Strong residential security depends as much on the agreements and oversight behind the scenes as it does on the gate at the entrance, which is why HOA access control has become a shared responsibility for boards and property managers alike. We recently hosted an educational webinar with Pat Hurley of St. Moritz Security Services, Inc., who shared actionable strategies to help associations strengthen their security programs and make more informed decisions.
This knowledge-sharing session examined how communities can balance resident privacy with comprehensive protection, from officer licensing and rules of authority to contract terms, billing practices, and provider selection. It also walked through the everyday access control challenges that gated and high-rise communities face, along with practical ways to resolve them.
Disclaimer: This video is for educational purposes only. You will not receive credits for watching the recording. Credits were issued only to those that attended the course.
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Residential security in Florida HOAs rests on a licensing system that boards and managers should understand before they ever review a proposal. The Florida Department of Agriculture regulates the industry, licenses are valid for two years, and the state offers no reciprocity, so an officer licensed elsewhere cannot simply begin working here. Verifying that an agency and its officers hold licenses in good standing is a quick step that can prevent a community from unknowingly contracting with an unlicensed provider.
The industry recognizes two core credentials. The D license covers unarmed officers and requires a 40-hour training course, which can now be completed online or in a classroom, followed by a state background check. The G license authorizes an armed officer and is a companion credential that requires the D license first, an additional 20 hours of coursework, and 8 hours of firearms qualification on a range. Armed officers must requalify on the range every year, and whatever weapon and caliber an officer carries must match what they qualified with.
Officers on duty must carry their state license and a company-issued identification, and they must wear a uniform with a clearly visible agency patch, so the public is never confused about who is a licensed officer versus a sworn law enforcement officer. Abandoning a post is treated as one of the most serious violations in the field and can result in a permanently revoked license. It is equally important to understand the limits of that authority, because security officers operate under Chapter 493 of Florida statutes and hold the same deadly-force parameters as any private citizen, not the expanded powers of the police.
“We are not sworn law enforcement officers, but your local police department officers and sheriff's deputies are sworn law enforcement officers. They can do things that we cannot do.” - Pat Hurley, St. Moritz Security Services, Inc.
Selecting the right provider is one of the board's core responsibilities, and the quality of a security program tends to track closely with how that provider is priced, staffed, and managed. A handful of signals can tell a board a great deal before a contract is ever signed.
Pay rates are the clearest indicator. When officer wages sit at or near Florida's minimum wage, communities rarely get the caliber of personnel that access control and safety demand, and turnover in the industry already runs between 150 and 300 percent per year. Undercapitalized firms are another risk, since a provider working on a thin budget may ask to be paid within days of starting rather than honoring standard terms. Minimal training is a third warning sign, because initial training should be the provider's cost to absorb, not something quietly trimmed to protect a margin.
Longevity in the local market matters more than proximity, so ask how many communities like yours a provider has served successfully for three years or more rather than which property happens to be nearest. Above-average pay, verifiable references from comparable communities, and a willingness to let you visit active sites all point to a stronger operation. Adequate insurance belongs on the same checklist, since state law sets a low floor for general liability coverage and communities are wise to expect far more.
“If you're putting your faith and your hopes and your dreams and your safety and security in the hands of somebody making minimum wage, or very close to minimum wage. Good luck. I advise against it, but good luck.” - Pat Hurley, St. Moritz Security Services, Inc.
A well-structured security agreement protects the community long before any dispute arises. The industry standard is a 30-day cancellation clause that applies with or without cause, paired with net-30 payment terms, and any proposal that stretches cancellation to 60, 90, or 120 days deserves a hard second look. Building a modest annual increase into the agreement is also reasonable, since it keeps wages competitive and rewards the officers who serve a community well. As with any vendor contract, the specifics should be written down and reviewed by the association's attorney rather than left to a handshake.
One term is easy to overlook: bundling. Combining officer services with gate hardware, cameras, access control equipment, and visitor management software under a single provider can make an eventual separation painful if any one piece underperforms. Keeping the officer relationship distinct from the electronic and equipment side gives a community far more flexibility to change course.
“It's an industry standard for a 30-day cancellation with or without cause. If somebody proposes to you something other than that, run, don't walk.” - Pat Hurley, St. Moritz Security Services, Inc.
Many of the most common access control problems have practical, well-established solutions that rely on design and technology as much as on staffing.
Tailgating is the most persistent challenge in gated communities, and it tends to concentrate at secondary or back gates where a single barrier arm leaves an easy opening. The proven fix is a car trap built from two gate arms in sequence: the first arm raises to admit a vehicle, lowers behind it, and only then does the second arm raise, so one car clears the entry at a time. Where the driveway can accommodate it, this setup does more to control unauthorized entry than almost any other single measure.
A secure entrance means little if the perimeter is only a hedge, so many communities ask their local police department for a crime prevention through environmental design review, which is typically free and shows where fencing, lighting, or landscaping can be reinforced. At the gate itself, short visitor lanes make efficient screening essential, and a growing number of associations now require a valid driver's license before admitting a visitor who intends to drive on private roads. Reliable visitor management software and consistent resident participation, especially pre-announcing expected guests, keep the process moving and create the audit trail a community needs.
Effective residential security comes down to informed decisions: verifying licensing, insisting on fair contract terms, choosing a provider for substance over salesmanship, and designing access points that hold up under daily pressure. Boards and property managers who approach these choices deliberately can protect both their residents and their community's finances.
Best practice is to designate the property manager as the single point of contact, which prevents mixed messages from multiple board members. The board or security committee still meets with the provider to set expectations and shape how the program evolves.
Yes, because process servers are treated as officers of the court. Gate staff may confirm their identity, but they must allow entry and cannot alert the resident that service is on the way.
Yes. Electronic access to amenities such as a pool or clubhouse should disable automatically once the amenity closes, and every system should maintain an audit trail regardless of the credential type used.
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Ashley Dietz is the VP of Marketing at Campbell Property Management and has led the company’s educational and marketing initiatives since 2013. A Florida Atlantic University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in communications, Ashley specializes in community association education, digital outreach, and industry engagement for Florida HOAs and condominiums.