San Diego security guard services, led by a retired Chula Vista police officer.
MT Security & Investigations has protected San Diego County property since 2002. Armed and unarmed guards, vehicle patrol, and licensed private investigators. Every shift ends with a written report, and the owner still answers his own phone.
- 15 years with Chula Vista PD
- Since 2002, owner-operated
- 200+ client engagements
- State licensed: PPO 14929 and PI 23720
Who is MT Security & Investigations?
MT Security & Investigations is a licensed security guard and private investigation firm based in Spring Valley, California, serving all of San Diego County since 2002. It was founded by Michael T., a retired Chula Vista Police Department officer. Guards cost $18 to $55 per hour, quotes arrive in about two hours, and most posts start within 24 to 48 hours. Call (619) 765-2222.
Tell us the problem. Here is what happens next.
Nobody shops for security for fun. Something happened, or you can see it coming. These are the six calls we get most.
“I need a guard this week, maybe tonight.”
Most posts start in 24 to 48 hours. For a real emergency we send someone the same day when an officer is available, and we tell you honestly if one is not. Security guards
“Someone is living in my vacant building.”
We post an officer, document everything with dated photos, and work with the Sheriff or police and your attorney so the removal holds up. Vacant and foreclosed property
“Our HOA board is tired of patrols nobody can prove happened.”
Scheduled patrols, logged checkpoints, and a report the board can read in five minutes. One set monthly price. HOA and community patrol
“Our jobsite keeps losing copper, tools and fuel.”
An officer on site overnight and on weekends, an access log, and a morning report before your crew arrives. Construction site security
“A workers' comp claim does not add up.”
Licensed surveillance, time-stamped video, and a report written for your carrier and your attorney. Workers' comp investigation
“Our current security company keeps letting us down.”
Send us the invoice. We quote the same scope in writing and start the hour their last shift ends. Switching security companies
What we do, and what it costs.
Most security companies make you sit through a sales call to hear a number. Ours are below. Your written quote will land inside these ranges, and the quote is what you pay.
Unarmed security guards
Offices, retail, lobbies, gates and parking. Uniformed, licensed, and assigned to your site so they learn it.
$18 to $35per hourArmed security guards
Cash handling, high-risk sites and anywhere a threat has already been made. Firearm-permitted officers only.
$28 to $55per hourHOA and community patrol
Vehicle and foot patrol, gate and pool checks, resident calls, monthly summary for the board.
$2,500 to $10,000per monthVacant and foreclosed property
For banks, lenders, receivers and out-of-state owners. Daily photo report, squatter and copper-theft prevention.
$1,800 to $8,000per monthConstruction site security
Nights, weekends and holidays. Materials, equipment and access logged.
$3,500 to $12,000per monthEvent security
Weddings, concerts, races, school and corporate events. Entry, crowd flow, parking.
$35 to $75per hourApartment security
Evening patrol, access control, and a number tenants can actually call.
$18 to $35per hourChurch and school security
Calm, visible officers for services, drop-off and campus events. Best rates for nonprofits.
Asknonprofit ratesWildfire and evacuation security
When you are ordered out, we watch the property and send photos until you are home.
Same daywhen availablePrivate investigation
Surveillance, background checks, workers' comp fraud, infidelity, skip tracing and legal support.
$75 to $150per hour
Why I started this company
For 15 years with the Chula Vista Police Department I took the same call over and over. A business got hit. A vacant building got stripped. An HOA had a run of car break-ins. When I asked who handled their security, it was usually a stranger in a uniform from a company that had no idea what was happening on that property.
Those owners were paying for the look of protection. So when I left the department in 2002, I built the company I wished they had hired.
I still walk every new property myself. I write the plan, I choose the officers, and I read their reports. If something goes wrong at two in the morning, you are not calling a dispatcher in another state. You are calling me.
Michael T.Founder. Retired officer, Chula Vista Police Department.
