Every armed officer we post in Houston holds a Texas DPS Level III commission, the 45 hour, firearm qualified license the state requires to carry a weapon on duty. We staff high-risk commercial sites across greater Houston around the clock, on weekly or month-to-month terms, with no long-term contract.
When a site actually needs an armed guard
Most commercial properties in Houston are protected well by an unarmed officer. You need an armed, commissioned guard when one of three things is true. We call it the Armed Coverage Check, and we run it with you before we quote a post.
Cash or high-value assets are on the property
Cash handling, jewelry, electronics, pharmaceuticals, or large quantities of resale-ready material such as copper or tooling. A visible armed officer raises the cost and risk of a planned theft, which is what deters the people who plan them.
There is a history or a credible threat of violence
A prior assault, an active dispute, a terminated employee situation, or a location that has already drawn an armed confrontation. This is the clearest case for a commissioned officer, and the one where unarmed coverage is the wrong call.
An insurer, lender, or contract requires armed coverage
Some carriers and property managers mandate an armed presence in writing. If your policy or your contract says armed, that settles it, and we will match the exact wording your paperwork calls for.
What a commissioned officer in Texas is licensed to do
A commissioned security officer is a privately employed guard the state of Texas has licensed to carry a firearm on duty. They are not peace officers, and they hold no police powers.
Texas regulates the license through the DPS Private Security program under Occupations Code Chapter 1702. Earning the commission takes the 45-hour Level III course and a live-fire qualification, on top of the Level II training every guard completes first.
Since January 2024, that course also includes mandatory in-person defensive tactics and weaponless defense hours, added by House Bill 3424. The commission renews on a two-year cycle, and at renewal each officer requalifies on the firing range and completes continuing education.
Commission Requirements
- Course – Level III, minimum 45 hours
- Firearm – Live fire qualification within 90 days of applying
- Prerequisite – Level II non-commissioned training
- Added 2024 – In person defensive tactics (HB 3424)
- Renewal – Every two years, firearm requalification plus CE
- Minimum age – 21 for the armed commission
On your property, an armed officer is there to deter, observe, document, and respond, and to hold or detain only within the limits the law allows while police are called. Knowing exactly where that line sits is part of Level III training. That is why hiring a licensed company matters more for armed work than for any other security service.
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We Cover Houston, TX, Sugar Land, TX, Pearland, TX, Conroe, TX
How we run an armed post
Our officers do not do random drive-bys. Every armed post runs on a set patrol pattern, logged on a GPS guard-tour system, with same-day deployment when you need cover fast.
The rounds are logged, not assumed
Officers scan fixed checkpoints on a defined route, time-stamped by a GPS guard-tour device. You can see that the rounds were walked, when, and in what order, instead of taking it on faith. Patrol can be on foot or by vehicle, set to what the site needs.
Reports reach you in real time
Anything an officer observes is written into an incident report and sent to your contact while it matters, not filed days later. Shift reports and supervisor check-ins keep the post accountable through the night.
One supervisor who knows your site
You get one assigned account supervisor, not a rotating call center. They know your property, your access points, and your standing instructions, and they are the person you reach when something changes.
Every officer is vetted before a shift
Background check, drug test, and Texas license verification on every guard, plus an interview against company standards and reference checks. For armed posts that vetting sits on top of the state Level III commission.
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Why Choose Our Armed Guards:
01. Fully Licensed to Carry in the State of Texas
02. Background-Checked and Drug Tested
03. Trained in Firearms Handling and De-Escalation
04. Experienced in High-Risk Property Protection
05. Serving Houston Businesses for Over 20 Years
06. Corporate, Construction, Retail, and Event Coverage
07. 24/7 Coverage Including Holidays
Why armed coverage is in demand across Houston right now
High value commercial sites in Houston are under more pressure in 2026 than they were two years ago, and copper is the clearest example.
After the federal tariff of 50 percent on semi-finished copper took effect on August 1, 2025, scrap copper values climbed, and theft of copper and other resale-ready metal from commercial and construction sites rose with them. Copper related theft is now one of the fastest growing property crimes in the country, and Texas sits among the states reporting the most construction site theft.
For a property holding cash, resale-ready metal, tooling, or sensitive inventory, the exposure window is after hours and weekends, when the lot is dark and the crew is gone. A visible, licensed armed officer is a direct answer to a planned, high-value target, the kind of threat a camera records but rarely stops. Sites that face this on a job site or in a yard often pair an armed post with our construction site security and warehouse security coverage.
What we guard, and what we don't
We provide armed and unarmed officers for commercial property in greater Houston. We don’t take on a handful of jobs, and we’ll say so up front rather than overpromise.
Armed coverage we provide
- Construction sites and active job sites
- Warehouses and distribution centers
- Vacant and unoccupied buildings
- Retail stores and shopping centers
- Offices and corporate facilities
- Cash handling and high-value operations
Work we don’t take
- Residential or HOA security
- Event security
- K9 units
- Alarm response runs
- Parking enforcement
- Fire watch
A licensed, insured Houston security company
Reliable Guard & Patrol Service is a licensed and insured commercial security company based in Houston, serving sites statewide from our Southwest Freeway office.
Company Record
- State license – Texas DPS #B07315701, first licensed 2018
- Insurance – General liability, workers’ compensation, commercial auto
- Officer vetting – Background check, drug test, license verification, interview, references
- Languages – English and Spanish
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a long-term contract for armed guards?
No. The most common thing people get wrong about hiring guards is assuming a long-term contract is required. We work weekly, month-to-month, short term, or long term, set to what your site needs.
Armed or unarmed, which one do I need?
Run the Armed Coverage Check: cash or high-value on site, a history or credible threat of violence, or a written requirement from an insurer or contract. If one is true, you want an armed officer. If none are, unarmed coverage usually fits, and we will say so.
Are your guards licensed to carry a firearm in Texas?
Yes. Our armed officers hold a Texas DPS Level III commission, which requires the 45-hour Level III course, a live-fire qualification, and firearm requalification at each two-year renewal. The company holds Texas DPS license number B07315701.
How fast can you deploy guards to my site?
We offer same-day response. The path is simple: a first call, a free proposal, a site assessment for most accounts, then deployment. We do not run random patrols, so the post is set up to your property from the start.
Can I get a certificate of insurance?
Yes, and we provide it the same day. We carry general liability, workers’ compensation, and commercial auto.
Do you cover nights, weekends, and holidays?
Yes. We staff posts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, holidays included.
Don't Leave Your High-Risk Property Unprotected.
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