Calidad Security: Always Watching

Historically, protecting a place of business meant installing a burglar alarm or hiring a security guard. Both came with certain challenges, not the least of which was the expense. It can cost $10,000 a month to have a guard on site nightly, and even then, complications frequently arise.

But times have changed and the statistics are actually improving, said Blake Smallie, CEO of Calidad Services, Inc., a security and technology company that he started in 2018 with his father, Dennis Smallie, a retired lieutenant with Stockton Police Department and security expert with over 40 years’ experience.

In addition to remotely guarding private businesses such as car dealerships and construction sites, Calidad Services provides the same service to all of the Miracle Mile as well as other shopping areas. In March 2024 alone, their systems caught and deterred 350 trespassers before they could commit further crime.

The Technology
“The one thing most people are still unaware of,” said Blake, “is that such preventive systems even exist and that the cost savings is huge.” Blake’s passion for cutting-edge technology and his background in business entrepreneurship alchemize perfectly with his father’s expertise in law enforcement and executive security services. Together they have fine-tuned the art of 24/7 remote security for a fraction of the cost.

“Our approach is proactive, not reactive,” Blake explained. “Because each of our security systems is guarded remotely by a trained expert, we can recognize a potential situation and help intervene before it even happens. Traditional alarms go off after someone breaks in; ours go off in time to help prevent the crime altogether.” Aided by artificial intelligence, or AI, their systems detect humans and vehicles for the operators to assess. This often leads to providing valuable assistance to law enforcement while working to keep their clients’ sites safe.

The Monitoring
At the Calidad security operations center, known as SOC, a large room glows with monitor arrays, each screen silently revealing live footage from parking lots, construction sites, streets and places of business. Security operators peer intently from one screen to another, almost omniscient in their training as to who should, and who should not, be entering each location. Tech specialist Malik Johnson shared, “It’s a good feeling to have such a positive impact on the community and protect people and places of business.”

SOC manager Timothy Leach concurs. Both grew up in Stockton and say they are all too aware of its reputation as an unsafe city. “We know the stigma,” said Timothy. “But it’s so cool to see all the players working against crime, and to play a part in that. I like to see firsthand how each new prevention system deters crime after only a few weeks and watch the statistics for that area drop month after month as the area quickly becomes cleaned up. It feels like we are firefighters putting out fires and mitigating problems.”

The Dedication
A lifetime public servant, Dennis embodies the true heart of what it means to be values driven. In Spanish, “calidad” means quality, but their business name is also a humorous nod to Cali Dad, the nickname appointed to Dennis by Blake’s friends during a trip to watch him play college football in Nebraska. Dennis own father had always wanted him to follow in his footsteps as a chiropractor. Helping others appealed to Dennis immensely but he found his own way to fulfill that calling. While in college at San Diego State, he was drawn to law enforcement and worked with the San Diego Police Department as a reserve officer before joining the Stockton force, where he served for 30 years. “I loved my career” Dennis said with enthusiasm. Blake interjected, “He always had that cops and robbers thing in him. Always. He loves chasing bad guys. If we’re riding home from the grocery store and he sees someone commit a crime, we’re chasing him for sure,” he said, laughing.
Many achievements followed, including special assignment duties, heading up private security and transportation for high-net-worth families and a four-year stint as the assistant to Mayor Ed Chavez. Now, as president of Calidad and former CEO of the Downtown Stockton Alliance, Dennis is uniquely situated and feels grateful to keep giving back to the community through numerous collaborations with Saint Mary’s Dining Hall and the Gospel Center Rescue Mission, among others.

As they look back on the evolution of Calidad, both Dennis and Blake fervently believe that it is a product of “divine intervention and divine timing.” “We are big believers that the Lord does everything for a reason, and we’ve seen it again and again. It would not have happened if it was not planned perfectly,” Blake said. “I just know that this is our mission; it’s what we are called to do, to help people out and build the systems to prevent crime before it occurs.”

To learn more, visit calidadservices.net or call 209-451-4058.