
Valley Protective Services is a well known security company in Arizona. They have recently incorporated here in New Mexico and they do have a security company license. There is a lot of information on the Web about this company and I found a web site that provides for ratings of security companies from both customers and employees. I found it interesting to say the least.
Phoenix City Search link.
Valley Protective Service
5869 S Kyrene Rd
Tempe, AZ 85283
Phone: (480) 777-0003
30 Reviews
07/08/2008 Posted by rebdog21
The worst people I have ever worked for....EVER. Job sucked as well. Ripped off my final paycheck and had the nads to say I owed them for late fees and processing charges. Pure evil. If you do get hired by these pigs...sleep on the job,remember that those cheap radios don't have the GPS like they lie about having...so you can call in,say your at the job and not be. After getting screwed by these losers I wished I had tried a whole lot less. If you have worked for this low life outfit contact their vendors after you get ripped off...and you will and let them know what trash these people are...also contact their competition and give them leads to take VPS clients. I did.
Pros: You can quit.
Cons: You work for thieves and loser cop wannebes.
Work like a dog get paid like a dog.
06/13/2008 Posted by Maggoty
I worked there for exactly one week plus training time. what did I get for my 40 hours of work that week? 15 dollars and some cents. Stay away! There are plenty of reliable security jobs out there. I had three instances in one week which put together made me leave the job so early. 1...The supervisors will dock your paycheck before even attempting to help you straighten something out. 2...They don't provide Body armor, but they send you into high risk areas your first week. 3...And if you work a 14 hour shift, crash your truck on the way back home and get no sleep during the day taking care fo things with the accident, they will offer you a taxi ride to work. Honestly folks, I was treated better in the Army by an NCO who was convinced I'm rascist. These guys just do not care, they will work you until you drop, laugh at you while they're doing it, and then find any way they can cut your paycheck when it comes time to pony up.
Pros: Night shifts, quick to hire, provides uni's
Cons: They treat you like a dog.
Dream Job
06/03/2008 Posted by secure4u
If you meet the following requirements we would like to hire you for our great firm! 1. Do you love to be abused, screamed at, treated like dirt? 2. Do you like having your first paycheck ripped off as you have to pay rent on outdated radio equipment that doesn't work, wear pants 2 sizes to big for you, smelly old shirts, flashlights that are better dug out of a dumpster and pay top dollar for all of these things? 3. Be posted no where even close to your home, no that's too easy. Instead drive your arses from one end of the valley to the other with not reimbursement for gas and be scheduled to be at 2 different places at the same time? 4. Be chased with a lunatic residence bearing a knife and not able to get through on your piece of junk radio equipment. 5. Get shot at, and remember all this for $11.50 per hour. 6. Oh but wait, you don't get your last paycheck as they will charge you a late fee of $250.00 and an administrative fee for taking their fingers out of their asses for a mere $150.00. Then they will find even more charges that you owe them and have the punk a-- cahoonies to take you to court. Yes this could be your dream job!!!!!!!!!!
Pros: zero
Cons: con artists
beware!
05/29/2008 Posted by watchurback
Stay away from these self serving pigs who lie, cheat, and use you all for $11.00 per hour. By the way you won't get your first or last paycheck.
Pros: none
Cons: great con artists
stayin away f rom this bunch
05/09/2008 Posted by Gavinguard
wow. thanks for the heads up. i'm glad i read this site because i'm looking for a guard job. they sound like real a--holes.. i'll definetly be looking somewhere else!
Pros: didnt see any
Cons: jerks
Evil
05/05/2008 Posted by 10311952111824
Someone needs to start a blog just for Valley Protecive Services for all ex employees to post their grievances. Please post yours with your name and email. I'm putting together a list for channel 3 on your side. How great to expose them on public tv. don't let them burn anymore people who count on their paychecks to payrent and take care of their children. They are pure evil. Email me at: bertworsencroft@hotmail. thanks I'll get a blog going too when I get my computer guy to get it started.
Pros: You can quit.
