About The Course

Guard Card

Course Syllabus for getting your Guard Card in California.

Power to Arrest & Weapons of Mass Destruction

Training Breakdown

In the Guard card course APS staff will breakdown this course 4 hours of Power to Arrest and 4 hours Weapons of Mass Destruction. In the PTA course, you will learn the roles and responsibilities of a security guard, such as :

- Relations with Local Police
- Observation and Report Writing
- Inspections
- Factors to consider before making an arrest
- Arrestable Offenses
- Private person’s arrest
- Making an arrest
- Searching a suspect
- Terrorism
- Ethics and Professionalism Conduct of a Security Guard
- Final Examination

PROPRIETARY PRIVATE SECURITY OFFICERS

Section 645, Title 16, Division 7 of the California Code of Regulations:

645. Skills Training Course for Proprietary Private Security Officers.

(a) The course for Proprietary Private Security Officers shall follow the standards prescribed by section 7574.5 of the Business and Professions Code. The following sections set forth the subjects that shall be taught and the minimum number of hours to meet the required training.

(b) For each course, or series of courses, the institution or company providing the training shall issue a Certificate of Completion to the individual completing the course. The certificate shall identify the type of course(s) taken, the number of hours of training provided, identification of the issuing entity, name of the individual taking the course, the instructor administering the course, and the date the course(s) was administered and completed. The Certificate of Completion must also state that the course(s) comply with the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Skills Training Course for Proprietary Private Security Officers. The certificate shall be serially numbered for tracking purposes.

(c) The Power to Arrest section of the course shall consist of a minimum of four hours of training. Two hours shall consist of Power to Arrest training. The training shall utilize the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Power to Arrest Training Manual and may include lecture, discussion, exercises and roleplaying. The additional two hours shall consist of the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism Awareness Training for Security Professionals. The course consists of a Digital Video Disc (DVD) and a Compact Disc (CD) containing the Facilitator Guide and Student Workbook.

A minimum of 12 hours must be spent covering the courses listed under sections II through VI of subsection (d). The complete course of training shall consist of a minimum of 16 hours and shall be completed within the first six months from either the date of employment or date of issuance of the proprietary private security officer’s registration.

(d) Proprietary Private Security Officer Training Courses I thru VI

POWER TO ARREST:

Overview and Origin of Authority to Detain and Arrest 2 Hour Minimum

1.Overview and Origin of Authority to Detain and Arrest
2.Definition of a Detention
3.Definition of an Arrest
4.What is a Private Citizen’s Arrest
5.Use of Force
   – Legal
   – Employer Policy
6.Search and Seizure
   – 4th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
   – Acting as a Law Enforcement Agent
   – Discovering Contraband
7.Definition of Private/Public Property
   – Jurisdiction
   – Trespass

Terrorism Awareness, Weapons of Mass Destruction Training for Security Professionals 2 Hour Minimum

1.Introduction and Overview of the Training
2.The Role of a Security Officer
3.The Nature of Terrorism
4.Weapons of Mass Destruction
5.Coordinating and Sharing of Critical Information

Sections II through VI 12 Hour Minimum

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Definition of Proprietary
  – Employed by Company
  – Distinctive Uniform
  – Unarmed
  – Interact with Public
2. General
  – Private Citizen
  – Authority Originates from Company
  – Service Oriented
  – Employer Specific Policy

PUBLIC AND EMPLOYER EXPECTATIONS

1. Ethics
2. Professionalism
3. Job Conduct
4. Cultural Awareness
5. Sexual Harassment

LIABILITY ISSUES

1. Overview of Civil Law, Criminal Law and Torts
  – Personal
  – Employer
2. Bureau of Security and Investigative Services Laws and Regulations
3. Explanation of a Duty to Care
  – Reasonable Expectation for a “Safe Environment”
  – Employer Specific
4. Explanation of Negligence
5. Examples of Common Liabilities
6. Accurate Reporting/Documentation

COMMUNICATION/CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

1. Interpersonal Communications Skills
  – Approach
  – Body Language
  – Listening
  – Empathy
2. Situational Awareness
  – Environment
  – Positioning
  – Subjects
3. Managing Disputes
4. Diffusing/De-escalation of Situations
5. Reacting to Violent Incidents
  – Types
  – Law Enforcement Notification

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

1. Emergencies Related to Acts of Nature
2. Emergencies Related to Acts of Persons
3. Overview of Public Expectation during an Emergency
4. Explanation of Emergency Plans
5. Explanation of Emergency Evacuation Plans

Total hours 16 Hour Minimum
(e). CONTINUED EDUCATION 2 Hour Minimum

OBJECTIVE: To provide additional or remedial instruction in proprietary private security subject matter. The annual continuing education requirement in Business and Professions Code Section 7574.5 shall be two hours. The annual training shall be provided by the employer. The employer may administer the training in-house or it may be administered by an independent training entity. The annual training may be a repeat of a previous course if the employer’s evaluation shows that the employee is deficient in skills or capabilities. Training may consist of any security related course. For each course completed, the training entity or company providing the training shall issue a Certificate of Completion to the individual completing the course(s) in compliance with the requirements stated in Title 16, California Code of Regulations, Section 645(b).

Useful link

Security Guard Training Regulation

Security Guard Power to Arrest Manual