Our Story · Since 1986
Veteran-Owned, Family-Operated Security for Southern California
Founded in 1986 by a Vietnam combat veteran and built on the same principles we patrol by today: discipline, accountability, and a personal commitment to every property we protect across Ventura, Los Angeles & North Orange County.
- CA PPO-9557
- Founded 1986
- A+ BBB Rating
- Ventura · LA · Orange
Our Story
Founded by a Vietnam Veteran & Purple Heart Recipient
Americal Patrol was founded in 1986 by Don Peterson, a Purple Heart recipient who served in the U.S. Army's Americal Division during the Vietnam War, the only Army division known by name rather than number. After more than two decades in uniform, Don didn't walk away from service, he channeled it into building a security company that operates the same way he did on patrol: with discipline, integrity, and a genuine commitment to the communities he protects.
For nearly four decades, Americal Patrol has remained family-owned and operated. That means every client gets real accountability, not a corporate call center. When something needs attention, you reach the people in charge. Today the company is led by Sam Alarcon and continues to operate on those same principles across Ventura, Los Angeles, and North Orange County.
Military Heritage
The Americal Division
The Americal Division holds a singular distinction in American military history: it is the only U.S. Army division named rather than numbered.
Formed in May 1942 from Task Force 6814 in New Caledonia, its name is a contraction of "Americans in New Caledonia", a unit assembled far from home, under difficult conditions, to defend allied interests in the Pacific.
The division went on to serve with distinction throughout the Pacific theater of World War II, earning a reputation for toughness and adaptability in some of the war's most grueling campaigns.
When Don Peterson chose to name his company after the Americal Division, he was making a deliberate statement: that the values forged in service, discipline, resilience, loyalty to those who depend on you, don't retire when a uniform comes off. They carry forward.
- OnlyNamed, not numbered
- 1942Formed in New Caledonia
- WWIIPacific Theater service
What Sets Us Apart
The Standards We Patrol By
These aren't slogans. They're the standards Don operated by for decades in uniform, and the standards every Americal Patrol officer is held to today.
Law-Enforcement Roots
Our discipline comes from real-world law enforcement and military experience, not a weekend certificate. Officers show up on time, in uniform, and conduct themselves with the standard that experience demands.
Real Accountability
Family-owned since 1986. When something needs attention, you reach the people in charge, not a call center. Our officers report what they see, when they see it, with no embellishment and no omission.
Local & Responsive
We live here. Protecting Southern California isn't a contract to us, it's personal. We're present when it matters most and responsive the moment you call, across Ventura, LA, and North Orange County.
Licensed & Insured
Fully licensed under CA PPO-9557 and properly insured. Our officers are background-checked, trained, and equipped, so the people protecting your property meet the standard the state and your liability require.
How We Work
What Actually Happens After You Hire Us
Most security companies describe what they sell. Here is how the work is really run, start to finish, so you know what you are getting before you sign anything.
It Starts With a Walk of Your Property
Before we quote anything, an Americal Patrol supervisor walks the site with you. We are looking at entry points, lighting, blind corners, where vehicles stage after hours, and how people actually move through the property versus how the site plan says they should. That walk is what determines whether you need a posted officer, a marked patrol running rounds, or a combination, and it is free.
Post Orders Are Written for Your Site
Every assignment gets written post orders specific to that property: what gets checked, in what order, at what intervals, who to call and in what escalation order, and what an officer should do in the situations your site actually produces. Officers are briefed against those orders, not against a generic checklist, and the orders get revised when conditions change.
You Get the Report the Next Morning
Officers document each shift as it happens, and you receive a branded daily report covering what was checked, what was found, and anything that needed action, with photo verification where it matters. You are not waiting until the end of the month to learn something happened on your property, and you are not taking our word for coverage you cannot see.
Licensing and Training Are Verifiable
Americal Patrol operates under California PPO-9557. Our officers hold current BSIS guard registrations, and officers assigned to armed posts hold a separate BSIS Firearms Permit in addition to their guard card. We staff both armed and unarmed posts, along with mobile patrol, event security, fire watch, construction site security, and parking enforcement.
Dispatch Answers Around the Clock
Coverage does not help if you cannot reach anyone at 2 a.m. Our dispatch runs 24/7, and because we are family-owned rather than a national franchise, an escalation reaches the people who can actually make a decision about your account instead of a ticket queue in another state.
Where We Serve, and Where We Do Not
We cover Ventura County, Los Angeles County, and northern Orange County, with Santa Barbara County by arrangement. It is the same footprint we have patrolled as a Ventura County security guard company since our founding in 1986. We would rather tell you a site sits outside our reliable response area than take the contract and staff it thin. If we are not the right fit for your location, we will say so on the first call.
40+
Years in Business
A+
BBB Rating
3
Counties We Serve
24/7
24 Hour Dispatch
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Work With a Security Partner You Can Trust
Forty years of disciplined, veteran-led service, applied to protecting your property. Get a free consultation with no obligation.