100 Years of Success in the Security Industry
In 1919, 100 years ago, World War 1 ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, the Grand Canyon National Park was formed by Congress and the 19th Amendment was passed, giving women the right to vote. In the same year, 35-year-old John A. Doyle, a 12-year veteran of the Rochester Police Department, decided to open his own private investigation agency: Doyle Detective Bureau.
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Jack and Jill Doyle with son Eli in front of Presidio, a statue donated by Doyle Security to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office as part of the “Horses on Parade” installation.
Image Courtesy of Doyle Security
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John A. Doyle and colleagues in Atlantic City in 1920.
Image Courtesy of Doyle Security
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John A. Doyle poses with his four sons.
Image Courtesy of Doyle Security
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John Doyle receives the Torch Award from the Better Business Bureau prior to throwing out the first pitch at a Red Wings game in 2009.
Image Courtesy of Doyle Security
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John Doyle speaks at a Crime Stoppers fundraiser.
Image Courtesy of Doyle Security
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Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo presents John Doyle and spouse with County Proclamation.
Image Courtesy of Dale Eller
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The Doyle family poses with their County Proclamation.
Image Courtesy of Dale Eller
The company opened its doors on March 17, 1919, at the Commerce Building in downtown Rochester, New York, and under John’s leadership, the agency achieved national and international acclaim for its investigation of thefts, murders, kidnappings and other crimes (FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover would often call on him for help). The agency also employed private police to help protect local residencies, factories and banks.
Through the Years
- 1919: John A. Doyle founds Doyle Detective Bureau, a private investigation agency
- 1926: Doyle Detective Bureau purchases its first armored car, marking the agency’s entry into the payroll delivery and bank deposit business
- 1927: John A. Doyle travels to Paris to help locate and arrest an alleged $145,000 swindler from Rochester
- 1939: John A. Doyle dies, and his son John G. Doyle takes over the company’s investigative division, while his brothers Arlington and Kenneth oversee the armored car operations
- 1957: John “Gregory” Doyle joins the family business after completion of service in the U.S. Air Force
- 1963: Doyle Security relocates to larger offices at 37 Goodman Street
- 1972: The company begins offering central station alarm monitoring and relocates to 1806 East Avenue
- 1975: Investigative work makes up only 10 percent of the business as the alarm services and security guard divisions grow
- 1979: Greg forms The Doyle Group, a corporate umbrella of five separate companies: Doyle Detective Bureau Inc., Doyle Upkeep Inc., Doyle Security Systems Inc., Doyle Alarm Co. Inc. and Doyle Communications
- 1981: John G. Doyle Jr. joins the company as a regional sales manager for Doyle Alarm Co.
- 1986: Greg retires and John G. Doyle Jr. takes over as president and CEO of The Doyle Group
- 1992: The company’s subsidiaries and divisions are restructured into three cohesive companies: Doyle Alarm Services Inc., Doyle Building Services Inc. and Doyle Protective Services Inc.
- 1995: The Doyle Group acquires Security Safe and the accounts of Vector Security in Rochester, bringing the three largest security companies in Rochester under one roof, and giving the company a springboard into the electronic security industry
- 1997: The company receives the SDM Dealer of the Year Award
- 2000: The Doyle Group sells its guard and janitorial divisions and consolidates its resources in the electronic security world
- 2004: The company relocates to its current space in Henrietta, N.Y.
- 2005: The PERS/ medical monitoring division is launched, which is now a major part of the company’s growth plan
- 2010: The Monitoring Association (CSAA at the time) awards The Doyle Group with the Central Station of the Year Award
- 2011: Doyle Group expands into Albany, N.Y., with the purchase of two companies in the area, giving the company a significant presence in five different metro areas
- 2015: Fifth generation Jack Doyle joins the family business
- 2015: An advertising campaign is launched in Buffalo, N.Y. to capitalize on growth potential in the area
- 2019: The company completes its largest ever acquisition with CIA Security, adding 54 new employees, two branch locations in Catskill and Fishkill, N.Y. and more than 8,000 additional customers
Doyle Detective Bureau (now known to the industry as Doyle Security Systems) would go through many changes over the years. It would function as a payroll delivery and bank deposit business, retail security business, janitorial business, guard business and motorcycle escort business. It would be passed through four generations of Doyles, from founder John A. Doyle, to his son John G. Doyle, to his son John Gregory Doyle, to his son John G. Doyle Jr., the current president and CEO of the company (fifth generation Jack Doyle is currently working at the company as director of business development). And Doyle Security would see tremendous growth through numerous mergers and acquisitions, earning the distinction as one of Rochester’s 100 fastest growing companies six times, and consistently ranking highly on the SDM 100 (it currently sits at number 41).
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Chloe, John, Lauren, Jack and Jill Doyle celebrate at the Doyle Security Toys for Tots toy drive during the 2016 holiday season.
Image Courtesy of Doyle Security
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Dale Eller (NYSESA Executive Director) presents commemorative certificates and plaques from ESA, TMA and NYSESA to Jack Doyle, Sue Kelly (Doyle CFO), Kevin Stone (Doyle COO) and John Doyle.
Image Courtesy of Dale Eller
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Dale Miller, Matt Reiser and Rick Hirsch, who work at Doyle's Erie, Penn. office, enjoy the 100th anniversary celebration.
Image Courtesy of Dale Eller
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Doyle Security employees, family and friends participate in the 2016 Rochester St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Image Courtesy of Doyle Security
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Doyle Vice President Jack Ashlee administers a polygraph test in the 1960's.
Image Courtesy of Doyle Security
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Former Manager of Doyle Security Dale Eller, Doyle COO Kevin Stone and former Doyle Alarms President Bill Carpenter pose for a picture.
Image Courtesy of Dale Eller
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Gregory Doyle stands by a billboard he paid to be placed overlooking the Eastern Expressway near Goodman Street South, pranking his brother-in-law Ed Fischer in 1968.
Image Courtesy of Doyle Security
Now, the Doyles are looking forward to the next 100 years.
“We have a lot of big plans,” said Jack Doyle. “It’s a very volatile time in terms of the entrance of some major players like Amazon and Google, but we’re experimenting with new strategies to maintain our footing in the residential security space. We’re also looking to diversify; more extensive commercial integration work is something we’re interested in cracking into. But we intend to stay in electronic security — it’s still a desirable, thriving business, and it’s been kind to us. For the foreseeable future, we plan on continuing on this course and opportunistically looking at opportunities to grow either by acquisitions or organically.”
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