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The title of this document is the Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and TrainingGuideline.2.0 REVISION HISTORYBaseline document.3.0 COMMISSION MEMBERSSean Ahrens, CPP, Schirmer EngineeringNorman D. Bates, Esq., Liability Consultants, Inc.Regis W. Becker, CPP, PPG IndustriesJerry J. Brennan, Security Management Resources, Inc.Chad Callaghan, CPP, Marriott International, Inc.Pamela A. Collins, Ed.D., CFE, Eastern Kentucky UniversityMichael A. Crane, CPP, IPC International CorporationEdward J. Flynn, CFE, Protiviti, Inc.F. Mark Geraci, CPP, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.L. E. Mattice, Boston Scientific Corp.Basil J. Steele, CPP, Sandia National LaboratoriesDon W. Walker, CPP, Securitas Security Services USA, Inc.4.0 REVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBERSKerstin Bagus, ChoicePoint, Inc.Mark H. Beaudry, CPP, IBMSteven K. Bucklin, Glenbrook Security Services, Inc.Pamela A. Collins, Ed.D., CFE, Eastern Kentucky UniversitySandra M. Cowie, CPP, Principal Financial GroupRichard L. Daniels, CPP, POLINTKort L. Dickson, Kraft FoodsDavid L. Foley, Security Forces/SFI ElectronicsArik S. Garber, CPP, Initial Security ServicesMichael E. Goodboe, Ed.D., CPP, The Wackenhut Corporation.Bernard D. Greenawalt, CPP, Securitas Security Services USA, Inc.Kenneth R. Grover, Ph.D., Darden Restaurants, Inc.Steve Hess, Government of British ColumbiaCharles McCarthy, CPP, Fox Protective Services, Inc.Richard H. McClintock, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical CenterBonnie S. Michelman, CPP, Massachusetts General HospitalKelvin M. Ng, CPP, Yaletown Technology Group, Inc.Kathryn E. Scarborough, Ph.D., Eastern Kentucky UniversityDavid G. Schott, Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsGail Simonton, National Association of Security Companies (NASCO)ASIS GDL PSO 11 20045
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training Guideline5.0 KEY WORDSPrivate Security Officer, State Regulation of Private Security, Selection: EmploymentScreening Criteria, Training Criteria.6.0 GUIDELINES DESIGNATIONThis guideline is designated as ASIS GDL PSO 11 2004.7.0 SCOPEThe Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training Guideline has been written forboth proprietary and contract security but is not intended to cover all aspects of selectionand training criteria for private security officers. It is intended to set forth minimum criteriathat regulating bodies and companies in the United States can use to assist in recommendinglegislation and policies for the selection and training of private security officers.ASIS International has long been a proponent of professional standards for private securityofficers, including participation in the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration NationalAdvisory Committee on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals in 1976.The PSO Selection and Training Guideline was identified by the ASIS Commission onGuidelines as a critical need for the security industry and was selected for development in2001. A comprehensive review of existing guidelines, reports, and other significant‘‘milestone’’ documents was undertaken in the fall of 2001. Research and developmentcontinued and culminated in October 2003, when the guideline was placed on the ASISInternational Web site for public review and comment.Private security officer selection and training has been a topic of interest and much debateover the last 25 years. Various studies and research efforts have been undertaken to betterdefine the role of a private security officer and also provide agencies with informationneeded to adequately select and train such officers. One of the earlier studies of interest onthis subject was the 1972 work by Kakalik and Wildhorn entitled ‘‘Rand Corporation, PrivatePolice in the United States.’’ This report provided one of the first descriptions of privatesecurity in this country and continues to be referred to as the baseline research on thissubject.The following sources were identified and reviewed as part of the background researchprior to developing this guideline. All documents were reviewed by various members of theASIS Commission on Guidelines.●Anderson, Teresa. ‘‘Affairs of State.’’ Security Management. May 2001, pp. 83–84.●Canadian National Standards Board. Security Guards and Security GuardSupervisors. CAN/CGB-133.1.99. Canadian General Standards Board, StandardsCouncil of Canada. Ottawa, Canada K1A 1G6, November 1999.●Castle, Reed A. A Study of the Security Officer. Commonwealth of Virginia,Department of Criminal Justice Services: Schroeder Measurement Technologies,Inc., April 2002.6ASIS GDL PSO 11 2004
