Our Team

John Rafferty

President & CEO

In 2009, John founded WATCH GUARD 24/7 and is at the forefront of his company’s success, cultivating organic growth in each of the company’s 11 years in business. John sets the tone for operational excellence and customer service, leading by example as the face of WATCH GUARD 24/7.

John leads with and instills upon his team the same dedication, attention to detail, and responsiveness he exemplified in the NYPD. Upon his retirement from the NYPD, John was considered as one of the most decorated Lieutenants. He was assigned to some of the busiest, crime ridden commands in Brooklyn, NY which resulted in a proven track record for combating crime. John was the recipient of the second highest honor of the police department; the Combat Cross.

John began his career in the 67^th Precinct and dedicated most of his time in Anti-Crime. He then rose quickly through the ranks of Sergeant and Lieutenant. John was assigned to Housing PSA 3 as a Sergeant and shortly thereafter became assigned as the Street Narcotic Enforcement Unit Sergeant and eventually the Anti-Crime Sergeant, covering housing projects in Brooklyn North. He then went on to become the BRAM and Squad sergeant in the 60^th Precinct Detective Squad. John was later assigned as the Commanding Officer of the 62^nd Precinct Detective Squad and then promoted to Lieutenant and assigned as the Special Operations Lieutenant in the 73^rd Precinct, in Brownsville, Brooklyn. In 2009, John retired, entering the private sector.

John is an expert witness providing testimony in court and has been featured on Fox News as a commentator on security issues. John graduated from St. John’s University with a degree in Criminal Justice.

Michele Rafferty

Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer

Michele Rafferty, as a founder of WATCH GUARD 24/7 in 2009, epitomizes the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. She is responsible for driving success of the company through financial management. Michele manages the company’s financial risk, budget planning, and insurance programs, ensuring that the business continues its stability and growth plans safely and with a measured approach to the benefit of WATCH GUARD’s customers. She has been at the forefront of driving healthy growth and, over the past 4 years, the company has doubled its revenues year-over-year and continues its success supported by her allegiance to stellar financial planning through best practices.

Prior to founding WATCH GUARD 24/7, Michele worked for Chubb Group of Insurance Companies where she had over 10 years of experience in commercial insurance and risk management.

Michele graduated Summa Cum Laude from St. John’s University with a degree in Computer Science and Information Technologies

Mark Coffino

Executive Vice President & COO

Mark joined WATCH GUARD 24/7 in October of 2018 and is responsible for strategic leadership and performance of all operational, divisional and administrative functions and for driving financial results. He works closely with WATCH GUARD 24/7 ownership and is tasked with overall leadership for the organization. Mark works closely with key executives and leaders within the organization to establish key metrics and roll-out plans for company infrastructures. He is also responsible for business plan creation and implementation.

Prior to joining Watch Guard 24/7, Mark had a long and successful career with industry leader FJC Security Services, Inc. He began his career by strategically designing a sales department and then spearheading a sales initiative which placed FJC as the largest privately held and locally operated guarding company in the New York Metropolitan Region. Under Mark’s leadership and with a leadership team comprised of 11 executive team members, FJC grew nationally to over 300 million dollars annually and 7,000 employees; thereby, earning a reputation for being one of the most reliable service providers of security officer services, nationwide.

Mark reports directly to WATCH GUARD 24/7’s ownership.

Robert Hoyt

Senior Vice President of Operations

As the Senior Vice President of Operations for WATCH GUARD 24/7, is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company. He ensures that the company’s security services are delivered efficiently and effectively to its clients. This includes managing personnel, scheduling, logistics, and technology infrastructure to meet the needs of the business. Additionally, he is responsible for maintaining high standards of customer service and ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations and laws. Robert Hoyt also plays a key role in developing and implementing strategies to improve the company’s performance and drive growth. Robert Hoyt joined in January of 2023. He brings over thirty years of combined Law Enforcement and Security experience with him to our team of security experts.

Robert joined the NYPD in 1990. He has been recognized with promotions to ranks of Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant and eventually Lieutenant Commander, Detective Squad. Robert was the first ever, Commanding Officer of the NYPD’s newly formed, Human Trafficking Team and The Vice Major Case Unit. He served as a Squad Commander in the Narcotics Division as well as the Organized Crime Investigation Division. Prior to that he served as the Special Operations Lieutenant for the 42nd Precinct in The Bronx.

Robert has been working in the private security industry in various capacities since his retirement from the NYPD in 2012, including his roles as a Senior Vice President with Brosnan Risk Consultants and the Head of Consulting for T&M USA. He is highly trained and experienced in all facets of Security Operations, Assessments, Security Protocols, Investigations, Executive Protection, Event Security and Counter Terrorism.

Vincent Pisano

Vice President of Operations

Vincent Pisano joined WATCH GUARD 24/7 in May of 2023. He serves as the Vice President of Operations at WATCH GUARD 24/7, where he holds a pivotal role in the seamless functioning of our daily operations. Vincent is instrumental in ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of our services to clients. In this capacity, Vincent oversees personnel management, scheduling, logistics, and the strategic deployment of our technology infrastructure to meet the dynamic needs of our business.

