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Peralta Associates and Defense -
Eddie Peralta
CEO
Peralta Associates and Defense
https://www.peraltadefense.com/
Contact:
Eddie Peralta
(888) 719-
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/peralta-
Interview conducted by:
Lynn Fosse, Senior Editor
CEOCFO Magazine
Published – March 3, 2025
CEOCFO: Mr. Peralta, according to your website "Peralta Associates and Defense is a security solution company for people, places, and assets." Would you tell us more about your range of services?
Mr. Peralta: What we strive to do and what we put into practice every day is providing exceptional security and investigative services for businesses, individuals, law firms, and government entities.
CEOCFO: That seems to be a broad range; how do you handle the different aspects involved?
Mr. Peralta: We are able to handle all aspects of these services because of the exceptional team we have in the backgrounds making it happen every day. Being able to offer a broad range of services requires extensive knowledge of all these disciplines. Our team is highly educated and well versed on all these services, which is why we have been so successful in offering every type of service. For example, looking at a service such as a Firewatch, which is a very unique service, our sales team knows exactly why the client is requesting a Firewatch, we know this service requires Firewatch Logs and they will be sent to the Fire Marshal. We know we need to conduct regular checks of emergency exits, we need to verify the expiration dates on fire extinguishers and there is so much more. When a client is able to hear our expertise in the service we are providing it usually places them at ease, and we do this for every single service we provide.
I think our partnerships with various reputable organizations such as, the World Association of Detectives (WAD), California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI), Texas Association of Licensed Investigators (TALI), the American Red Cross and plenty more, speak to our credibility and expertise in the fields of security and investigations.
CEOCFO: How do you help a client find a solution that is best for them?
Mr. Peralta: When businesses are out there looking for security services, they are usually just winging it. Most are afraid of the type of service they are going to get. They obviously want the best value for their dollar and this is what we try to convey. We are not always going to be the cheapest solution but I know we are generally the best value. On the security services side, when we speak with a client we try to get their location for service. We want to know what issues they are generally having. We’ll send our supervisors or managers to the location to conduct a site evaluation and we’ll give the client our best assessment and a real solution to their issue. We want the client to have a positive experience with our team, even if they don’t choose us.
On the investigative side it’s all about trust and accountability. Our team will get an understanding of the clients needs or requests and we’ll make an honest assessment as to our timelines and capabilities. For example, if a client request a background from an individual they may be doing business with, they’ll call us to conduct a due diligence investigation and usually these will take time. We sometimes may have to go to Embassies and request information; they aren’t always the fastest entities to work with. Setting those expectations is crucial when doing investigative work. It’s a very slow and methodical process. If another investigator is calling to help on a surveillance, they want to trust that our investigators will be the location on time providing accurate reports.
In this business it’s about integrity. If our clients feel they can trust us they’ll refer us to others. We make it a point to never overbill, charging for the work we actually do, and being where we say we will be.
CEOCFO: Does that encourage a higher level of employee because they recognize the importance?
Mr. Peralta: Yes it does. When our employees see how we respond to moral circumstances they see this is a company they can be proud to be a part of. For example, a few weeks ago we had made an error in payroll and our system didn’t calculate the overtime hours the employees worked but instead calculated their hours as regular hours. When we noticed it we immediately contacted every one of our security officers and advised them of the error. We let them know we would be processing a separate payroll to adjust for the error. Most of the team didn’t even realize it, and some were simply shocked that we corrected it. I think it’s because security officers have been accustomed to security agencies cutting corners at the expense of security officers. In an industry where turnover is one of the worst issues, our team is very successful at retaining security and investigative officers. The security officers that stay with us are generally here for the long term. At the beginning of employment we set the expectations, we establish the standards and give them the resources to be successful. All of our investigators began as security officers because we make it point to promote from within. They know their success and growth is in their hands. All we do is help them stay on track by actively managing performance, providing feedback, training, and continued support for success. I generally don’t believe security officers are bad, they’ve just had bad leadership. When a security officer isn’t given any guidance or support, what could the expectation be? We cannot fault a security officer for failing to do what we ask when we didn’t given them clear directions on where to go.
CEOCFO: How is interaction with the police department or law enforcement in general changing?
Mr. Peralta: In general police agencies don’t have the highest respect for security officers, and it’s generally because security officers don’t set the highest of standards, and so what I try to do with every law enforcement agency I speak with is try and change the narrative. I want police agencies to see security personnel as external arm to law enforcement rather than a nuisance. Security personnel are 90% of the time the first responder to any critical incident. They are usually on site when something occurs. It’s important for law enforcement to have relationships with security officers in their beats. Security personnel will usually know who the major players are in a community, they always have their ears close to the ground and they see what law enforcement doesn’t. Most people don’t realize there are more security related deaths every year than law enforcement deaths, yet we tend dismiss those. I’ve seen plenty of security officers with post traumatic stress disorders because of the significant work they do. Security personnel play a vital role to the safety of a community and law enforcement needs to understand these personnel are a force multiplier in their arsenal of resources in order to combat criminal activity. I was a law enforcement officer and a lot of times I would not expect a lot out our security officers because of how they carried themselves and their customer service capabilities. Now that I’m on the other side I do my best to have a well trained team that law enforcement can establish a good relationship with. When we work with the Newark Police Department, I will ask them to go out there and engage with my officers, build that relationship. A lot of these security officers are emulating the police, they are aspiring to one day be a police officer. It only benefits the police department, the city, and the community as a whole when law enforcement takes the time to build these relationships with security officers.