The record
- Chula Vista PD
- 15 yearsPatrol and investigations
- Owner-operated
- Since 2002Same owner, same phone number
- Client engagements
- 200+Banks, boards, builders, families
Department commendations
- Outstanding Officer of the Year, 1991
- Life Saving Award, 1996
- Auto Theft and Recovery Award, 1997
Organizations that have trusted us
- Horne LLP
- Lighthouse Baptist Church
- Helix Charter Schools
- RealManage
- 360 HOA
- ProCamps
It is 2 a.m. and something is wrong.
A break-in, a trespasser, a guard from another company who never showed, an evacuation order. This is what happens when you call.
(619) 765-2222Typical arrival for urgent calls is 15 to 30 minutes in the South Bay and East County, and longer the farther you are from Spring Valley. We give you a real arrival time on the phone, not a promise we cannot keep.
A person answers
Michael or an on-duty supervisor. No phone tree, no ticket number.
Five questions
Where, what is happening, who is on site, is anyone in danger, and who has authority over the property. If it is a 911 situation we tell you to call 911 first.
An officer is sent
You are told who is coming and when they will arrive.
You get it in writing
A report with times and photos by morning, ready for your insurer, your board or your attorney.
All of San Diego County, from one office in Spring Valley.
We are closest to the South Bay and East County, and we staff posts as far as Oceanside, Fallbrook and Borrego Springs. Each area page tells you the real drive time from our office.
Questions people ask before they call
How much does a security guard cost in San Diego?
At MT Security, unarmed guards run $18 to $35 per hour and armed guards $28 to $55 per hour. HOA patrol contracts run $2,500 to $10,000 per month and event officers $35 to $75 per hour. The rate depends on hours per week, contract length, and risk. See the full price list.
How fast can you have a guard at my property?
Most posts start within 24 to 48 hours of a signed agreement. Same-day and overnight emergency coverage is available when an officer is free, which is most of the time. Call (619) 765-2222 and we will tell you right away what we can do.
What makes MT Security different from the national companies?
It is owned and run by Michael T., who spent 15 years as a patrol officer and investigator with the Chula Vista Police Department. He walks the property, writes the security plan, picks the officers, and reviews their reports. You have his direct number.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. MT Security & Investigations holds California Private Patrol Operator license PPO 14929 and Private Investigator license PI 23720, both issued by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, and carries liability and workers' compensation insurance. You can verify both licenses at search.dca.ca.gov.
Do I have to sign a long contract?
No. Month-to-month service is available. Annual contracts get a lower hourly rate, but nobody is locked in to get started.
What areas do you cover?
All of San Diego County from our office in Spring Valley. Response is fastest in the South Bay and East County, including Chula Vista, National City, La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee and Lemon Grove. We also cover the City of San Diego, the North County coast and inland, and the backcountry.
Do you offer both security and private investigation?
Yes, under two separate state licenses. That matters when an investigation uncovers a real threat, or when a guard post needs evidence gathered. One firm handles both.
What do I get after each shift?
A written report with times, what the officer saw and did, and dated photos. It is reviewed by a supervisor and sent to whoever you name: the owner, the property manager, the board, or all three.
Straight answers before you hire anyone.
Written by Michael for owners, boards and managers who want to understand what they are buying.
- Price guide
How much does a security guard cost in San Diego?
Real 2026 rates by guard type, and the seven things that move your quote.
- Vendor checklist
How to choose a security company: a 10-point checklist
What to verify, what to ask, and the answers that should end the meeting.
- For HOA boards
Should our HOA hire security guards?
A seven-question framework a board can work through in one meeting.
Quick answers for HOA boards, businesses and event planners San Diego security companies compared All guides Download the free 20-page property protection guide (PDF)
Get your quote in writing
No sales call, no pressure. Tell us the property, the hours and the problem. We answer with a fixed price and a start date.
- Written quote, usually within two hours
- Most posts start in 24 to 48 hours. Same-day when it is urgent.
- Month-to-month available. No long lock-in to get started.
- The price we quote is the price you pay
Prefer to talk? (619) 765-2222, any hour.