Security services 24/7 at Manteca’s homeless outreach site at 555 Industrial Park Drive will cost $276,739 for the first six months in 2024.

The Manteca City Council Tuesday authorized extending the contract with Shield Protection Group from Jan. 1 through June 30.

The current contract for $170,381 that went in effect Sept. 15 expires at the end of this month.

The contract provides an armed security guard at the homeless services site 12 hours a day. The cost of that armed guard is $44 an hour.

In addition, there is a non-armed security guard on staff 24 hours at a cost of $36.15 per hour.

His Way Recovery did not have an armed security guard.

As such, the arrangement has taken some pressure off of Manteca Police as well as increased the safety of the homeless basically from other homeless people.

 City Manager Toni Lundgren noted in September that an increase in concerns about safety prompted the decision to use the security firm that has experience securing similar homeless shelters.

A secure facility is key to the effort the city is now in the process of doing to transition the homeless into two dorms that can provide beds for up to 50 homeless  

 The fenced-in area at 555 Industrial Park Drive has also allowed the homeless to place their tents — and park vehicles — they live in at the site instead of camping and sleeping elsewhere in the city.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com