The spread of legalization to new states, particularly on the East Coast, is providing new opportunities for security companies that provide armed guards to cannabis businesses, and for veterans with firearms training.
Paul Ballenger, Chief Executive Officer of Invicta Solutions, is a Marine veteran and Army Reservist with about 400 armed security guards working in five states including California, Colorado and Arizona. They guard schools, religious institutions and shopping malls. Invicta also provides armed guards for cannabis companies, having acquired the security guard business last year from Helix Technologies of Denver, and it’s a hot market given the attractive target that cash-flush cannabis shops pose for robbers.
“I never really intended to be in the cannabis space at all,” said Ballenger, who said he supports legalization though he doesn’t use cannabis. But now, he said that he’s “100%” committed to expansion to the East Coast.
At last count, adult-use has been legalized in 18 states, and also Washington, D.C., and Guam, according to the cannabis website Leafly. This includes New York and New Jersey, which legalized adult-use cannabis earlier this year. While the retail markets for recreational cannabis have yet to launch in these fledgling states, companies are poised for expansion opportunities there. This includes companies that provide armed security guards to dispensaries in Western states, which have suffered a rash of armed robberies and break-ins.
Ballenger said his goal is to have Invicta in the key markets of New York, New Jersey and Florida by the end of this year.
Florida has a medical cannabis program, but adult-use is not legal there. New York and New Jersey have medical dispensaries and adult use is legal there, but recreational sales haven’t started yet.
This is creating job opportunities in a tight job market, particularly for veterans with experience in firearms. Ballenger estimates that at least half of his guards are veterans and they carry an assortment of semiautomatic sidearms made by Glock, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson and Heckler & Koch.
Ryan Hale, chief sales officer for Operational Security Solutions in Fresno, California, said his company employs about 100 armed security guards, many of them veterans, for what OSS describes as “security-based risk management solutions for marijuana-related businesses.”
Hale said that OSS requires drug tests for its employees, including the ones guarding the dispensaries and other cannabis businesses.
“Marijuana and guns, never the twain shall meet,” said Hale. “We draw that clear separation because protecting a life needs to be 100% cognizant. We have a zero-tolerance policy against those who are going to be armed and using product.”
The cannabis business is booming, but this has also made dispensaries enticing to armed robbers and burglars. Weed can be easily resold illegally and most cannabis shops hold large amounts of cash. Regardless of state legalization, marijuana is still classified as…
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