San Mateo Municipal Code Ch. 5.57 Private Patrols and Security Services

For the statutory provisions regarding private detectives generally see West's Cal. Bus. & P.C.A. §§ 7500 et seq. for the provisions authorizing cities to regulate any special patrol and require registration see Cal. Bus & P.C.A. § 7523. For provisions relating to police badges and uniforms, see chapter 2.39.

No person shall manage, conduct or carry on the business of a private patrol or security service unless under and by the authority of a written permit from the bureau.For the purposes of this chapter, the terms "private patrol" and "security service" mean a business or occupation in which any person who performs as a street patrol officer or who furnishes street patrol service or street patrol special officers to protect persons or property, whether for public or private purposes, or to prevent the theft, unlawful taking, loss, embezzlement, misappropriation, or concealment of any goods, wares, merchandise, money, bonds, stocks, notes, documents, papers, or property of any kind; or performs the duties of such a street patrol special officer or street patrol service for any of said purposes.A person who is engaged to safeguard private property and whose duties are carried out on private property, making only incidental use of the streets to travel from one location to another and not intending to make known his or her presence on the streets as a deterrent to law violators or engage in street surveillance is not subject to the requirements of this chapter.

prior code § 10.44(a)

The City Manager and the police chief shall promulgate rules and regulations to govern the management, conduct and carrying on of a private patrol or security service, including the fees to be charged for processing the permit application, which shall be approved by the City Council by resolution. When so approved, they shall be enforceable as part of this chapter.

No officer or employee of a private patrol or security service shall, by virtue of any permit heretofore or hereafter issued under this chapter or pursuant to any other law or ordinance, be deemed to be an officer, agent, employee or representative of the City.