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training Guideline●Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-534 (2001). Private Detectives, Guard Services and SecurityPersonnel. Web site: https://www.cga.state.ct.us/2001/pub/Chap534.htm●Cunningham, William C., Taylor, Todd H. Private Security and Police in America:The Hallcrest Report I. Portland, OR: Chancellor Press, 1985.●Cunningham, William C., John S. Strauchs, and Clifford W. Van Meter. PrivateSecurity Trends 1970–2000: The Hallcrest Report II. Boston, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann, 1990.●Goodboe, Michael E. ‘‘The Development of an Entry-Level Model Curriculum,Optimum Training Methodology, and Implementation and Evaluation Plans forUnarmed Contract Security Officers.’’ Unpublished doctoral dissertation, NovaSoutheastern University, 1966.●Johnston, Les. ‘‘Regulating Private Security.’’ International Journal of the Sociologyof Law, Academic Press Limited. 1992, 20, pp. 1–16.●National Advisory Committee on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals. PrivateSecurity: Report of the Task Force on Private Security. Washington, DC: U.S.Department of Justice, Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA), 1976.●National Association of Security and Investigative Regulators. Model State Statutefor the Regulation of Private Security Officers and Their Employers. Waterloo, IA:National Association of Security and Investigative Regulators, 2001. https://www.iasir.org/pdf/NASIRGuardlawamended.pdf●Pinkerton’s Center for Professional Development. Advanced Certification Training(ACT), Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Arlington, VA: Pinkerton, Inc., 1997–2002.●Private-Sector Liaison Committee of the International Association of Chiefs ofPolice. Private Security Officer Selection, Training and Licensing Guidelines.Alexandria, VA: International Association of Chiefs of Police, 1998. https://www.theiacp.org/documents/pdfs/Publications/privatesecurityofficer.pdf●Private Security Advisory Council to the Law Enforcement AssistanceAdministration (LEAA). Model Security Guard Training Curricula. Washington, DC:U.S. Department of Justice, 1978.●‘‘Private Security Officer Quality Assurance Act of 1997.’’ HR 103 EH, 105thCongress, First Session. 1997.●‘‘Private Security Officer Quality Assurance Act of 1999.’’ HR 60 IH, 106thCongress,First Session. 1999.●Spaninks, L., Quinn, L., & Byrne, J. in close co-operation with members of CoESS/UNI-Europa. Final Report European Vocational Training Manual for BasicGuarding. Funded by the European Commission: DG Education and CultureDG Employment and Social Affairs. Lyon, France: CoESS/UNI Europa, 2001.https://www.union-network.org/uniproperty.nsf/0/5c819184fa80aefac1256b45003f4505/$FILE/Training%20Manual.pdf●Vocational-Technical Education Consortium of States. A Catalog of PerformanceObjectives and Performance Guides For Security Guard. Detroit, MI: Wayne StateUniversity College of Education and Michigan Department of EducationVocational-Technical Education Service, 1978.ASIS GDL PSO 11 20047
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training Guideline●Weber, Tina, comp. A Comparative Overview of Legislation Governing the PrivateSecurity Industry in the European Union. Final Report of a project for CoESS/UNI-Europa funded by the European Commission, Version 31/01/2002. Dr. TinaWeber, ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd., Birmingham, UK: Priestly House,2002. https://www.union-network.org/uniproperty.nsf/0/6878ecb710bd395bc1256bc3004318b0/$FILE/legislations%20analysis%20-%20final%20report.pdfIn addition to the works listed above, legislation regarding selection and trainingrequirements for private security officers was analyzed from the following states: Arizona,California, Florida, New York, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, and North Dakota. These states wereselected using ratings provided by the Services Employees International Union (SEIU). ThePinkerton’s Internal Analysis of all State Regulations for Private Security Officers andWestcott Communications, Inc’s. Private Security Television Network (PSTN) Catalog ofSecurity Officer Training Programs were also reviewed.Finally, feedback on various drafts of the guideline were solicited from the following groupsprior to the release of the Private Security Officer Selection and Training Draft Guideline forpublic review and comment: the National Association of Security Companies (NASCO), theInternational Association of Security and Investigative Regulators (IASIR), The WackenhutCorporation, Barton Protective Services, Securitas Security Services USA, Inc., andGuardsmark.NASCO, founded in 1972, focuses on setting meaningful standards for the private securityindustry. NASCO also monitors proposed state and federal legislation and regulations thatmight affect the quality and/or effectiveness of private security services. IASIR, founded in1993, is a North America-wide membership association made up of state and provincialgovernment regulators, private industry, law enforcement, and other interested individualswith the goal of promoting professionalism in the private security industry through effectiveregulation. The Wackenhut Corporation is the U.S.-based division of Group 4, the world’ssecond largest provider of security services. Wackenhut is a leading provider of contractservices to major corporations, government agencies, and a wide range of industrial andcommercial customers. The company’s security-related services include uniformed securityofficers, investigations, background checks, emergency protection, and security audits andassessments. Barton Protective Services is a contract security provider that recently mergedwith Allied Security, one of the largest U.S.-owned security services companies in the U.S.Securitas Security Services USA, Inc., is the largest security services company in the U.S.,providing uniformed security officers, investigations, consulting, electronic systemsintegration and specialized vertical market security services. Guardsmark is anotherprovider of security services, including uniformed officers and individualized protection ofclient assets.After the review by these groups, ASIS sought public review and comment of the draftguideline for a period of 60 days, which ended December 10, 2003. To evaluate all thecomments and suggested revisions, the ASIS Commission on Guidelines established aReview Committee that began work on finalizing the PSO Selection and Training Guideline.The Review Committee, made up of security professionals from a wide variety ofdisciplines, spent several months revising the guideline based on both the submissions8ASIS GDL PSO 11 2004
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training Guidelinereceived and the professional expertise of the Committee members. After the creation of arevised draft guideline, ASIS established an additional public review and comment period of30 days, which ended September 3, 2004. The research, the reviews, and the publiccomments have been invaluable in the creation of this guideline setting forth the minimumcriteria recommended for states and organizations to use in crafting legislation and policiesfor the selection and training of private security officers.8.0 SUMMARY OF GUIDELINEThe Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training Guideline offers minimum criteriafor the selection and training of all private security officers and includes definitions ofterms and references/bibliography.9.0 PURPOSEThe purpose of the PSO Selection and Training Guideline is to provide regulating bodies inthe United States with consistent minimum qualifications in order to improve theperformance of private security officers and the quality of security services.10.0 TERMINOLOGYArmed – As used in this guideline, armed refers to a private security officer who isequipped with a weapon (firearm), such as a pistol or rifle, from which a shot is discharged.Armored Car Company – A company which, for itself or under contract with another,transports currency, securities, valuables, jewelry, food stamps, or any other item thatrequires secured and insured delivery from one place to another with armed personnel.Armored Car Personnel – An armed employee of an armored car company who is engagedexclusively by that company and is liable for the safe transportation, care, and custody ofvaluables.Background Verification/Check – The process of checking an individual’s character, generalreputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living for consideration of employment,promotion, access to sensitive assets (such as national information), or for continuedemployment. Elements of a background verification/check can vary widely, and mayinclude information from credit bureaus, courts records repositories, departments of motorvehicles, past or present employers and educational institutions, governmental occupationallicensing or registration entities, business or personal references, and any other sourcerequired to verify information that was voluntarily supplied.Computer Based Training – Any training that uses a computer as the focal point ofinstructional delivery. Training is provided through the use of computer hardware andsoftware that guides the learner through an interactive learning program.Contract Security Service – Protective services provided by one entity, specializing in suchservices, to another entity on a compensated basis.Criteria – The individual (criterion) or collective stated qualifications (criteria) to becompared with an applicant’s or employee’s actual credentials, experience, or history indetermining suitability for an employment decision (hiring or otherwise).ASIS GDL PSO 11 20049
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training GuidelineCritical Infrastructures – The sophisticated facilities, systems, and functions, which includehuman assets and physical and cyber systems, that work together in processes that arehighly interdependent to provide the foundation for our national security, governance,economic vitality, and way of life.Electronic Medium Based Training – Any training that uses an electronic technology as amethod of effectively conveying instruction and/or information. Electronic technologyincludes but is not limited to video or audiocassettes and video conferencing.Homeland Security – The federal government’s efforts, in coordination with state and localgovernments and the private sector, to develop, coordinate, fund and implement theprograms and policies necessary to detect, prepare for, prevent, protect against, respond to,and recover from terrorist or other attacks within the United States.Nolo Contendere – The name of a plea in a criminal action, having the same legal effect asa plea of guilty, so far as regards all proceedings on the indictment, and on which thedefendant may be sentenced. (Latin for ‘‘I will not contest it.’’)Private Security – An independent or proprietary commercial organization whose activitiesinclude safeguarding the employing party’s assets, ranging from human lives to physicalproperty (the premises and contents), responding to emergency incidents, performingemployee background investigations, performing the functions of detection andinvestigation of crime and criminals, and apprehending offenders for consideration.Private Security Officer – An individual, other than armored car personnel or a publicemployee (federal, state, or local