. If you’re feeling unsafe, security guard services can be just what you need to restore your comfort levels to normal.

There are many different security companies in Melbourne, so how should you go about choosing one? Here are seven important factors you should keep an eye out for as you search.

1. Relevant Accreditations

Security guard and security patrol services are serious business, so you shouldn’t hire just anyone who claims to be security personnel. Even if it is a legal business, providing safe and effective security services in Melbourne requires finesse and training.

The easiest way to see if the company you are looking into can be trusted is to look for their accreditations on their website. Look for certificates from well-known security bodies, as well as workplace safety and training companies, as this verifies that they are qualified to do the work they are advertising.

YPG Risk’s Accreditations

At YPG Risk, we are proud to have a range of relevant accreditations from both local and international bodies. These include:

• ASIAL (Australian Security Industry Association Limited) is the national peak body for security in Australia. 85% of security personnel and companies are members of ASIAL, and all sectors are represented, including physical, electronic and protective security.

• Cm3 is a contractor safety and compliance management system that ensures everything we do is safe and up to code. We know how important a safe and effective work environment is, and Cm3 helps us achieve this.

• ASIS International is a global team of security partners dedicated to sharing their expertise, experience and knowledge with its members. Whether you’re a young professional or a well-established private firm, ASIS’s events, programs and publications are designed to advance the skills of every security professional.

• The Australian Institute of Company Directors are a group dedicated to advancing corporate governance and applying it successfully across many different sectors. This includes decision making, legal compliance, finance, strategy, risk and stakeholder management. 

• We are accredited by the Victoria Police as a registered security company that is able to provide private security services and handle firearms safely.

YPG Risk is an Australian-owned and run security company in Melbourne. You can view our list of accreditations online.

2. Field Experience

All the training and accreditations in the world can’t prepare you for what actually providing security guard services is like. That’s why choosing a security guard company with real experience is so important!

Being able to react quickly and make smart decisions on the fly is something that security personnel can only learn through real-time work, whether that’s at an event, on the streets patrolling, or as a guard for a VIP. Keeping a cool head in a dangerous situation can be the difference between life and death in extreme circumstances, so make sure you’re choosing a security company in Melbourne who has the experience you need.

YPG Risk’s Experience

YPG Risk is owned by Grant Burton, who has a 22 (and building!) career in the security industry. He has managed large-scale security teams and managed everything from busy public and entertainment events (including festivals, concerts and important sporting games) to coordinated mobile patrols. 

The team at YPG Risk boasts over 90 years of combined experience and includes former members of Victoria Police, so you know you’re always getting service from security guards with experience.

3. Reliable Equipment

In a world with constantly changing threats, having the right equipment on hand can be the difference between success and failure, especially when it comes to protection. Security guards can’t go to work with nothing more than the clothes on their back–protective gear, communication devices and even weapons may all be necessary, depending on the situation.

When vetting a security guard company, look to see if they have (and are trained to use) some of the following types of gear:

• Protective gear: Security guards need to stay safe on the job, so they should wear protective vests at a minimum. Other gear can include gloves, helmets, caps, glasses and goggles, safety boots, earplugs, and masks.

• Communication devices: Being able to communicate effectively over large distances is essential for security guards to be able to protect an area or person. Handheld radios and flashlights for on-foot patrols, and built-in radios and monitoring software for patrol vehicles, can help with this. 

• Weapons: If physical danger is imminent, having the right weapon on hand is crucial. Batons and tasers are more common in Australia, although firearms can be carried by security personnel if they are licensed to do so.

Research the company’s website to see if they display their equipment they use–if they don’t, it may be worth enquiring with them to find out.

YPG Risk’s Equipment

At YPG Risk, we use security gear and products from brands loved worldwide for their quality. These include:

• Safariland protective gear is an American brand dedicated to creating gear that saves lives. We utilise protective gear from this brand to keep our guards safe as they work.

• AXON technology is used to help de-escalate threats and make providing services easier for security guards. We use AXON body cameras and vehicle cameras to provide a clear vision in real time of our patrols.

• Rapid Protection Australia sells some of the best CCTV, intercom and alarm systems on the market, and can be used to create a protective network around your property.

• QR Patrol is used to provide us with the exact, real-time location of each and every one of our staff and vehicles. By utilising this technology, we can make sure every aspect of your property or event is covered at all times.