Vincent had an impressive 22-year career in Law Enforcement. His extensive knowledge and seasoned expertise contribute significantly to our commitment to excellence in safeguarding our clients and their assets. Starting with the New York Police Department in 2001, he was assigned to Police Service Area #3 (PSA#3) where he was part of the Anti-Crime Unit. In 2006, Vincent joined the New Rochelle Police Department and was a Field Training officer. In 2010, he was assigned to the Special Investigations Unit, as investigator and undercover. During his tenor in this unit, he successfully ran investigations targeted in Narcotics and Vice related crimes. He was promoted to Detective 3rd grade.

In 2014, Vincent joined the DEA task force (DETF), an elite unit made up of Federal and local law enforcement that investigate major cases involving Narcotic Drug Traffickers and Money Launderers. During his time in the DEA task force as a Task Force Officer, his group was responsible for many large-scale Narcotics seizures as well as millions of dollars of Narcotic’s proceeds. As a result of his investigations and experience in this unit he was promoted to Detective 2nd grade. In 2017, Vincent was awarded City of New Rochelle Investigator of the year and then toward the end of an 11-year investigative career Vincent was assigned to the Property Theft Unit as a Detective 1st grade. During this time, he successfully led investigations that resulted in the dismantling and arrests of Burglary, Insurance Fraud, Identity Theft and Stolen Vehicle organized crime rings while working in conjunction with numerous Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies. In 2020, Vincent was promoted to the rank of Sergeant closing his 22-year career supervising police officers, detectives and civilian personnel. He managed these officers’ day-to-day performance while providing guidance and training in their daily duties. Vincent holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from SUNY Empire State College and had previously attended John Jay College.

Vincent reports directly to the Senior Vice President of Operations.

Natalie De Marchis

Vice President of Finance

Natalie De Marchis is WATCH GUARD 24/7’s Controller and leads the company’s Finance Team. She brings over 16 years of public and private accounting experience to WATCH GUARD 24/7 with exceptionally strong leadership and analytical skills. She oversees all accounting functions, including WATCH GUARD 24/7’s A/R A/P, billing and payroll departments within the division. Additionally, Natalie oversees IT Services and all software and hardware implementations. She is also involved in corporate strategy, and leads all company internal and external audit functions. Natalie has become a strong leader and significantly contributes to company-wide continuity of operations and business planning.

Prior to joining WATCH GUARD 24/7, Natalie worked primarily in the areas of assurance and attestation engagement for publicly and privately held businesses across multiple industries, including marketing, construction and hospitality.

She has extensive experience in finance and corporate development and continually improves upon internal functions and safeguarding assets through internal controls. Natalie reports directly to the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer and assists in the planning and strategy of company stability and growth

Frances Velazquez

Vice President of Human Resources

Frances manages WATCH GUARD 24/7’s Human Resources Department and oversees security officer state licensure compliance and regulatory functions as Corporate Compliance Manager.

Frances ensures company adherence to all state and federal laws, from the perspectives of employment and labor, and initiates and ensures company policies and procedures. She is ultimately responsible for the company’s adherence to all regulatory requirements and provides guidance on compliance and HR matters to administrative and non-administrative employees, company-wide. Frances is an integral part of the overall success of WATCH GUARD 24/7 through preserving the company’s high standards of integrity, and ensuring that necessary communications are accurate and flowing throughout the company.

Prior to joining WATCH GUARD 24/7, Frances was Director of Human Resources, Aviation Division, for two national security guarding companies at JFK International Airport. Frances has coordinated with the Port Authority of NY & NJ (PANYNJ), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) agencies for over 28 years. Frances reports directly to the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer.

Joseph Nicolosi

Director of Operations

As a Director of Operations for WATCH GUARD 24/7, Joseph is hands-on with clients and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of a team of client support staff which support multiple client sites for WATCH GUARD 24/7. Joseph maintains a high level of communications, customer service and performance by security personnel that he has approved throughout his client’s locations. Joseph began his private security career in March of 2024, following a distinguished career of over 22 years with the NYPD.

Joseph joined the NYPD in 2002. He has been recognized with promotions to ranks of Detective 3^rd Grade and ultimately Detective 2^nd Grade. Joseph spent the final 14 years of his career with Criminal Enterprise Investigations Section as he was assigned to a joint Federal Task Force with Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and various local agencies throughout the New York region.

During his assignment to the Task Force, Joseph conducted multiple overseas investigations into complex International narcotics and money laundering operations. After leading investigations throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America, Joseph has been recognized for his hard work and dedication from multiple State and Federal Agencies, including a special commendation from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Joe reports directly to the Vice President of Operations.

Michael Lampman

Director of Operations

Since 2022, Michael held the position of Client Services Manager for WATCH GUARD 24/7. In August of 2024 he was promoted to the position of Director of Operations. Michael manages the security team for multiple locations throughout the boroughs of New York City. He works closely with his operations team to ensure that clients receive excellent services and that these services not only meet WATCH GUARD 24/7 expectations but exceed industry standards.