government), employed part or full time, in uniform orplain clothes, hired to protect the employing party’s assets, ranging from human lives tophysical property (the premises and contents). The definition excludes individuals who arenot employed in the capacity of a private security officer.Proprietary Security – Any organization, or department of that organization, that providesfull time security officers solely for itself.Public Safety – Support mechanisms that sustain the life and vitality of a community’shealth, safety, and social stability by performing such services as law enforcement, fireprevention, personal and facility security, disaster preparedness, and emergency medicalassistance. In some instances, public safety may refer to law enforcement officers,firefighters, rescue squads, and ambulance crews. In other instances, public safety properlyencompasses private security officers, as well.Regulatory Body – Any state board, commission, department, or office, except those in thelegislative or judicial branches, authorized by law to conduct adjudicative proceedings,issue permits, registrations, licenses, or other forms of authorization to offer or performprivate security officer services, or to control or affect the interests of identified persons.Selection – The act or process of choosing individuals who possess certain characteristicsor qualities.Threat – An indication of something impending that could result in damage or injury.Training – An act, method, or process of instruction; to teach so as to make fit, qualified, orproficient.10ASIS GDL PSO 11 2004
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training Guideline11.0 RECOMMENDED PRACTICE ADVISORY11.1 Regulation of Private SecurityPrivate security officer selection and training criteria vary from state to state rangingfrom comprehensive training requirements for every private security officer to little orno training for private security officers. One of the main goals of the Private SecurityOfficer Selection and Training Guideline is to develop and encourage adoption ofminimum national criteria for the selection and training of all private securityofficers, be they proprietary or contract.The development of such minimum criteria has become essential for enabling theprivate security industry to meet the need of providing effective security to its clientsas well as meeting the demands associated with new homeland security initiatives.Effective security today requires workers who are familiar with all aspects of afacility’s security system for assessing and containing potential threats. Securityofficers are required to be well versed in emergency procedures and able to workwith an organization to ensure that emergency procedures can be implementedsuccessfully. They are also required to be able to work closely and effectively withpublic safety personnel.The ability of U.S. companies to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure andcontribute to homeland security efforts depends largely on the competence of privatesecurity officers. Therefore, private security officers and applicants for private securityofficer positions should be thoroughly screened and trained, in accordance with theserecommended criteria, at a minimum.The tables within this document set forth the recommended steps to be taken byregulating bodies and companies in the U.S. towards the development of suchguidelines, beginning with effective licensing and enforcement. Recognizing thatspecific details of each regulatory body’s licensing laws are different, elements listedin Table 1: State Regulation of Private Security are nevertheless basic for effectiveprivate security officer legislation. It is hoped that each regulatory body will embracethe concept of greater consistency of requirements. It is additionally recognized thatwhile state law typically pre-empts city, municipal, or county ordinances/laws, a city,municipality, or county may impose additional requirements if they do not conflictwith state laws. Thus, the elements listed below should be considered by anygovernmental entity proposing to exercise controls over the providers of privatesecurity.ASIS GDL PSO 11 200411
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training GuidelineTable 1: State Regulation of Private SecuritySubjectRecommendations — Consideration should be given to:Regulatory BodyEstablishing a regulatory body, operating under the directionOversight/Enforcementand within the framework of a state agency.State Fees to SupportEstablishing fees commensurate with the effort necessary toEnforcement Processprocess applications for registration/licensure/renewal to beused by the regulatory body to manage the department andenforce the regulations. Enforcement should includeinspection, administrative fines for violations of the statestatute and the implementation of regulations, sanctions, andcriminal violations in certain instances.Licensee-in-Charge/Establishing requirements for licensee-in-charge/qualifyingQualifying Agentagent (e.g., education, experience, written exam).RegistrationInsuranceEstablishing requirements for licensee-in-charge/qualifyingagent liability insurance (e.g., minimum of $1,000,000 peroccurrence).Individual SecurityEstablishing a requirement for regulatory bodies to issueOfficer Registration/private security officer registrations/licenses, which shouldLicenseinclude a photograph and other relevant identificationinformation.Private SecurityEstablishing a requirement for registration/licensure of allOfficer Registration/private security officers.LicenseBackgroundEstablishing a requirement that all candidates mustInvestigationssuccessfully pass a background investigation prior toassignment as a security officer.Pre-assignment,Establishing a requirement for private security officer trainingPost-assignment, and(orientation/pre-assignment; on-the-job; ongoing/refresher/Annual Trainingannual courses).Armed Security OfficerEstablishing additional training requirements for armedTrainingsecurity officer training (classroom, range safety, course-of-fire, re-certification policy, instructor qualifications, etc.).12ASIS GDL PSO 11 2004
