Why choose us
Family-run. Veteran-led. Watching every hour.
Father and son Dane and Cody Stordahl own and run First Watch Monitoring. We bring military discipline and law enforcement judgment to remote monitoring, for properties in Southern California today and across the country tomorrow.
- VeteranOwned and led
- 24/7Monitoring
- 10+ yearsOf experience
Who we are
Two generations, one standard
Dane Stordahl is a Marine Corps combat veteran who went on to a 13-year law enforcement career. His son, Cody, runs the company alongside him. Together they built First Watch around a simple idea: a property is safest when an experienced person is paying attention, and technology’s job is to help that person see more.
Because the owners run the business day to day, decisions don’t get lost in a chain of managers. When you call, you reach people who know your property and care how it’s protected.
The difference
Automated alerts versus people on watch
Plenty of monitoring today is software that sends an alert after something has already happened. It’s quick to flag a moving shadow and slow to understand what’s really going on.
First Watch puts trained operators in front of your cameras. Software helps them spot activity; people make every call.
| Topic | Automated alerts alone | First Watch operators |
|---|---|---|
| False alarms | Shadows, animals, and blowing debris trigger alerts | An operator screens activity before anyone is bothered |
| Timing | Alerts often arrive after the incident | Operators can step in while it's happening |
| Judgment | Matches patterns, misses context | Reads the situation the way an experienced officer would |
| Speaking up | Can't talk to anyone on site | Warns, directs, and de-escalates over two-way audio |
| Sensitive situations | Treats every case the same | Responds with care to people in crisis or disputes |
Software still has a role: it flags activity for review. The decisions stay with people.
Experience
What military and police work bring to your property
Discipline
Clear procedures, followed the same way on every shift, at every property.
Spotting trouble early
Years of reading behavior help our team recognize what comes before an incident.
Calm under pressure
People who have handled real emergencies don't rattle when an alarm goes off at 3 a.m.
Talking people down
De-escalation skills resolve most situations with words, not force.
Records that hold up
Incidents are documented with the detail insurers, attorneys, and courts expect.
Working with police
We know how to give officers the location, description, and evidence they can act on.
Our operators
The people watching your cameras
01
Experienced
Operators come from military, law enforcement, or professional security backgrounds.
02
Screened
Every hire passes a background check and drug screening before starting.
03
Trained
Threat assessment, de-escalation, privacy rules, and each client's response plan, before working a shift alone.
04
Reviewed
Supervisors review incident handling and keep training going month after month.
Property focus
The properties we know best
Apartment communities
Garages, mailrooms, gates, pools, and the turnover that comes with rentals.
Condominiums and HOAs
Shared amenities, entry gates, and boards that want clear reporting.
Mixed-use buildings
Residents above, businesses below, and coverage that respects both.
Commercial properties
Offices, shops, and business parks once the doors lock, and through vacancies between tenants.
Nationwide
One team for every property you manage
Many owners and management companies have buildings in more than one city, and often more than one state. Hiring a different guard company in each place means different standards, different reports, and different people to call.
First Watch is built to cover a portfolio from one team, wherever the properties are. Today our markets are in Southern California, and new ones are added as we grow.
Our commitment
What you can hold us to
Honesty
Straight answers
Clear about what we can and can't do, with no hidden fees.
24/7
Every hour
Coverage that doesn't take nights, weekends, or holidays off.
Fast
Responsive
Quick replies to questions and immediate attention to incidents.
Partners
For the long run
We measure success by how long clients stay, not how fast we sign them.
FAQ
Questions about First Watch
Who owns First Watch Monitoring?
Do you use AI?
Where do you operate?
Can one agreement cover several properties?
See the difference on your own property
A free assessment shows exactly where your coverage is thin and how we'd close the gaps.