Michael served with the NYPD for over 27 years and has served in various assignments. He worked at the 25th Precinct in East Harlem for 16 years, during which time he worked as a patrol officer, addressed quality of life conditions in the Street Narcotics Enforcement Unit (SNEU), Conditions Unit, serviced the community as a Community Police Officer, Latent Print and Evidence Collection Officer. He was also a precinct training officer, delivering lessons and training bulletins to his fellow officers and keeping them abreast of any training needs and current trends. He then was assigned to the Detective Bureau in 2008, where he worked in the 19th Precinct and eventually retired from the 9th Precinct. His specialty was White collar crimes, and he was involved in many high-profile cases and worked well alongside the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in prosecuting those cases. Michael brings his expertise in community relations, communications, investigations, and training to WATCH GUARD 24/7.

Michael attended Manhattan College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and is a certified Police Instructor and well-trained detective. Michael reports directly to the Vice President of Operations.

Warren J. Ernst

Director of Operations

Warren is responsible for security oversight for two thousand inner city residential units. He commands a 24/7 Special Operations Command Center which provides surveillance, communications, real-time GPS monitoring, CCTV systems, remote building access entry, and a telecommunications center for almost 30 locations. He initiates assessments, conducts and oversees security officer training drills and through his leadership, maintains the highest levels of quality relating to safety and security standards.

Warren began his career in the NYPD’s 107^th Precinct and quickly excelled through the ranks. He has worked in the Anti-Crime Unit, the Organized Crime Control Bureau (OCCB), the Narcotics Bureau, and as well in the 113^th Precinct’s Narcotics Module. Warren was promoted to Detective where he played an integral role in the NYPD’s Detective Bureau as part of the Burglary Robbery Apprehension Module (BRAM), and ultimately, transferred to the Intelligence Division where he served as a liaison between the CIA and NYPD. While assigned with the CIA he received an award for outstanding service and contribution to National Security.

Upon his retirement in 2009, Warren entered the private sector within the executive protection field for heads of state, elite members of society and the entertainment industry. Over the years, Warren has acquired an intricate knowledge of law enforcement and respect throughout the industry. He has developed extensive networking channels while continuously maintaining professional relationships, which earned him the ability to provide professional consulting services to multinational corporations and individuals, world-wide. Warren reports directly to the Vice President of Operations.

Daniel Rivera

Director of Operations

Daniel is responsible for program success and delivery of services to WATCH GUARD 24/7’s portfolio of residential communities throughout the Bronx. He oversees every aspect of day-to-day operations, from recruitment and training of security officers to the management of a 24-hour Security Operations Center. Daniel provides complete monitoring of security officer services, ensuring total client satisfaction and contract compliance. He is accountable for immediate response to client needs and establishes collaborative relationships between his portfolio, WATCH GUARD 24/7’s management, and all branches of local first responders.

Daniel brings over 23 years of law enforcement experience to WATCH GUARD 24/7. He had a long, decorated career in the New York City Police Department, beginning as a Patrol Officer for the 23rd Precinct. He quickly moved through the ranks, transferring to the Organized Crime Control Unit where he worked as a narcotic undercover. Daniel worked with the District Attorney’s office to develop and prosecute cases involving structured narcotics criminal enterprises. He has trained newly appointed Detectives and undercover officers in various aspects of policing and has been asked to educate new undercover classes on court testimony, scenario-based safety, integrity, and narcotic purchases by the NYPD’s training unit. Daniel also served as the Equity and Inclusion Liaison for the Bronx Borough Detectives Specialized Units and received a certificate on diversity and inclusion from the NYPD. Furthermore, he has worked on protection service details with various diplomats and the Secret Service during the United Nations Delegation. Daniel also possesses the training given by the NYPD in responding and mitigating the effects of an active shooter incident. During his tenure with the NYPD, he earned the rank of Second Grade Detective.

Daniel reports directly to the Vice President of Operations.

Norma Slocovich

Director of Sales & Contracts

As Director of Sales and Contracts, Norma is responsible for all aspects of WATCH GUARD 24/7’s Sales program. She also manages and oversees the contract cycle and ensures 100% compliance with each client’s insurance requirements.

Norma is responsible for a number of significant responsibilities to include creating and implementing WATCH GUARD’s cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) system and developing best practices for bids and proposals. She is highly adept at defining and implementing standards and best practices to achieve company-wide objectives and goals. Norma has been a key contributor to year-over-year growth and expansion into private sector markets and brings to WATCHGUARD 24/7 over 15 years of high-level sales support and management experience within the security guarding industry.

Norma has worked for Summit Security Services and industry leader FJC Security Services, where she created and implemented employee onboarding programs, was a key contributor toward thriving sales performance, and administered successfully proven sales processes. While at FJC, Norma was also responsible for the design, implementation, and daily management of business and technical workflows within the company’s CRM system. She was also instrumental in rolling out a comprehensive quality assurance program which initiated and confirmed KPI metrics and solidified comprehensive reporting capabilities. Norma is trained in CRM System Administration through Salesforce.com and reports directly to the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer.