California Guard Card Courses

Power to Arrest – 4 hours

The Power to Arrest training course is designed to familiarize the learner with the laws and statutes governing detaining and arresting a suspect. This course will also educate the learner about the fundamental differences between the duties of a sworn peace officer and a Security Officer and how to avoid criminal and civil charges through diligently adhering to the laws of the State of California. This is a 4-hour course required by the State of California and is a prerequisite course to applying for a guard card.

Weapons of Mass Destruction – 4 hours

The Weapons of Mass Destruction course is designed to introduce the learner to the concept and realities of Weapons of Mass Destruction. This course gives you an understanding of the terrorist mindset and appropriate actions to best deter their efforts. It demonstrates how to apply this new knowledge through interaction with existing Homeland Security infrastructure. This is a 4-hour course required by the State of California and is a prerequisite to applying for a guard card.

Public Relations – 4 hours

The Public Relations training course is designed to provide the learner with an intermediate level of understanding of the complexities involved with public relations. In addition, this course will enable the Security Officer to understand their contribution to the work site in which they are assigned; ranging from personal interaction with employees to effective communication between their employer and the company they are contracted to serve. This is a 4-hour course and is a prerequisite towards the 40 hours of required training by the State of California.

 Observation and Documentation – 4 hours

The Observations and Documentation course is designed to provide the learner with an advanced understanding of the correlation between keen observation and effective documentation. The primary function of Security Officers is to observe and report; hence, this course provides the necessary tools for every Security Officer to perform their duties at the highest standards. This is a 4-hour course and is a prerequisite towards the 40 hours of required training by the State of California.

Communications and its Significance – 4 hours

The Communications and its Significance course is designed to provide the learner with an intermediate understanding of how the Security Officer identifies and communicates threats they have identified in their area of responsibility. In addition, the Security Officer will be familiarized with the various communication tools considered to be industry standard for security professionals. This is a 4-hour course and is a prerequisite towards the 40 hours of required training by the State of California.

 Liability and Legal Aspects – 4 hours

The Liability and Legal Aspects course is designed to provide the learner with an intermediate understanding of our legal system and demonstrate how their actions as a security professional have a reverberating effect on, not only themselves, but their employer and clients as well. In addition, this course familiarizes the Security Officer with the criminal and the civil risks Security Officers have in the execution of their duties while providing valuable information to employer and law enforcement. The course describes how an officer should conduct himself or herself to ensure they abide by the laws in the State of California. This is a 4-hour course and is a prerequisite towards the 40 hours of required training by the State of California.

Post Orders and Assignments – 4 hours

The Post Orders and Assignments course is designed to provide the learner with a high level overview of industry standard documents and equipment that will aid in the execution of their duties. In addition, this course provides several examples of how effective communication before, during, and after an officer’s shift are necessary to adequately protect a client’s property and assets. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Company Policies and Orientation – 4 hours

The Company Policies and Orientation course is designed to provide a basic understanding of what to expect when entering the security industry. While every company has their own hiring procedures, there are various laws and risks that create an industry standard hiring process for most private security companies in the State of California.  This course examines this process in depth. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Evacuation Procedures – 2 hours

The Evacuation Procedures course is designed to provide an intermediate understanding of a Security Officer’s role during an emergency as well as a basic guideline for conducting an evacuation that minimizes the risk of loss of life. In addition, this course examines high-risk natural events that a Security Officer might encounter while working in the State of California, such as earthquakes and terrorist events. This is a 2-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Officer Survival – 4 hours

The Officer Survival course is designed to provide an intermediate understanding of risks involved in the workplace; such as workplace violence. Workplace violence is becoming more prevalent.  Therefore, it is imperative a security professional understand the warning signs and appropriate responses should they find themselves responding to, or preventing, such an event. This course provides the Security Officer with a basic understanding of warning signs and how to deescalate an agitated individual. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Advanced Arrest, Search and Seizure -4 hours

The Advanced Arrest, Search and Seizure course is designed to provide an advanced understanding of the laws governing the Security Officer during a private arrest. This is an in-depth look at the various scenarios a Security Officer might encounter while executing their duties as well as case studies demonstrating the risks involved and how to conduct appropriate arrests, searches and seizures without violating the rights of the suspect. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Access Control – 2 hours

The Access Control course is designed to provide an intermediate understanding of how access control is critical to securing the property and assets of their client. Access control is considered a core competency of any security professional and this course will provide the security professional with a more holistic understanding of the access control process, its benefits and potential risks. This is a 2-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Trespass – 4 hours

The Trespass course is designed to provide an advanced understanding of the laws and statutes regarding trespass in the State of California. Through demonstrating how the penal codes govern the actions of a Security Officer, the learner gets a deep understanding of one of the most likely causes of arrest during the execution of their duties: trespassing. In addition, this course provides a framework to help the Security Officer make an educated decision when dealing with trespassing on their work site. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Criminal Law – 2 hours

The Criminal Law course is designed to provide the learner with an intermediate understanding of the criminal justice system; specifically criminal law. During the executions of their duties, a Security Officer must be astutely aware of what actions are considered criminal and what their options are for responding. This course also covers various crimes, both against a person and property, to provide the Security Officer with a holistic view of our criminal justice system and how it impacts their duties. This is a 2-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Handling Difficult People – 4 hours

The Handling Difficult People course is designed to provide the learner with an intermediate understanding of human motivation and how it drives behavior. This level of understanding will help the Security Officer interact with various personality types and respond to individuals whom are difficult to communicate with. This course also discusses workplace violence and provides the security professional with a high level overview of how to respond should a threat arise on their site. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Workplace Violence – 4 hours

The Workplace Violence course is designed to build upon the foundation created during the prerequisite courses and provide the learner with an advanced understanding of workplace violence. This course describes trigger events and other warning signs that Security Officer must diligently search for to prevent and/or respond to a workplace violence incident. This course works in conjunction with the Handling Difficult People module to provide both a tactical and communication toolset to minimize the risk of loss of life or assets through rationale thinking and effective communication. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Chemical Agents – 4 hours

The Chemical Agents course is designed to provide the learner with an intermediate understanding of the various chemical agents that can be used, if certified, by a Security Officer in the event they must protect themselves. A strong understanding of chemical agents, and their effects, is essential to making a well-informed decision as to whether or not their use is appropriate in a given situation. This course is not designed to replace the required training and certification required in the State of California; it is designed to give the security professional a deeper understanding of the tools they may employ. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Preserving the Incident Scene – 4 hours

The Preserving the Incident Scene course is designed to provide a basic understanding of the duties of a Security Officer should they be the first responders, on their worksite, at a crime scene. The course will provide a basic framework for the security professional to ensure their actions do not jeopardize or impede the investigation being conducted by sworn peace officers. The focus of this course is how observing and reporting will aid in the investigation, while failing to preserve a scene can hinder and/or prevent a thorough investigation. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Crowd Control – 4 hours

The Crowd Control course is designed to provide the learner with an intermediate understanding of the tools and techniques for effective crowd control. The focus of this course is on situations that a Security Officer might realistically encounter in the execution of their duties, such as strikes and flash mobs. The security professional will learn warning signs and appropriate interventions to protect life and their client’s property and assets. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Driver Safety – 4 hours

The Driver Safety course is designed to provide a basic understanding of driver safety in both the on-site and patrol components of private security. Common causes of accidents are identified, as well as mitigation techniques to lower the likelihood of a person-to-car or car-to-car collision. In addition, this course examines common transportation tools on site, as well as their maintenance and care. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Supervision – 4 hours

The Supervision course is designed to provide an intermediate level of understanding of common leadership theories and frameworks that aid in managing a stratified security workforce. In addition, the security professional is provided with the tools to effectively manage all personality types, drive motivation and increase the performance and/or abilities of those they lead. This is a must-take course for any officer wanting to enter the exciting world of leadership in a modern private security firm. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Courtroom Demeanor – 4 hours

The Courtroom Demeanor course is designed to provide a basic understanding of how Security Officers must conduct themselves, both in a courtroom and on site, to be an effective witness for the prosecution team. One of the most important aspects of the Security Officer is his / her ability to communicate effectively in a legal or administrative setting; hence, this course provides the basics of effective communication and reiterates the importance of strong documentation to ensure the prosecution has a strong case against the suspect. This is a 4-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

Parking and Traffic Control – 2 hours

The Parking and Traffic Control course is designed to provide the learner with an intermediate understanding of the tools and techniques required to effectively manage the flow of traffic within the area of their responsibility. Often, events are planned and the Security Officer might be caught having to create a last minute plan to ensure traffic and parking is handled in an efficient and safe manner. This course provides the tools to create an effective plan based on proven techniques in the areas of parking and traffic control. This is a 2-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

 Radio Procedures – 2 hours

The Radio Procedures course is designed to provide the learner with an intermediate understanding of effective radio communications. The hand held radio is one of the most common tools a security professional will use while executing their duties. It is imperative security officers have an understanding of proper terminology and how to use this equipment to facilitate effective communication. This is the goal of having such a tool. Often, a message can be misinterpreted and/or misunderstood; which is why most security companies have adopted the military standard for radio communications. The learner, through this course, will become well versed in proper communication technique by employing standard radio procedures. This is a 2-hour elective course that counts towards the 40-hour training requirement for the State of California.

Additional State of California Training

Sexual Harassment Awareness for Managers

This series works to educate managers about the causes and effects of sexual harassment in the work environment. Non-managers can also benefit from the material covered in this course. It looks at the elements that define behavior as harassment, methods that can be used to prevent it from occurring, as well as ways to deal with the situation if it happens. As of 8/17/07, the Sexual Harassment in the Workplace courses complies with the following legislation: California: Government Code 12950.1 (AB 1825), California Code of Regulations 7288, Connecticut General Statute Section 46a-54-204 and Maine Revised Statute, Title 26, Section 807.