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training Guideline11.2 Selection: Employment Screening CriteriaTable 2: Selection: Employment Screening Criteria provides the necessary frameworkfor private security officer job descriptions and minimum criteria to be utilized in theselection of private security officers. Private security officers must still comply withthe applicable statutory requirements of their respective regulatory bodies as well asany established criteria of the employer, which may exceed the minimumrequirements as set forth in this guideline.Table 2: Selection: Employment Screening CriteriaSubjectRecommendations — Consideration should be given to:General RequirementsEstablishing a requirement that candidates be at least 18 yearsof age for unarmed security and 21 years of age for armedsecurity, with provisions that the candidate must be able toperform the duties required of the position.CitizenshipEstablishing a requirement that candidates be a citizen ornational of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, oran alien authorized to work.Personal InformationEstablishing a requirement that candidates submit theircurrent and previous residential addresses and phonenumbers for at least the last seven years. (See parentheticalremarks under Social Security Number).Social Security NumberEstablishing a requirement to verify a candidate’s name andsocial security number. (Additionally, consideration may begiven to conducting a social security number trace todetermine if the number has been actively issued, is notretired, and to obtain an address history. The address historyshould be compared against addresses given on theapplication and should be used to verify criminal recordchecks have been conducted in all required residenceaddresses. See Appendix A for Adjudication ScoringConsiderations for Social Security Number Trace.)EducationEstablishing a requirement that candidates possess a highschool diploma, GED, or equivalent. (See Appendix A forAdjudication Scoring Considerations for EducationVerifications.) Also, the applicant should demonstrate anability to read, write, and speak English and the language(s)most appropriate to his or her assigned duties. Additionally,consideration may be given to the administration of avalidated aptitude test for security officer applicants.(continued)ASIS GDL PSO 11 200413
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training GuidelineTable 2: Selection: Employment Screening Criteria (continued)SubjectRecommendations – Consideration should be given to:Criminal HistoryEstablishing a requirement that candidates not have beenconvicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to a felony orjob related crime for a minimum seven-year periodimmediately preceding the candidate’s date of hire. Any felonyconviction discovered in the course of conducting the searchshould also be considered relevant to the candidate’squalifications for the position.Armed security officer candidates must not have been convictedof a state or federal misdemeanor involving the use or attempteduse of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon.EmploymentEstablishing a requirement to verify a candidate’s current andVerificationprevious employers’ addresses and phone numbers for at leastthe last seven years. (See Appendix A for Adjudication ScoringConsiderations for Employment Verification.) Candidates withprior military service may be required to provide form DD-214.Registrations/LicensesEstablishing a requirement to verify the candidate-providedand Certifications1license, registration, credential, or certification informationagainst the appropriate agency. (Compare given informationon licensee’s name and address, licensing board, or agencyname, license type, license number, status and original issuedate. If provided by the agency, note any negative licenseactions or sanctions.)FingerprintsEstablishing a requirement that candidates submit a fingerprintcard or electronic fingerprint to be processed for a criminalhistory check. Whenever possible, consideration should be givento the use of a national fingerprint identification database.Drug ScreeningPre-Employment: Establishing a requirement that candidatesundergo a drug screen test.2Post Employment: Random drug testing, where permitted bystate law and employer policy, should be conducted by usinga valid random testing methodology.PhotographsEstablishing a requirement that candidates submit two recent(within the past 30 days) passport size photographs forpurposes of identification and registration/licensing.1For any private security officer with driving responsibility in a motorized vehicle (not limited to those driving companyvehicles), consideration should be given to conducting an annual Motor Vehicle Registration check (also know as MVR, DMVcheck) to verify such things as license information (type or class of driver’s license, full name, and address at the time of lastlicense renewal), restrictions or violations, convictions and license revocations, automobile insurance cancellations, andaccidents. (See Appendix A for Adjudication Scoring Considerations for Motor Vehicle Registration Verifications.)2A drug screen test may include on-site drug screens administered on company premises, job sites, and/or clinics.14ASIS GDL PSO 11 2004