Cons: Great con artists
KEY: NOT RECOMMENDED
03/09/2008 Posted by chitationdevice
VPS WAS OK TO ME AT FIRST. LIKE A COUPLE OF THE OTHER REVIEWS STATED, I WAS OFFERED THE POSSIBILITY OF ADVANCEMENT AND INCREASED PAY. AFTER BEING EMPLOYED WITH VPS FOR MORE THAN FOUR YEARS, RECEIVING 10-20 CENT PER HOUR RAISES EVERY YEAR AND NO ADVANCEMENT, I DECIDED TO MOVE ON. AT MY REVIEWS I WAS TOLD THAT I DO A GREAT JOB, MAKE PLENTY OF CONTACTS, PERFORM NUMEROUS ARRESTS, ASSISTED IN ARRESTS AND ALWAYS TURN MY PAPERWORK IN ON TIME. TO ME....THAT SOUNDS LIKE NOTHING NEGATIVE. VPS DOES NOT HONOR THEIR EMPLOYEES HARD WORK. MY ONLY REGRET IS WORKING THERE AS LONG AS I DID. IT IS A ROAD TO NOWHERE. MOST OF THE TIME THE MORALE WAS COMPLETELY LOW BY OFFICERS, SERGEANTS, OWNERS, MANAGERS AND DISPATCHERS. THE ATMOSPHERE IS NOT ONE OF SUCCESSION. DO NOT BE FOOLED! AFTER BEING BRUSHED OFF BY COMMANDER COXEN AND THE OWNERS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO ASK ABOUT SCHEDULING A MEETING REGARDING PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS. COXEN MENTIONED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO SPEAK TO ME ABOUT IT. VPS HAS NO REGARD FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.
Pros: NIGHT SHIFTS DURING THE HOT SUMMER
Cons: LOW PAY, NO PROMOTIONS, NO POTENTIAL ADVANCEMENT
Keep an open mind
01/29/2008 Posted by honestmanpolicy
Be sure to keep an open mind when reading the 20-something reviews. Most of them appear to have been written by disgruntled employees. However, many of them are actually true in their facts. So, pay attention to the facts rather than the tone. I worked for VPS for a total of 2.5 years. In that time I learned that VPS can be a decent company to work for (stressing decent). It is by no means a career move. The highest position an officer can be promoted to is SGT and that will only increase your hourly wage by 75 cents. When I started, I was promised a promotion if I did a good job. For the most part, I was a very good employee. However, on one occasion, I failed to drop my daily activity report at the proper location on time. I recognized my mistake and notified my supervisor immediately. At that point, upper management threatened to terminate my employment and drop my hourly wage. I agree that I made a mistake, however an employee should not be threatened for one use of misjudgement. From then on, I heard constant rumors of management speaking negative of me to other employees. I understand that these are merely rumors, but I heard this information from numerous sources. I do not write this to say that VPS is a bad company, but you should definitely go into it with an open mind. There are many other security companies that are more professional.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Loyalty: A Two Way Street
01/19/2008 Posted by shafted12345
I worked for VPS for a short time as a dispatch operator. In that time my training and instruction for this position was minimal at best. They handed me my radio, phone, and computer and expected me to perform as if I'd been working there for years. I am a professional, I am hard working and did my job to the best of my ability. The communication equipment used by dispatch and officers in the field is old and in deplorable condition and did not work correctly most of the time. The noise level in the dispatch office was overly obnoxious for most of my shifts so that it was impossible to hear customers or officers when they called for service or information. Loyalty was never a question, as I was dedicated to learning all that I could to support those officers in the field and to be of help to my co-workers and customers. In the time I spent at VPS, I learned how others, mostly officers in the field, are treated. They are gossiped about, insulted and made fun of behind their backs. For the most part, the officers in the field are hard working, dedicated individuals and do not deserve that kind of attitude from those they must rely on to do their jobs effectively. If you are expected to be loyal to a company, that company should at least be deserving of it. In my opinion, VPS does not deserve it. Most of the lower ranking employees, officers and office personnel alike, are not respected at all. They are made a joke of and their efforts are disparaged by their supervisors and higher ranking members of their team. I have never written a negative article or spoken out against any employer before, whether they may have deserved it or not. This time, however, I felt compelled to speak up. I have never been so disgusted by the conduct of a supposedly reputable company. If this review saves one person from the indignity many have suffered while employed with Valley Protective Services, my responsibilty to the employment seeking public has been served.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Not a perfect compnay, but a great company
12/27/2007 Posted by loyalemployee
I have been with Valley Protective Services for five years. Have I been happy the entire time? Of course not. However, I have remained loyal and dependable and that has definately paid off. Dave and Terry reward their loyal employees. I have seen a lot of reviews on here from people who apparently do not know the first thing about loyalty to their employers. We do have some very set, specific policies about terminating from the company. Apparently, a lot of people think that they should just be able to screw the company and there should be no consequences for that. If that is your attitude, and you are a disloyal person, like most of the people writting these reviews, then we don't want you. Most of the people writting these reviews that we have been able to identify are liars! They did not work for the company as long as they claimed to have. In five years, I have seen this company grow from fifty employees to almost three hundred. We have three offices, Phoenix, Tucson and New Mexico. And as for our reputation, with both our clients and our local law enforcement agencies, it's very good. It must be, we continue to grow leaps and bounds. In january of 2008, we will move into a building owned, not leased by the company. It is a beautiful new facility that is just another piece of evidence proving that Valley Protective Services is a good successfull company. I don't believe in "brown nosing" either. "Brown nosing" and loyalty are not the same thing, and most of the people writting these reviews are disgruntled ex-employees who will probably never know the difference. As for our reputation with the police, not all love us. We can't be loved by everyone, that's a fact of life. We are not being investigated, we are not being arrested, to the contrary, our cases continue to be prosecuted in the courts and we are constantly being subpoenaed to testify. They are partially right, there is no opportunity for advancement, for people who are disloyal.
