Leave town. Someone you can count on is watching the house.
Home watch visits, property checks, dog walking and in-home pet care — plus a walk-through of how to make your home safer — from a local retired officer, firefighter or service veteran. Want to run the business? Start a home watch business from your home with Cops R Us.
Ask about home watchA local business does the visits. Talk with Cops R Us about the business package and support.
May need a Cops R Us account.
Accounts are free. Create a free account.
Your home checked. Your pets cared for.
- Home watch visits on a set schedule
- Doors and windows checked, leaks and storm damage spotted
- Dog walks, exercise and attention
- Pets fed, watered and kept company in their own home
- A residential security walk-through with practical fixes
- A message from your sitter after each visit
Meet at the house. Set the visits. Travel easy.
Agree on the visits, the key, the pets and the price before you leave.
Meet at the house
Walk the home together and agree what's included.
- Keys, codes and alarm
- Pets, food and routines
- Who to call if something's wrong
Set the visits and the price
Pick the dates and how often someone stops by.
- Visits per day or per week
- Price per visit confirmed up front
- Overnights only if agreed
Travel easy
The house gets checked and the pets get looked after on schedule.
- A note or photo after each visit
- A call the moment something needs you
- Keys returned when you're home
Know what you are booking.
Ask how often the house will be visited, what's checked on each visit, how you'll hear from your sitter, how keys are kept, and whether the business carries insurance. A security walk-through is advice about your home — repairs, alarm installs and locksmith work are done by the licensed trades that do them.
Contact us to discuss availability, pricing and scheduling in your area.
A home watch business you can run from home.
You bring a career of paying attention, a car and the hours you have. Start with the streets close to home and the neighbors who already know you, and let Cops R Us set up the business around you.
Your setup
- A phone, a calendar you live by and a reliable car
- A lockbox or key log so every key is accounted for
- A simple visit checklist for each home
- Leashes, waste bags and a pet first-aid kit
- A flashlight and a way to photograph what you find
Your everyday work
- Meet each client and agree the visits and price in writing
- Check homes and care for pets on schedule
- Send an update after every visit
- Walk homeowners through security improvements
- Keep a record of every visit, key and expense
Suggested services
Pick the ones that fit your experience, your hours and your state’s rules. Start with a few and add more as you go.
Home & property
Scheduled checks while owners travel: doors, windows, leaks, storm damage, signs of entry.
Weekly or biweekly checks on homes left empty for months.
Between tenants, during a sale, or for out-of-town owners.
A drive-by and walk-around after severe weather, with photos to the owner.
Collected, brought in, and cans to the curb so the house looks lived in.
The local person on file when an alarm company or neighbor needs someone at the house.
Photo and video record of a home's contents, room by room, kept for the owner.
Pets
Regular walks and attention.
Feeding, water, litter and company while owners are away.
Rides to the vet or groomer.
Home safety assessments
A CPTED walk-through: lighting, sight lines, landscaping and entry points, with a written list of fixes.
Advice on doors, frames, strike plates, locks, sliding doors and windows.
Smoke and CO alarms, extinguishers, escape routes and a family meeting spot.
Where to put them and what to look for when buying.
Choosing the room, what it needs, and how the family uses it.
Fall hazards, lighting, emergency numbers by the phone, and door-answering habits.
Family training and coaching
Age-appropriate lessons on strangers, safe adults and what to do if approached.
A code word only the family knows, and drills on when to use it.
Who to call, where to meet, and what each person does in a fire, break-in or severe weather.
Practicing getting to the safe room and what to do once inside.
Online safety, social media, driving and what to do at a traffic stop.
House rules, emergency numbers, door policy and the family's plan.
Phone, email and door-to-door scams, and how to check before paying anyone.
Everyday habits at home, in parking lots and when travelling.
Before a trip: what to tell neighbors, what to post online, and home prep.
Installation work — done by or with licensed trades
Several states license locksmiths. Partner with one or get licensed.
Many states require an alarm or low-voltage contractor license.
Construction work for a licensed contractor; you plan it and train the family.
Electrical work may need a licensed electrician.
Security and investigative work — state-licensed
Patrolling a property or standing by at a home event is security work and needs a state guard or agency license.
Needs an armed security permit on top of a guard license in most states.
Watching a person or property for a client is private investigation and needs a PI license in nearly every state.
Use an FCRA-compliant screening company; investigative checks need a PI license.
Security work — licensed in most states.
Licensing rules differ by state and city. Check with your state’s licensing board before you advertise anything marked licensed. As a retired officer you work as a private citizen — no police authority, badge or uniform.
Home watch, dog walking and pet sitting usually need no special license beyond a local business license, but rules vary by state and town. Most clients will ask whether you're insured and bonded — get both before you hold anyone's keys.
Selling patrols, guarding or anything advertised as a security service is regulated as security work in most states and needs a state license. Present yourself as retired — no badge, uniform or wording that suggests police authority.
Plan with Cops R Us
Discuss your business website, customer inquiries, local advertising and social media. Contact us to discuss the package, costs and the support you need to get started.
Get someone to watch your home. Or build a business doing it.
Tell Cops R Us where you are and whether you want the service or want to run it.