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training Guideline11.3 Training CriteriaIn addition to providing the framework for effectively selecting private securityofficers, this guideline provides an outline for the design and delivery of privatesecurity officer training by employers and other agencies. The ASIS Commission onGuidelines calls for a formal mechanism to establish minimum training requirementscertified by a regulatory body in each of the 50 states. Although the regulatory bodiesshould mandate the minimum training requirements, there should be cooperativeefforts by these bodies to mandate consistent requirements state-to-state. All entitiesor persons providing security officer training should also be certified by a regulatorybody.The elements listed in Table 3: Training Criteria are the proposed training topicsconsidered essential for each regulatory body and subsequent proprietary or contractsecurity agency to consider in the training of their private security officers. Thisguideline prescribes specific recommended hours of training and acknowledgesdifferent ways in which a security officer may receive this training or demonstrateproficiency to perform the duties of a private security officer. For example, trainingmay consist of computer based training, classroom training, self-study, or othermethods of delivery. Consideration should be given to providing the appropriatelength and content of pre-and-post assignment training dependant upon eachofficer’s assignment. It is further recommended that all training be accompanied byan appropriate assessment and evaluation to measure the security officer’s knowledgeof the training subject. Further, testing should be appropriate to subject matter, thatis, written or performance.ASIS GDL PSO 11 200415
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training GuidelineTable 3: Training CriteriaSubjectRecommendations — Consideration should be given to:TrainingEstablishing a requirement that each private security officerreceive 48 hours of training within the first 100 days ofemployment.Training TopicsEstablishing a requirement that each private security officer passa written and/or performance examination(s) to demonstratethat he/she understands the subject matter and is qualified toperform the basic duties of a private security officer. Trainingshould include the following Core Training Topics:1.0 Nature and Role of Private Security Officers1.1 Security Awareness1.1.1 Private Security Officers and the Criminal JusticeSystem1.1.2 Information Sharing1.1.3 Crime and Loss Prevention1.2 Legal Aspects of Private Security1.2.1 Evidence and Evidence Handling1.2.2 Use of Force and Force Continuum1.2.3 Court Testimony1.2.4 Incident Scene Preservation1.2.5 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) andDiversity1.2.6 State and Local Laws1.3 Security Officer Conduct1.3.1 Ethics1.3.2 Honesty1.3.3 Professional Image2.0 Observation and Incident Reporting2.1 Observation Techniques2.2 Note Taking2.3 Report Writing2.4 Patrol Techniques3.0 Principles of Communications3.1 Interpersonal Skills3.2 Verbal Communication Skills3.3 Customer Service and Public Relations4.0 Principles of Access Control4.1 Ingress and Egress Control Procedures4.2 Electronic Security Systems5.0 Principles of Safeguarding Information5.1 Proprietary and Confidential(continued next page)16ASIS GDL PSO 11 2004
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training GuidelineTable 3: Training Criteria (continued)SubjectRecommendations — Consideration should be given to:Training Topics, cont.6.0 Emergency Response Procedures6.1 Critical Incident Response (e.g., natural disasters,accidents, human caused events)6.2 Evacuation Processes7.0 Life Safety Awareness7.1 Safety Hazards in the Workplace/Surroundings7.2 Emergency Equipment Placement7.3 Fire Prevention Skills7.4 Hazardous Materials7.5 Occupational Safety and Health Requirements (e.g.,OSHA related training, bloodborne pathogens, etc.)8.0 Job Assignment and Post OrdersDepending upon the requirements and specificationsapplicable to the assignment, consideration should be given tothe following additional training topics which include but arenot limited to:9.0 Employer Orientation And Policies9.1 Substance Abuse9.2 Communications Modes (e.g., telephones, pagers,radios, computers)10.0 Workplace Violence11.0 Conflict Resolution Awareness12.0 Traffic Control and Parking Lot Security13.0 Crowd Control14.0 Procedures for First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation(CPR), and Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs)15.0 Crisis Management16.0 Labor Relations (strikes, lockouts, etc.)Annual TrainingEstablishing a requirement for annual training. The trainingmay consist of on the job training, classroom training,computer based training, or other forms of electronic mediumbased training. The type of training should be determined bysuch factors as the type of facility where the security officer isassigned, the duties of the security officer, the value of theassets being protected, and the level of security risks, threats,vulnerabilities, and criticality of the assignment.(continued)ASIS GDL PSO 11 200417
