School security contract renewal moves closer to approval. * patrick lewis * apr 9, 2026 * 1. The School Board's Finance and Operations Committee has recommended the approval of the division's contract with Allied Universal Security Services for the more than 80 contracted security guards used by Loudoun County Public Schools. Amy Riccardi (Sterling) asked division staff members if the services provided by the contracted guards are reviewed, which staff said happens quarterly. Riccardi also said that "this contract is actually not really for security per se... but it's really more about vestibule and visitor management." Committee Chair Deana Griffiths (Ashburn) said she was concerned about the contract because the guards are vetted and hired by Allied Universal, not school officials. She said she had heard stories of guards playing games on their phones while on duty and not being able to speak English. Clark said all guards were required to speak English and that other concerns were addressed with Allied Universal supervisors. Jon Pepper (Dulles) asked questions about the financial impact of the practice of using contracted guards for visitor management. Division finance chief Sharon Willoughby told him that using contractors was cheaper than hiring staff for the roles because the division does not need to pay them benefits. The contract had received some scrutiny from the members of the committee because of questions about LCPS' security posture in the wake of Sheriff Mike Chapman's request to add school resource officers to elementary schools. Chapman's request was not approved by the Board of Supervisors but has led to questions from board and community members about what kinds of protections elementary schools have. School officials have repeatedly declined to discuss what security presence is assigned to elementary schools and whether any presence there is armed. Superintendent Aaron Spence told supervisors during a budget meeting that there are no school security officers in elementary schools. When asked about it, an LCPS spokesperson said that he thought the statement had been misunderstood but declined to explain why. However, during the meeting Tuesday, Clark told Riccardi that Allied Universal guards are assigned to all elementary schools and to a couple of middle and high schools. He did not say whether they are armed. Loudoun Now filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the Allied Universal contract and was given a version that had redactions, citing the FOIA law allowing redaction of material for counterterrorism purposes. The censored parts appeared to be the portions that discussed whether the security guards were armed. The contract is worth $3 million, which includes a 2.6% hourly raise for the Allied personnel. The guards are primarily responsible for checking visitors in and out of schools and providing security at varsity football games and at School Board meetings. They do not patrol schools or intervene in fights and student discipline issues, according to Clark. The contract is slated to be approved as part of the noncontroversial consent agenda at a future School Board meeting. (1) comment. "this contract is actually not really for security per se... but it's really more about vestibule and visitor management." Our elected "leaders" need to protect Loudoun students. Deputies in ALL elementary schools are needed. Welcome to the discussion.

Allied Universal debuts HELIAUS Gov for security. Quick Read Summary is AI-generated, newsdesk-reviewed * Allied Universal unveils HELIAUS Gov for federal and defense operations with AI-powered insights. * HELIAUS Gov offers FIPS-validated encryption, U.S. data sovereignty, and compliance with NIST 800-171. * FedRAMP-equivalent HELIAUS Gov ensures secure, predictive workflows on AWS GovCloud without commercial crossover. Allied Universal(R), a prominent figure in the security and facility services industry, has introduced HELIAUS(R) Gov, a specialised version of its acclaimed HELIAUS workforce management system designed for federal and defence operations. This new deployment offers the familiar capabilities of HELIAUS, including predictive analytics, digital post orders, geofenced activity tracking, and AI-driven insights. These features are all presented within a compliance-segregated environment, minimising any crossover to commercial infrastructure. Meeting stringent compliance standards. Steve Jones, global chairman and CEO of Allied Universal, highlighted the rigorous compliance and security challenges faced by federal and defence agencies, emphasising the importance of maintaining mission pace while adhering to these demands. HELIAUS Gov caters to these needs by providing built-in compliance alongside AI-enhanced workflows and predictive analytics within the established HELIAUS framework. HELIAUS Gov is equipped to ensure operational continuity and risk anticipation while offering transparent oversight. It includes unique features such as FIPS-validated end-to-end encryption for all data in transit and at rest, incident-response playbooks aligned with federal reporting requirements, comprehensive data sovereignty with US-based data processing and storage, and platform administration restricted to verified US persons. Enhanced security and risk management. The system adheres to NIST 800-171 standards and has secured FedRAMP Moderate Equivalency The system adheres to NIST 800-171 standards and has secured FedRAMP Moderate Equivalency, as verified by an independent third-party assessment organisation. This compliance facilitates faster Authority to Operate (ATO) and streamlines the management of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Mark Mullison, Allied Universal's chief technology officer, stated, "HELIAUS Gov delivers the capability of the HELIAUS platform - AI-powered workflows, real-time guidance, predictive risk intelligence - inside a compliance-segregated environment on AWS GovCloud with no crossover to commercial infrastructure. We didn't compromise on either capability or compliance. HELIAUS Gov delivers both." HELIAUS Gov will be showcased for demonstration at the ISC West conference from March 25-27 in Las Vegas, providing an opportunity for attendees to experience its features firsthand.