An organization or business is only as strong as the people in it. You trust your employees with important responsibilities and valuable information, so it’s vital that you know whether or not a potential team member has a clean background. Unfortunately, many background checks on the market are little more than online searches that gloss over or ignore many crucial sources. Don’t make an employment decision with anything less than a thorough background check. Sentinel’s Pentagon Check provides a five-pronged approach to background screening, giving you the power to access complete and accurate information about all your candidates:

• SSN Trace & Address Locator: provides complete identifying information (such as name, name variations, and date of birth), as well as resident history, by uncovering current and former addresses associated with a candidate’s Social Security number (SSN). This methodology restricts the candidate from omitting a place of residence where he or she may have a pending charge, arrest, or criminal record.
• National Criminal Records Indicator: searches multi-jurisdictional criminal databases which may uncover offenses in areas out-of-state.
• Statewide & County Criminal Record Searches: automatically orders the appropriate county and/or statewide criminal record searches for a minimum seven-year period. Our preference is to order a statewide search when available.
• Federal Criminal Record Searches: searches for serious offenses that may only be reported in the federal district courts and therefore omitted from standard county or statewide criminal record searches. These may include child pornography offenses, mail and wire fraud, drug trafficking, immigration law violations, and bank robbery.
• Driving Record Search: obtains applicant’s driving records. This is especially important if an applicant will drive a company vehicle. Motor vehicle information can also shed light on character issues such as suspended licenses, failures to appear in court, arrest warrants, and drug- and alcohol-related driving offenses that can serve as a warning of potential substance abuse problems.

Make sure your candidates are the right people for the job, in terms of both competence and character. Contact us today for a thorough background screening you can trust with Sentinel’s Pentagon Check.

Now that summer is here, many event planners choose to hold their special events in outdoor venues. While this is a great way to liven up the party, it also poses numerous safety and security risks.

If you are hosting a special event, safety is always a top priority. You want to keep your special event enjoyable, and above all, safe for all who attend. Outdoor events are different from indoor events because there isn’t a closed structure to keep out potential trespassers, kidnappers, or thieves. Many organizations host outdoor events such as trade shows, dinners, and fundraisers, filled with items of high value, which can become targets for theft or terrorism. Event planners also host outdoor sporting events, festivals, and fairs. These events are meant to attract families, but parents will be less likely to bring children to a venue if they think it is unsafe. Outdoor events typically allow for a higher volume of attendees. With a higher volume of guests, it becomes difficult to keep track of who belongs, and who doesn’t. Event planners need watchful eyes to survey such high-volume atmospheres.

With Sentinel’s New York State-certified armed security professionals, you’ll know your guests are in good hands. Sentinel uses some of the most highly-qualified and expertly trained armed guards in the business. Our professionals know how to contain a situation and eliminate any risk of escalation. Armed guards are a great deterrent against violent crime, as they are equipped with the skills and training necessary to put a stop to a dangerous situation before it begins.

Sentinel provides full security services for the following events and venues:

• Corporate Events
• Corporate Dinner Events
• Celebrity Fundraisers
• Jewelry Shows
• Expos & Trade Shows
• Movie & Production Sets
• World Premieres
• Sporting Events
• Sports Team Private Events
• Private Parties and Functions
• Product Launches
• Corporate Holiday Parties
• Fashion Shows
• Art Galleries
• PR Events
• Concerts
• VIP Celebrity Private Bodyguard (Close Protection Security)

Don’t leave your outdoor special event vulnerable or unsafe. Contact Sentinel for the protection and reassurance you need to make your event a success.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez employed as an unpaid intern in his Senate office an undocumented immigrant who was a registered sex offender, now under arrest by immigration authorities, The Associated Press has learned. The Homeland Security Department instructed federal agents not to arrest him until after Election Day, a U.S. official involved in the case told the AP.

Click here to read full story

Sentinel Management was hired to provide security for the boxing event at Resorts World in Aqueduct Raceway.

You can see more about the boxing event at this link.

And see the video below.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.  A Jacksonville man is behind bars after allegedly grabbing a co-worker inappropriately and causing her to be fearful of her safety a couple of weeks ago. According to a police report, Jacksonville Police responded to a hotel Saturday afternoon in reference to an assault that had taken place on November 22, 2011.  The victim, a housekeeper at the hotel, told officers she had been cleaning a room when one of the maintenance workers (co-worker), a male, 45, entered the room to help her flip a mattress. At that time, the victim said the male walked up to her and began grabbing her breasts and touching her inappropriately.

She said she pushed the man off of her and told him to stop, and said they would both be fired if anyone saw his behavior. The victim also told police she told him not to touch her like that and told him to leave the room.  The police responded and arrested the mail without further incident.

While the location and dates are fictitious, this is a real life incident that happened, resulting in substantial liability and financial exposure for the Hotel.   A background check would have disclosed that the employee had a serious criminal conviction that would have precluded his employment.   The company did not conduct a check on the employee because he was not at management level.  While it is certainly an accepted practice to screen managers, the best practice is to screen all employees.