If you have any questions about our gear or how we use it, please don’t hesitate to reach out–we’re happy to go through it all and how we’d use it in the service you need.

4. Wide Service Range

Providing private or community security in Melbourne means you’ll need to offer a range of different services. A company who only offers man-to-man security protection, or that only manages events might come off as a specialist, but really there are many useful skills that transfer across these areas, and a company that offers them all is one you can trust to react appropriately, should something change on the fly.

Different security services can include mobile and static patrols (both on-foot and in-vehicle), crowd control, event management, CCTV monitoring, VIP and asset protection services, construction security, cybersecurity and corporate security.

While the firm you choose doesn’t need to offer each and every one of these services, it's best to go with one that has a reasonably wide service offering, so you know you are getting the expertise you need.

YPG Risk’s Services

At YPG Risk, we offer the following services for our clients:

• Mobile Patrols (using our Zero Emission Fleet) to cover wide areas and respond quickly.
• On Foot Patrols and Static Security for smaller areas needing individual guards.
• Corporate Security to keep businesses and important individuals safe.
• VIP Protection to keep important singular individuals safe as they travel.
• Asset Protection to keep your prized possessions and intellectual property safe.
• Crowd Control to manage large moving or static crowds safely.
• Event security to help manage parties, concerts and other large events and keep out gatecrashers. 
• Community Security to supervise and protect your local meeting areas, public spaces and residential buildings.

Not finding the service you want here? We encourage you to still get in touch with us, as we may still be able to assist you.

5. Favourable Reviews

As with any service or business, looking at customer reviews can be a good way to see what real people are saying about the company in question. Look for points about more than just success and see if things like professionalism and communication are also mentioned–two benchmarks of a truly professional security guard company.

If a business doesn’t have five perfect stars, this is actually a good thing, as it can indicate fake reviews or pressure on unhappy customers to stay silent. Instead, look for how the company responds to real negative reviews (ignore the off one-star review with no accompanying text, as it’s probably a bot) and if they have an interest in genuine feedback and improvement.

YPG Risk’s Reviews

YPG Risk is proud to be maintaining a review rate of four and a half stars (as of May 2025), with many reviews praising Grant’s professionalism and our team's dedication to finding the source of issues and keeping entire communities safe. Please feel free to explore our Google reviews to see for yourself!

6. Good Client Communication

If you choose to hire professionals for your security, you’ll want assurances that they’ll keep you informed and in the loop about what’s happening at all times. A good indicator of this can be gleaned from your initial conversations with a potential security guard company.

The kind of security guard services you want to hire will be eager to showcase examples of their successes, their equipment and how their services will be able to help you.

Once you hire them, expect updates, reports and reviews of their service, as well as phone check-ins before and after to make sure everything is proceeding as planned.

YPG Risk’s Communications

When you hire YPG Risk for your event management, bodyguard hire, or any other type of security services in Melbourne, you can expect constant and clear communication from our team. This can include calling you before we begin to make sure you are happy with how we plan to proceed, reports of what we have found and what has occurred during our service, and more.

Whether you have a question or feedback, we’re always ready to hear it!

7. Mindful Actions

This final point to look for may not relate directly to security services, but it is an important one nevertheless. A security company that is mindful about how it interacts with the community is one you can rely on to treat you and your property with respect.

For example, some community security companies will specialise in training locals in smart safety habits, so they are leaving the area safer than they found it, in more ways than one. Other firms may have eco-friendly gear and technology they utilise to minimise their impact on the planet.

YPG Risk’s Mindful Actions

When performing community security in Melbourne, YPG Risk knows the importance of smart safety practices that can keep communities safe long after our service has ended. When performing our community and residential security patrols, we will also offer safety workshops to locals to strengthen the neighbourhood itself against vandalism, theft, and other antisocial behaviours.

We are also proud to showcase our use of electric vehicles as part of our patrol fleet. Our zero-emission cars are fast, quiet, and powerful, perfect for keeping an eye on your area without drawing too much attention during our security patrol services. They also charge quickly, so you won’t ever have to worry about our team being out of the action for long.

YPG Risk: Your Trusted Security Guards in Melbourne

As you can see, YPG Risk meets all the criteria for a security guard company you can rely on. So, next time you need crowd control, VIP protection or security guards, we are the team to trust with the job!

Get in touch today by leaving us a message online or calling 1300 690 099 to speak to us directly. We are eager to show you why we are one of the best providers of security services in Melbourne!