Pros: Good customer service, employee benefits, rapidly growing company, lots of opportunity
Cons: Growing company with growing pains and evolving policies
OK COMPANY
12/20/2007 Posted by yeager21
I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY TO ANYONE PLANNING ON WORK THERE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (OVER 90 DAYS, BUT NOT A CAREER MOVE). THE COMPANY OFFERS DECENT COMPENSATION PER HOUR COMPARED TO OTHER COMPANIES. THE HOURS ARE NIGHT MOSTLY. THERE IS A DISPATCH CENTER. THE UNIFORMS ARE DECENT. THE EQUIPMENT IS SOMEWHAT MODERN NEGATIVES- MORALE TENDS TO BE VERY LOW. EMPLOYEES SEEM TO GET SUCKED INTO NEVER LEAVING EVEN THOUGH THEY HATE IT THERE. I LEFT BECAUSE I KNEW I COULD HOLD THE JOB UNTIL I FOUND MY WAY INTO THE ACADEMY. SGTS ARE KIND OF A JOKE. THEY REALLY DON'T HELP YOU IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. THE FRONT OFFICE IS COMPLETELY UNHELPFUL EXCEPT FOR ONE LADY IN THERE THAT USED TO HELP ME. DON'T QUIT BEFORE THE END OF YOUR FIRST 3 MONTHS OR YOU WILL BE CHARGED $90-$150 AND THE REST OF THE CHECK WILL BE PAID AT $7.00 PER HOUR. SAYING THAT YOU WORK FOR THIS COMPANY WHEN APPLYING FOR A PD DEPARTMENT JOB DOES NOT HELP. TWO OFFICERS RECOMMENDED THAT I LEAVE THAT INFORMATION OUT OF MY RESUME UNLESS I WAS CALLED UPON TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT TIME PERIOD. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT VPS HAS A BAD REP WITH PD. THIS IS NOT A BAD COMPANY, BUT YOU SHOULD WEIGH YOUR OPTIONS BEFORE APPLYING.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Bad Company
12/20/2007 Posted by honestman411
I worked for VPS for two and a half years. In that time I was put on numerous dangerous sites in which no english speaking residents lived. When I suggested to management that someone who spoke spanish should work this area in order to communicate effecitvely with the residents, My supervisor told me to "be a man". First of all, encouraging the best service for the customer does not make me less of a man and secondly, treating an honest suggestion with such disrespect is completely uncalled for. Two weeks after giving this recommendation to my supervisor, I received a surprise visit on my post during the middle of the night from that supervisor. He collected all of the equipment that I had paid for and took my timesheets. He then told me that I was fired., but would not give me a reason When I tried to collect my final paycheck, I was told that my timesheet was lost and that a new one would not suffice. When I threatened to go to court, the office manager final told me that I could fill out another timesheet. When I showed up to pick up my check, she handed me a bill for $150. She said that it was for an administrative fee. That basically tells you that the company has no interest in employees unless they are mindless drones. After they are done with you, they will make up random charges so that they do not have to pay you. Then they will take the gear from you that was charged to you out of your first two paychecks. By the way, it costs $150 up front before you can start working. That is for your guard card. Then they charge you $350 for all of the equipment that they claim belongs to them after you terminate. Keep all receipts and a tape recorder on you when you deal with this company. Better yet, stay away from them.
