Pinkerton’s Acquires Santa Ana Security Firm

Pinkerton’s Inc., the private security industry giant, has announced it has acquired Bonafide Security Service Inc., a regional firm based in Santa Ana. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition will “expand our presence in the gated community segment of the security market” in Southern California, said Denis R. Brown, president and chief executive officer of Westlake Village-based Pinkerton’s. Bonafide provides uniformed security officers, patrol services and alarm response, primarily to gated communities in Orange County.

Pinkerton’s, founded in 1850 and known as the original private investigative service, has a large business providing security to private communities in Nevada, Florida and several other states, Brown said.

Bonafide founder William C. Bertsche said his company, which had estimated 1998 revenues of $3.5 million, is being absorbed by Pinkerton’s. He said he will retain ownership of Bonafide’s alarm and closed-circuit surveillance business, Bonafide Systems Inc., also headquartered in Santa Ana. That business, started in 1997, has about 15 employees, Bertsche said.