WATERTOWN, MASS. — Drive down Arsenal Street and you’ll pass the ghost of an actual U.S. Army arsenal, now reborn as a life-sciences campus with a shopping mall bolted onto the side of it. A few blocks away, Watertown Square looks almost exactly like it did fifty years ago. Few Middlesex County towns have redeveloped this much of their industrial past while keeping this much of their old character intact.
By Derek Kreymer, Operations Manager
Hub Security and Investigative Group provides security guard services in Watertown, MA — armed and unarmed guards, mobile patrol, and licensed private investigation services — for a Middlesex County city of 35,543 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate) bordering Cambridge along the Charles River, with direct access to downtown Boston via Soldiers Field Road and the Massachusetts Turnpike. Watertown is home to Athenahealth’s headquarters, the Perkins School for the Blind, and the Arsenal on the Charles — a former U.S. Army arsenal redeveloped into a life-sciences, retail, and arts campus now owned by Alexandria Real Estate Equities.
Security Built Around Watertown’s Districts
Watertown Square, the historic downtown core, mixes small retail, restaurants, and municipal buildings, needing steady retail-area foot patrol rather than a heavy security footprint. The Arsenal on the Charles and neighboring Arsenal Yards, redeveloped from a former military arsenal into life-sciences labs, offices, dining, and shopping, call for corporate access control and after-hours facility security across a large, multi-tenant campus. East Watertown and Coolidge Square are dense, walkable residential neighborhoods where discreet residential patrol matters more than commercial coverage. And institutions like Perkins School for the Blind and other campus-style properties along the Charles River need access control tailored to a defined, security-conscious perimeter.
What Local Crime Data Actually Shows
According to the FBI’s 2024 crime data as compiled by NeighborhoodScout, Watertown’s violent crime rate — 1.53 per 1,000 residents — is well below the Massachusetts state average of 3.15 per 1,000. Property crime tells a very different story: at 18.64 per 1,000 residents, it runs well above the state average of 11.12, and it’s the main driver behind Watertown’s overall crime rate ranking higher than about 95% of Massachusetts cities and towns.
That pattern — low violent crime, high property crime — points toward visible deterrence and asset protection around retail corridors, parking areas, and multi-tenant commercial campuses, rather than an armed-guard-first approach.
Coverage by District
| District | Key Local Features | Hub Security Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Watertown Square | Historic downtown, retail and restaurant core | Retail foot patrol, loss prevention |
| Arsenal on the Charles & Arsenal Yards | Life-sciences campus, retail, dining, arts center on former Army arsenal site | Corporate access control, after-hours facility security |
| East Watertown & Coolidge Square | Dense, walkable residential neighborhoods | Discreet residential patrol |
| Institutional campuses along the Charles River | Perkins School for the Blind and similar properties | Perimeter access control |
What Hub Security Provides in Watertown
- Armed and unarmed uniformed security guards, standing officers, and mobile patrol
- Retail foot patrol and loss prevention for Watertown Square’s commercial core
- Corporate access control and after-hours facility security for the Arsenal on the Charles and Arsenal Yards
- Residential patrol for East Watertown and Coolidge Square neighborhoods
- Perimeter and access control for institutional campuses along the Charles River
- Licensed background check and corporate investigation services, surveillance, and asset searches
Serving Watertown and the Surrounding Area
Watertown sits along the Charles River in Middlesex County, and Hub Security’s coverage extends to the neighboring communities along that same river corridor.
Why Watertown Businesses and Residents Choose Hub
- Massachusetts-licensed for both security guard services and private investigating services
- Fully insured, with background-checked officers and ongoing training
- GPS patrol tracking and unannounced supervisor inspections
- Local management that knows Watertown’s mix of retail, life-sciences, and residential areas — not a national call center or app-based broker
- 24/7 emergency dispatch at (617) 857-1200
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Watertown a high-crime city? It depends on the category. FBI data shows Watertown’s violent crime rate is well below the Massachusetts average, but property crime runs well above average and drives the city’s overall ranking higher than about 95% of Massachusetts communities — which is why Hub emphasizes visible deterrence and asset protection over an armed-guard-first approach.
Do you provide security for the Arsenal on the Charles or Arsenal Yards? Yes, including corporate access control and after-hours facility security tailored to multi-tenant life-sciences and retail campuses.
Can you patrol residential neighborhoods like East Watertown and Coolidge Square? Yes, including discreet patrol tailored to dense residential areas.
Are your guards licensed and insured in Massachusetts? Yes — Hub is fully licensed for both security guard services and private investigating services, with comprehensive insurance on every deployment.
Call Hub Security & Investigative Group at (617) 857-1200 for a free consultation on security guard services in Watertown, MA, or request a quote online.