Pros: you think you will advance in the company
Cons: you will not advance in the company
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
VPS- Visionary,Proactive and Successfull
12/07/2007 Posted by wwitch
After reading the reviews,I have come to the conclusion that most of them were written by the same 1 or 2 disgruntled ex employees.The phrases are too similar with the same tired rhetoric running through all of them! I work for VPS and can say without a doubt that the allegations in these reviews are false & totally one sided. I have found In Life as in the work place, you get out of it what you put in to it! At the LEAST as an employee you should possess integrety and honesty.If you speak ill of others and try to undermine Management, you will not succeed in the workplace.We have a Management team of wonderfull ,caring men and women. This is evident by the attitudes and successes of our excellent team members! VPS offers employment with opportunity for growth. Come down and talk to us,see what wer'e about.Don't come to any conclusions based on the opinions of a couple spiteful,disgruntled ex employees!
Pros: Great staff,excellent opportunities,family environment
Cons: none
0 out of 2 people found this review helpful
NOT AWFUL, BUT NOT GOOD
12/05/2007 Posted by smithy101
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY TO ONLY THOSE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A SHORT TIME JOB. DO KEEP IN MIND THAT IF YOU QUIT BEFORE THE END OF YOUR NEW HIRE PERIOD, YOU WILL BE PAID AT MINIMUM WAGE ON YOU LAST PAYCHECK AND WILL BE CHARGED $150 FEE. THE HANDBOOK DOES MENTION THIS, BUT IT IS STILL UNETHICAL. I DON'T BELIEVE AN EMPLOYEE SHOULD BE PENALIZED FOR QUITTING. THIS JOB WILL OFFER NO CHANCE AT PROMOTION OR DESIRED TRAINING. TRAINING COURSES ARE ACCEPTABLE. BUT AFTER BEING TOLD HOW TO PROPERLY USE FORCE, YOU ARE TOLD TO USE IT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT FOR WHEN YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER. YOU MAY NOT CONTACT THE DISPATCHER CENTER UNLESS YOU PLAN TO SIT ON HOLD. YOU ARE DISCOURAGED FROM CALLING PD. I DON'T BELIEVE VPS HAS A GOOD REPUTATION WITH PD. I DO NOT WANT TO DISCOURAGE ANYONE FROM TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER MY EXPERIENCE AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Pros: NIGHT HOURS, BIWEEKLY PAY, DECENT UNIFORMS
Cons: TRAINING, SUPERVISORS ATTITUDES, DISPATCH CENTER
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Trash Pit
12/04/2007 Posted by smashingheads
This company was by far the worst company I have ever worked for. I was employed with VPS for 1.5 years. After calling off sick two days in a row, I was told to turn in my gear immediately. My last pay check was paid to me at minimum wage with a fee of $150 taken out for a "Miscellaneous" fee. When I asked Nicole (office manager) what this fee was for, she said that it is "miscellaneous". Gee!!! What a help! As far as the post before me, I feel your pain. However, I do have to say that Juanita is one of two people in that office that is actually helpful. For some unintelligent management reason, she was fired. I have heard numerous employees complain that they can never get help from the office now that she was gone. I say all this to mention that VPS does not care about quality work or the employees for that matter. The police department does not respect officers that work for this company because VPS officers are known for making rediculous mistakes due to a lack of sufficient training. I don't want the reputation of this company on my record. I wish I could leave that 1.5 years off of my resume. I was a good employee, but worked for a bad employer.
Pros: anyone can get a job here
Cons: management & lack of training
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
THE WORST COMPANY EVER----- A MUST READ!!!!!!!!!!!!
11/29/2007 Posted by goober_21
Definitely, employ at your risk!!!! I worked there for 6 months and i was terminated for calling in sick i called Juanita in the front office and informed her that i was sick and Juanita said she would pass it on to scheduling department and Dave but the next morning I got a call from Juanita and she said I need to bring in all my uniforms and equipment because I am being terminated for no call no show when I called in sick when I tryed to call Dave and explain to Dave that i was sick Dave would not talk to me. i tryed to talk to Terry but the office personal would not let me in the office except to get my final check and I was paid at minimum wage valley protective services is a joke and the staff is the worst staff i have ever seen and has the worst customer service ever and their scheduling department needs help bad and another thing is they send you were ever they want i live in tempe and they would send me to edgewater apartments in goodyear when there are guards that live out on that side of town and they put armed guards on unarmed post and unarmed guards on armed post and another thing is you can ask any police officer in the valley what is there opinion on security and the first word out of there mouth is valley protective services they teach their guards how to violate someones rights and what to say to get the police when they get on property to get the police on their side no wonder valley protective service is hated so much valley protective service gave the security industry a bad name and tan polo shirts with black pants were good clolors until valley protective service started to wear the same colors now when people see a security officer walking up to them and they see those colors they think dam valley protective services.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
VPS- MUST READ
11/29/2007 Posted by lthenson
FIRST OF ALL I HAVE TO SAY, I USE TO WORK WITH THE SORRY AZZ COMPANY BACK IN THE DAYS. DAVE AND TERRY ARE JOKE. THEY SEND A FEMALE WANNA BE OFFICER OUT TO WORK FOR OTHER COMPANIES TO STEAL THERE ACCOUNTS. ALL OF THERE SGT'S ARE JOKES ALSO AS WELL AS THE TRAINERS. THEY HAVE PROBLEMS IN THERE HEAD TO MAKE YOU THINK THAT EVERYTHING YOUR DOING IS LEGAL. ALL OF POLICE DEPT'S HATE VPS WITH A PASSION. THEY THINK THERE RUNNING A POLICE DEPT. BUT WHAT THEY DONT KNOW IS THAT THERE ARE DETECTIVES THAT ARE WATCHING THERE EVERY MOVE. I FEEL THAT DAVE AND TERRY AND ALL OF HIS KISS AZZ SGT'S SHOULD WORK AT WAL-MART AS A GREETER. I NOW WORK FOR MARICOPA COUNTY AND EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT VPS AND ALL THAY DO IS LAUGH. (WITH ME). ITS A JOKE AND YOU DO DESERVE TO WORK IN A PLACE WHERE YOU DONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GOING TO JAIL...........
Pros: NA NA NA
Cons: GO SOMEWHERE ELSE
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Awful experience
11/20/2007 Posted by powertrain
Definitely, employ at your own risk! I worked there for 4 months to find out that I would be scheduled to work in Queen Creek while I live in Avondale. I was promised a location close to home, but never got it. I decided to seek employment elsewhere. Once the company found out about this, they did a surprise visit on me while I was on duty with VPS. Three sgts told me that I was a conflict of interest. They took all of my equipment and told me that I was done. I know this is illegal because they wouldn't tell me the reason why. I am currently filing a dispute through the labor board. In addition to being fired for no apparent reason, my last paycheck was paid to me at minimum wage and $150 was deducted. This left my check at a negative balance. VPS had the nerve to send me a bill for $13.34. The employee handbook states that $150 will be deducted if you quit before your 90 day probationary period. I was there for 4 months. That does not add up. I have contacted the office on two occasions, both times Nicole N. (office manager) hung up on me and refused to pass my message along to the owners or someone that would actually help me. I am writting this in order to divert as many potential employees as possible. Don't waste your time here. You can do much better almost anywhere else.
Pros: hire anyone
Cons: hours, work locations, pay, supervisors
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Not Recommended!
11/18/2007 Posted by noanswer
I worked for VPS for a couple years. In that time, I was told that I was a very good employee, trustworthy and a great help. After a very negative situation arose based on my supervisor's bad attitude, I felt forced to let the company know that I would be looking for another job and would put in a two week notice once I found one. I was merely being courteous. I was told that this would be acceptable and to take my time and that they really did not want to lose me. About two weeks later I was told that I would be replaced and to go home. I left knowing that this was how the company responded to my courtesy. A couple months have past and I found out today that upper management is spreading rumors about me to my friends that still work there. I have not slandered the company in any way. Even though I know that they are completely wrong in their actions, I know that revenge is not something that I care about. They will get what they deserve in the end. we all do. Now to hear that they will not get over me....and are saying that my ex-boyfriend and I broke up because he is gay....this is an absolute outrage! Lies are never good for business! A word of recommendation: If this company looks like they are your friends, don't trust them. I worked there for a couple years before I saw the backstabbing and affairs that govern the company. They only like you as long as you sit back and agree with their misconducts. I wish the best for each of the individuals, but would never recommend either their service to clients or employment to anyone.
Pros: can't think of any at the moment
Cons: management
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Not great!
11/16/2007 Posted by insider101
I would like to start by saying that I do not mean to complain about VPS. I am writing this for the sole purpose of giving potential employees a clear understanding of the company. So, you know, I left the company on good terms. I gave a two week notice and fulfilled it. I was employed with VPS from 8/2003-8/2007. At first, I was very excited to be part of the company. I saw a lot of potential there, but never saw it grow or give employees the potential to excel. They tend to hype everything up, and then let you fall. This company takes on clients without having enough man coverage. Therefore, the company is left subject to hire anyone that applies. The leaders know this and then hold it against the employees. I have heard management and Dave Connant (the owner) specifically make fun of employees behind their backs right after being nice to them. Employees are not a joke and should not be treated that way. I noticed quite a few people before me complained about payroll issues. That is a constant problem. If you don’t keep written back up on everything you turn in, do not plan on getting reimbursed for your hours any time soon. Management tends to sit on payroll issues unless you are in tight with them. I don’t try to brown nose management. That definitely worked against me. No one should be required to do that in order to succeed. I want to finish by saying that the company is not terrible, but I definitely would recommend applying with other security companies. I am with another company and have been for the past three months. I couldn’t be happier to be away from VPS. I didn’t find VPS to be honest in its policies.
Pros: flexible hours if you are tight with management
Cons: payroll issues, leadership
Trashy Company
11/16/2007 Posted by jameson24
I can tell that the last two reviews that were posted are from new guys. VPS makes you feel like that at first, but after they get what they want to you, you are just another body and looked down upon. The office will not help you if you have a payroll issue. I agree with one of the reviews before me. The office manager is useless. She has a job for one reason and one reason only. This company is made up of "leaders" that only care about themselves. I went to VPS not lookign for a handout, but an opportunity to grow. I was told there would be much to offer. There wasn't. You will never see the advertised payrates, you don't get benefits for at least a year and even then you have to bother the office until they decide to help you get enrolled. I was constantly put on very dangerous properties. My life was verbally threatened on more than one occasion. When I reported this, I was told to grow up by my supvisor. I was not looking to complain. I just wanted further documentation. If you want a company that will sit on their but and then freak out on you when you don't do something the way that it was expected to be done even though you were not trained properly, this is the company for you. If you are at all out of the stereotype cop, don't think they like you just cause they are nice to you. I've heard management make fun of employees for being mentally slow, goofy looking or anything else that they might now like. I definitely do not recommend this company unless you are just passing through quickly. Also, beware, if you quit without giveing a two week notice, you get your last check at minimum wage. If you do not make it through your 90 probation period, you will have $90 deducted from you paycheck. If the paycheck does not cover the amount, you will be sent to collections & the company will file a complaint against you with PD.
Pros: hire anyone. night hours only
Cons: owners & office manager treat everyone like trash
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Fun Job / Good People
11/12/2007 Posted by skottemtp
I have been employed in Public Safety as a Paramedic for 15 years when I moved to Phoenix and couldn't find a decent job. I saw an ad for VPS and it looked like good experience to get my foot in the door for one of the local Police agencies. All in all I worked there about 4 months, full-time with my regular properties being La Palma, Cortina, The Boulevard and Monte Viejo. I found the experience very rewarding and fun. Of course I ran into the occasional drug-dealer or car theft in progress but 99% of the residents / visitors I made contact with were very friendly and happy to see me there. I made a few good friends. I read somebody's review stating the residents feeling as though they are being harassed which I often thought was funny. For example, La Palma in particular has a high minority population so naturally I made more contacts with Hispanics than Caucasians but it was usually the white kids asking me why I was harassing them! One even went as far as to say I was harassing him because I didn’t like the way he was dressed. LOL That's funny. I guess because I'm white he had to come up with something to draw attention away from the fact that he almost ran me over (on purpose.) Anyhow....if you're looking for a fun job that will help you gain L.E. experience I would highly recommend working for VPS.