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training GuidelineTable 3: Training Criteria (continued)SubjectRecommendations — Consideration should be given to:Pre-AssignmentEstablishing a requirement for a minimum range andFirearms Trainingclassroom course, taught and administered by a state certifiedfirearms instructor or approved current law enforcement ormilitary firearms certified instructor. Applicants should berequired to provide any prior information regarding thesuspension or revocation of any firearms certification orlicense they may have held.Post-AssignmentEstablishing a requirement that security officers and securityFirearms Requirementsagencies notify the appropriate regulatory body of anydischarge of a firearm in the course of the officer’s duties. Theincident report should contain an explanation describing thenature of the incident, the necessity for using the firearm, anda copy of any report prepared by a law enforcement office.Additional firearms training may be required by the stateagency.Annual FirearmsEstablishing a requirement that state mandated annualTrainingfirearms training be followed.18ASIS GDL PSO 11 2004
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training Guideline12.0 REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHYAnderson, Teresa. ‘‘Affairs of State.’’ Security Management. May 2001, pp. 83–84.ASIS International. (2002). ASIS International Glossary of Security Terms, [Online]. Available:https://www.asisonline.org/library/glossary/index.xml [2002, 2003].Black’s Law Dictionary, Sixth edition. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Co., 1990.Buck, Kelly. Guidelines for Improved Automated Criminal History Record Systems forEffective Screening of Personnel. Monterey, CA: The Department of Defense PersonnelSecurity Research Center (PERSEREC), 2002.Canadian National Standards Board. Security Guards and Security Guard Supervisors. CAN/CGB-133.1.99. Canadian General Standards Board, Standards Council of Canada. Ottawa,Canada K1A 1G6, November 1999.Castle, Reed A. A Study of the Security Officer. Commonwealth of Virginia, Department ofCriminal Justice Services: Schroeder Measurement Technologies, Inc., April 2002.Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-534 (2001). Private Detectives, Guard Services and Security Personnel.Web site: https://www.cga.state.ct.us/2001/pub/Chap534.htmCunningham, William C., Taylor, Todd H. Private Security and Police in America: TheHallcrest Report I. Portland, OR: Chancellor Press, 1985.Cunningham, William C., John S. Strauchs, and Clifford W. Van Meter. Private SecurityTrends 1970–2000: The Hallcrest Report II. Boston, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann, 1990.Freedonia Group, Inc. Private Security Services to 2006. Cleveland, OH: The FreedoniaGroup, Inc., 2002.Goodboe, Michael E. ‘‘The Development of an Entry-Level Model Curriculum, OptimumTraining Methodology, and Implementation and Evaluation Plans for Unarmed ContractSecurity Officers.’’ Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, 1966.Horton, William. Designing Web-Based Training: How to Teach Anyone Anything AnywhereAnytime. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 2000.Johnston, Les. ‘‘Regulating Private Security.’’ International Journal of the Sociology of Law,Academic Press Limited. 1992, 20, pp. 1–16.Kay, Beverly and Sharon Jordan-Evans. Love ’Em or Lose ’Em: Getting Good People to Stay.San Francisco, CA: Barrett-Koehler, 1999.Kirkpatrick, Donald L. Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels. San Francisco, CA:Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1998.ASIS GDL PSO 11 200419
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training GuidelineNational Advisory Committee on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals. Private Security:Report of the Task Force on Private Security. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice,Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA), 1976.National Association of Security and Investigative Regulators. Model State Statute for theRegulation of Private Security Officers and Their Employers. Waterloo, IA: NationalAssociation of Security and Investigative Regulators, 2001. https://www.iasir.org/pdf/NASIRGuardlawamended.pdfPeterson, Robyn. Training Needs Analysis In the Workplace. San Diego, CA: Pfeiffer &Company, 1992.Pinkerton’s Center for Professional Development. Advanced Certification Training (ACT),Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Arlington, VA: Pinkerton, Inc., 1997–2002.Private-Sector Liaison Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.Private Security Officer Selection, Training and Licensing Guidelines. Alexandria, VA:International Association of Chiefs of Police, 1998. https://www.theiacp.org/documents/pdfs/Publications/privatesecurityofficer.pdfPrivate Security Advisory Council to the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA).Model Security Guard Training Curricula. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 1978.‘‘Private Security Officer Quality Assurance Act of 1997.’’ HR 103 EH, 105thCongress, FirstSession. 1997.‘‘Private Security Officer Quality Assurance Act of 1999.’’ HR 60 IH, 106thCongress, FirstSession. 1999.Rosenburg, Marc J. E-Learning. New York, NY: McGraw Hill, 2000.Spaninks, L., Quinn, L., & Byrne, J. in close co-operation with members of CoESS/ UNI-Europa. Final Report European Vocational Training Manual for Basic Guarding. Funded bythe European Commission: DG Education and CultureDG Employment and SocialAffairs. Lyon, France: CoESS/UNI Europa, 2001. https://www.union-network.org/uniproperty.nsf/0/5c819184fa80aefac1256b45003f4505/$FILE/Training%20Manual.pdfVocational-Technical Education Consortium of States. A Catalog of Performance Objectives andPerformance Guides For Security Guard. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University College of Educationand Michigan Department of Education Vocational-Technical Education Service, 1978.Wackenhut Training Institute. Wackenhut Security Officer Training Materials. Palm BeachGardens, FL: The Wackenhut Corporation, 1999, 2003.Weber, Tina, comp. A Comparative Overview of Legislation Governing the PrivateSecurity Industry in the European Union. Final Report of a project for CoESS/UNI-Europafunded by the European Commission, Version 31/01/2002. Dr. Tina Weber, ECOTECResearch and Consulting Ltd., Birmingham, UK: Priestly House, 2002. https://www.union-network.org/uniproperty.nsf/0/6878ecb710bd395bc1256bc3004318b0/$FILE/legislations%20analysis%20-%20final%20report.pdf20ASIS GDL PSO 11 2004
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training Guideline13.0 APPENDIX AAdjudication Scoring Considerations for Education VerificationScore as Approved if any of the following conditions exist:All information provided by applicant is verified with no discrepancies.Score as Pending if any of the following conditions exist:The educational institutional was not located.Three attempts on three days, no response was received from the educational institution.No high school diploma/GED can be found.Institution cannot verify applicant’s attendance due to unavailable records.Discrepancy in dates outside a 90-day window.Score as Unacceptable if any of the following conditions exist:Institution verifies that applicant never attended.Discrepancy in major course of study or degree earned.Adjudication Scoring Considerations for Employment VerificationScore as Approved if any of the following conditions exist:All information provided by applicant is verified.Applicant is eligible for rehire.Score as Pending if any of the following conditions exist:The place of employment was not located.Three attempts on three days, no response was received from the employer.Minor discrepancy in the position held.Discrepancy in dates outside a 90-day window.Not eligible for rehire.Score as Unacceptable if any of the following conditions exist:Applicant never worked at business indicated on the application.Major discrepancy in the position held.Terminated for cause.Adjudication Scoring Considerations for Social Security Number TracesScore as Approved if any of the following conditions exist:Name and Social Security Number (SSN) match.Score as Pending if any of the following conditions exist:If the last name does not match but it is reasonable to assume it is a maiden name.No record found.Two or more names (other than applicant’s) listed on the report.Applicant’s name appears incorrectly.ASIS GDL PSO 11 200421
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Private Security Officer (PSO) Selection and Training GuidelineScore as Unacceptable if any of the following conditions exist:A message reports that the SSN has not been issued.Applicant’s name does not appear on the trace.Adjudication Scoring Considerations for Motor Vehicle Registration VerificationScore as Approved if any of the following conditions exist:Name and license number match.Clear record.Score as Pending if any of the following conditions exist:Driver not found or not a driver.Subject has ID record only.Current status active, but record shows suspension or revocation in the past five years.Three or more tickets, moving violations, or accidents within the past five years.Score as Unacceptable if any of the following conditions exist:DUI (Driving Under the Influence)/DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) convictions in the pastthree years.Expired or suspended status.Criminal (felony) vehicular conviction within the last three years.22ASIS GDL PSO 11 2004
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CompositeASIS International (ASIS) is the preeminentorganization for security professionals,with more than 33,000 membersworldwide. Founded in 1955, ASIS isdedicated to increasing the effectivenessand productivity of security professionalsby developing educational programs andmaterials that address broad securityinterests, such as the ASIS Annual Seminarand Exhibits, as well as specific securitytopics. ASIS also advocates the role andvalue of the security managementprofession to business, the media,governmental entities, and the public. Byproviding members and the securitycommunity with access to a full range ofprograms and services, and by publishingthe industry’s number one magazine —Security Management — ASIS leads theway for advanced and improved securityperformance.
