Three Decades of Protection,
Rooted in Seattle
PS1 · Private Security 1 · was built on a simple conviction: that real security is personal, professional, and quietly present. This is where we came from, and what we stand for.
From the Door to the Detail
Our roots reach back to 1985, when our founding team began providing professional protection in the Pacific Northwest — working doors, details, and events across a growing Seattle. In 1990, Marc Martin founded PS1 to bring that experience under one standard: disciplined, discreet, and accountable protection for the people and places of this city.
In partnership with ESS LLC — a Washington State licensed security company — our leadership team carries well over 75 years of combined professional security experience. Our officers come from law enforcement, the military, and the private sector, and every client is able to review the professional background of the officers assigned to their detail.
From a single bodyguard for a traveling executive to complete event security requiring dozens of trained personnel, we have built a team that is trained, licensed, focused, and flexible.
The First Details
Our founding team begins working professional protection in Seattle — entertainment venues, private clients, and corporate details.
PS1 Is Founded
Marc Martin — firearms instructor, martial arts instructor, and certified security professional — establishes Private Security 1 in Seattle.
Proven Under Pressure
Our teams protect businesses and storefronts through some of the city's most volatile moments, from WTO unrest to major downtown conventions.
The Village Family Project
PS1 and ESS commit to fully funding a nonprofit dedicated to housing and supporting homeless youth in Seattle — a commitment that continues today.
Total Security. Total Peace of Mind.
Protection for homes, businesses, events, and people across the Puget Sound — backed by three decades of experience and one unchanged standard.
The PS1 Standard
Every officer on our roster is held to the same code. It is why clients who hired us in the nineties still call us today.
PS1 operates in partnership with Executive Security Services (ESS LLC), a Washington State licensed security company — License #22028599. Our officers are trained to observe, report, and act within the law, working alongside local and state law enforcement whenever a situation requires it.