Pros: Good training. Fun job. Get paid to exercise! Chicks dig a guy in uniform. LOL
Cons: No direct deposit until 1 year of service. Have to drive paperwork to main office every week.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
My favorite company
11/02/2007 Posted by insightful
I have been employed with Valley Protective Service for approximately five years. Prior to that I floated from company to company for eleven years. I was never able to find a company that fit my personality and abilities until I found Valley Protective Services, Inc. I have always found that Security Companies are nothing but scare crows attempting to deter crime through presence. This doesn't work, VPS empowers their officers to use discretion, common sense, and ability, to deter crime. They are the only company that I have found that will monitor their officers behaviors and hold their feet to the fire. I am tired of being embarassed by the lazy guards that exist out there. They always wine and complain that they work to hard or are scared to talk to people. I feel blessed to make a difference in the communities VPS serves and would recommend them to anyone. Insightful
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
It's a great place to work
11/01/2007 Posted by darkhorse
I am currently employed by VPS. I read the other reviews and laugh. Yes, you get paid out at minimum wage if you quit without notice. It's an easy job. You ride a bike, talk to people and write it in a report. If you sleep in your car or do something else stupid, then yes, you get paid that day at minimum wage. It's all told to you up front and you sign a form saying you understand it and won't do it. It seems pretty cut and dry to me. I don't know about the office politics, show me and employer that doesn't have them....I stay out of it and do my job and I haven't had any trouble. I haven't been there very long, but when I've had questions, Sgt. Smith has come to my site in person on more than one occassion and helped me. I've also been in some of his training classes and found his instruction to be great, I learned a lot of things that have helped me do my job better. After reading the grammer and spelling (or lack there of) in some of the other posts about this company, no wonder the guys got minimum wage. If I turned in a report like spelled like that, I'd be mortified and expect to get fired. This is a great place to work and I've found the office staff in the day and the supervisors at night to be very helpful. I haven't been told to do anything dangerous or felt threatened yet. I think that from the training I've received, should that happen, I'll either be able to handle it, or I'll at least be able to recognized that I'm in over my head and just call the police. I hear a lot of guys on the radio every night making arrests, and they also seem to be very happy working here. If you're looking for a security job, this is a great one. I can only assume that some of the other posts are just sour grapes. If you want a real idea of what this or any company is about, ask someone who still works there, not someone who got fired.
Pros: I can work all the overtime I can handle
Cons: Sometimes my OT shifts are 10-15 miles from home
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Terrible Customer Service
10/30/2007 Posted by brandshaw
My management company hired VPS to patrol our community for four hours a night for seven days a week. The contract stated that I should receive a courtesy patrol report every night. This happened twice in the two months that my community hired VPS. I have requested to have the same officer or two officers only. This did not happened. Twice I have caught the officer sleeping in the car and one fluirting with residents when they should have been patroling. Two of my residents complainted about harassment from the officers. My sales representative will not return my calls or handle the situation. Instead, I just receive a different officer every time that I complain. This is a very quiet property. The officer should really not have much to do. I am going out of my way to recommend another security company. I found VPS to be exteremely unhelpful.
Pros: they have a somewhat decent reputation
Cons: they do not live up to their stated standards of conduct or service
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Not an Honest Company
10/29/2007 Posted by robert27
VPS makes your feel like you are with family at firts. However, if you have a complaint against office management, the company will turn on you immediately. I hate to speculate, but it appears that two of the reviews before me recognized the same problem. There are some relations in upper management that cause extremely negative affects on the spirit and overall running of the company. More than a couple employees (that I know of) have left my past position for the same reason that I did: my immediate supervisor was completely nasty to me. When I brought my complaint to my supervisor’s manager, I was told that the situation would be taken care of. It was not. I courteously let the company know that I would be looking for another job and would give a two-week notice when I found one. I was told to take my time and they begged me not to leave. A couple weeks later, I was told to leave immediately and that I was no longer needed because I was being replaced. Do not be honest with this company. They will not be with you! Keep in mind that this is not my only complaint, just the only one that I believe is necessary to share.
Pros: anyone dan get a job here
Cons: anyone can get a job here
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Terrible Company
10/29/2007 Posted by marcusjames
My experience with this company is the worst I have ever had with any employment company. They offer to pay more, but you will not see the advertised amount. It is a scam to get people in. In the interview you will be told how great you would do and that you will received advancement. This will never happen unless you are a body builder or former cop. Beware, if you quit, you will be paid at minimum wage for your last paycheck and be charged $150 out of the check for a "miscelaneous fee". This company requires you to only use force to protect yourself. You get chewed out if you do not act forecfully and then chewed out again if you do. The office manager constantly messed up my paycheck and the acted as if her clerical adding error was my fault. The company will take $230 out of your paycheck immediately for equipment that they take back when you resign. Do not quit before you have been imployed for 90 days or you will be fined an additional $150. Granted this is all noted in the employee handbook, but you are never allowed to read it. You are given 15 minutes to read the 250 page handbook and sign. That should have been the red flag for me. Beware of this company. You will be put on sites that are extremely dangerous and told to defend the property with the mere force of pepperspray. If you need assistance in any matter, do not expect anyone to answer your questions or help you until you make a good name for yourself. Even then, management is too busy having affairs to speak with any employees. I make a point to not speak bad about people, so I am doing this for any potential employees. Be ware!