CEOCFO: What technologies are you able to take advantage of and what things might you do today that you might not have done years back?
Mr. Peralta: A contributor to our success has been the use of mobile camera systems that we connect anywhere, whether it is on a construction site with no power, we will put a camera there with a 4G network that is solar powered, so we can see the security officer's movement and see exactly what he/she is doing on a day-
We have also introduced what is called First Alert which tells us what is happening at any of our sites. Within that geographic area it will tell us exactly what critical incidents are live, so if there is an active shooter situation we will get that information and pass it along to the security officer. We enable lockdowns, send out notifications, and follow proper protocols for that specific site. That has been a benefit for a lot of our clients who are scared and don’t know when the next attack will come. These alerts give us several minutes of advance notice which could mean the difference between life and death. During the wildfires in Los Angeles, we were able to send mass notifications to several of our clients in the area giving them valuable time to get to safety. That first alert system has been a game changer for us.
CEOCFO: Do you see working with government agencies as a growing area for you?
Mr. Peralta: We do quite a few government contracts. This is an area we would like to continue growing in and expanding those services throughout the country.
CEOCFO: What have you learned about working with government agencies?
Mr. Peralta: The bureaucracy is very slow and you must be patient to get things done. Whenever we need to adjust course, our organization is capable to do so quickly, but often we have to wait on approvals by the government. We are a high-
CEOCFO: One of the things I see on your site is, “Can Peralta customize its solutions for unique government operations and of course the answer is yes.” Would you give us an example of what you might do that is different?
Mr. Peralta: Customizing security solutions is what we do best. We understand security services is a very high cost, with very little tangible results. What we will do is look at all the varying factors associated with the client’s service request. We’ll go into our FIRST Alert system and look at the historical data from the area. We’ll see when most criminal activity is happening, and we’ll coordinate with the client to target those specific timeframes. This type of precision allows the client to maximize our security services without the overwhelming cost associated with obtaining security services.
CEOCFO: Regarding the private investigation services, is the fact that you are so involved in other areas, encourage people to look to you for the private investigations?
Mr. Peralta: Private investigation is similar to private security, in regards to how services are performed. There good and bad private investigators out there providing services. The good investigators will go out there and handle a case from start to finish. Typically, a private investigations firm is a one man show and when they take on a new client request they don’t change their prices based on the complexity of the service they are performing. Filing paperwork and compiling a background investigation report are two completely different tasks in complexity. However, the private investigator’s rates aren’t going to change. His/her service rates are going to stay relatively the same for the duration of the case. Whereas we can leverage our private security teams to handle less complex items so the private investigator can focus on the intricate portions of a case. This allows us to be more competitive, have faster turnaround times, and be much more efficient.
Bad investigators take advantage of clients, claiming surveillances are being conducted when they are not, backgrounds are being compiled that are fraudulent, and so many other scenarios that erode trust in the profession. Our commitment to the high standards we set across the board allows us to have that trust on both the security and investigations side. Our integrity is visible on both ends of the spectrum.
CEOCFO: Are you able to take on all the business that comes your way?
Mr. Peralta: Typically, we do. We don't say no to any business that comes our way.
CEOCFO: Peralta is in a lot of different states across the country; how do you decide where to be involved?
Mr. Peralta: We started off in California, but our ultimate goal is to be in all fifty states. However, we are strategically adding licenses in the states that see exponential growth opportunities.
CEOCFO: What does 2025 look like for Peralta?
Mr. Peralta: 2025 is an expansion year. We are focused on growth. We have four offices in California and we are looking at putting another 11 in the state. We have a goal of 18 new offices across the country for 2025. We are also focused on the training for security licenses. The industry itself is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10% by 2030. These are staggering numbers, and we need to ensure the next generation of security officers are given the right training and resources to be successful. A big part of what we do is provide security guard training. We are also licensed as firearms instructors. As we continue to expand throughout California, we’ll be focused on expanding into Washington, Texas and Colorado.
CEOCFO: What have you learned on how to handle the growth and maybe delegate some of the things that you used to handle directly?
Mr. Peralta: I used to have to do a lot of these things myself and I understand every aspect of this organization. Part of my leadership training with all of my managers is empowering them to make decisions. A good portion of my adult life I have spent in the United States Army as a leader and part of being a leader is about staying engaged. I see a lot of CEOs will get to a certain level and then disassociate from their organization. They leave all of the heavy lifting up to their management and executive teams. While it’s good to have people you trust it’s much more important to have your team see you in the trenches with them. In the corporate world there is a significant difference between being a boss and being a leader. The way I see it is, a boss will tell their employees, “Don’t do as I do, do as I say.” Whereas a leader will say, “Follow me,” as a matter of fact this was our mantra while I was going through Army Officer Candidate School (OCS). I have found that once I create the path for my team they will instinctively challenge themselves to take on more responsibilities without me having to force it on them. I like to take my time teaching them how to do something which gives them the confidence to do it themselves.
CEOCFO: Final thoughts?
Mr. Peralta: I wouldn’t be here without the sacrifices and commitment of all those who work tirelessly to make this company what it is. Every one of our team members has given up something to be here and I appreciate everything they do. It is evident from our client satisfaction reviews and our exponential growth. I’ve never claimed to know everything or be the smartest person in the room. I am really just good at one thing and that is not quitting, and this is also contagious because when your team sees you not quit, they don’t quit. They will follow you to the ends of the earth.
Peralta Associates and Defense | Security Services California | Eddie Peralta | Peralta Associates and Defense -