Pros: easy interview
Cons: customer service, pay, payroll, management, training
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Employ at your own risk!
10/29/2007 Posted by jonmathers27
If you do not fit the perfect "cop" mode, you are made fun of immediately after your interview. I have seen this happen on numerous occasions. This company is full of leaders that have improper relations with eachother that cause adverse affects on the rest of the company. The jobing ad states that there is room for growth. This is an absolute lie. There is no potential unless you are "exteremely good looking". This does not mean that you have to have good workmanship or communication skills. I was with the company for 3 years. The first two years were decent until I got to work more on the inside. Offfice management is horendous. Payroll problems are a constant. Corrections will be made in the employers due time. My check was short by over $400. The office spent 8 days sitting on the correction. The office manager is one of the most unpersonable individuals I have ever met. She is down right rude to all employees. Clients only get what they need if they threaten to terminate service. Do not believe any of the ads. This company is full of fake people. They are nice until they get what they want from you. If you ever have a complaint, plan to be ignored. I have seen numerous employees fired and never compensated for hours worked. If you do not return your equipment within 24 hours of your termination (self imposed or not), you will be sent to collections and the company will file a police report against you. I went out of town the night after I terminated and planned to return my equipment the next day. There was no leniency and now I am stuck fighting a charge for turning in my equipment 36 hours after my termination. Also, remember that the equipment tha tyou purchase from the company is over priced; they will say you are getting a bargain. Do not work here. They will tell you everything you want to hear at the interview and orientation. Afterwards, you will find out that they are just the opposite. If you decide to go with them, good luck!
Pros: they hire almost anyone
Cons: untruthful, not employee oriented, not customer oriented
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Avoid at all costs
09/14/2007 Posted by freddydd
Cares nothing for the employee. You are just a warm body. Policy on use of force at a Circle K armed position "if in concealment and witness an armed encounter, stay hidden, do not engage the suspect", They put the importance of their business liability above human life. You can only fire your weapon after the clerk has been shot. You are there to avenge their death. Disturbing moral character. They advertise in numerous media outlets for positions paying $13-$15 an hour. You will never see this money. $12 is the maximum. After two yrs your get a 3% pay raise if you are lucky. High turn over, dangerous properties, low pay, treat their employee's like dirt. Their upper management constantly makes promises but dont keep. Most of their upper mangement are all divorced or going through one. There are much better companies out there that believe the employee is an asset, not just a warm body.
Pros: good training
Cons: scheduling, pay, support, moral character, management etc.....
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Not a good place to work
08/06/2007 Posted by jlanoue
One of the absolute worst employers I've ever come across, much so that I'm going out of my way to write this. It is true that this is one of the "highest paying" security companies, and this review is based on employment, not service, their service to the client is excellent, but my being paid $12/hr at full time might as well have been $4/hr after all their rediculous fees... They're worse than a credit card company, eventually, you end up paying them to work there. But don't think about quitting, because not only will they send you your last check at minimum wage, but they charge you a $150 fee for quitting. Not to mention the hundreds of other reasons they surprisingly pay you at minimum wage. They do nothing to take care of employees, and after talking to many other guards there, I learned I wasn't the only one... I'm happy to be out of there, and I hope I deflect any prospective newhires that read this... J Lanoue
Pros: Good to clients
Cons: Horrible to employees
Tucson security company search rating service link.
Comments and Notes:
2008-05-27 seek4thetruth no
true or false? valley protective had security in tucson and about 8 or more officers steal stuff out of colleges apartments and thay got fired from it and they had to replace the the security officer.they should of lost the contract all together" --guest
2008-03-02 Shifts
I like how they have shifts starting one after the other, like 6pm to10pm and the same guy is supposed to be 25 miles away at 10pm, both properties charged for the full time slot, though they are not covered." --guest
2007-11-30 [comments removed]
[several anonymous negative comments were removed at the request of David Connant with Valley Protective Services, who provided a name and contact information and stated that the anonymous comments were false. For additional comments, if you can provide name and contact information it will be more likely that the comments will remain on the site; anonymous comments are ok but if refuted by a person providing a name they may be removed. thank you --Ed]" --guest
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