N5TWB said:
That is the licensing information on security guards. It is splitting hairs somewhat to say there is a difference between licensing and certifying. The biggest difference is that the agency itself (CLEET) does the training and certifying on LEO. CLEET has authorized schools, public and private, to become approved trainers that present the courses that allow people to sit for the CLEET licensing test and submit a licensing packet.
WARNING! THIS IS A VERY LONG POST! AND NOT REALLY ON TOPIC!
It almost sounds like you get a bad taste in your mouth when you talk about security. I hesitate to use officer and/or guard because most people, including LEO's don't now the difference.
While you or others "MAY" laugh at the thought that the C.L.E.E.T. schools for security are only 44 hours for unarmed and 40 for armed, you might find it interesting that Oklahoma ranks fifth in the nation for quality of training for security. Also, you might be surprised to find that the classes and testing are administered on a 5th grade reading level. Not any different than what a police report should be written in. Remember, a report is to be understood by each person on the jury. In law enforcement, you must always figure in the lowest common denominator.
What is sad about the licensing and testing is that you can take the C.L.E.E.T. test 6 times and fail. After the 6th time, you must retake the classes before you can test again. If you then fail the test, you can no longer try. If it were up to me, you would get one chance to pass and then you would have to take the classes again. After that, you would be done. They finally passed new laws requiring each licensed person to receive 4 hours of continuing education each year or 8 hours if you carry a private investigator license. The reuirement has been in place for P.I.'s for a long time as it is. I like California's setup. If you apply and you get denied, or you fail to meet the testing requirements, they publish your name on the state's website. I guess a lot of people like to impersonate security out there on the west coast.
Earlier in my message, I spoke of the difference between a security officer and a security guard. While they both require the same exact schooling, testing, and licensing, there is a huge difference. There are plenty of people who share my opinion, and planty of others who resent it. Usuaully, the ones who resent my opnion are the ones I have fired and had this same conversation with.
A security guard is the guy who should be sitting in the windowless room watching some stationary camera's or logging in who check's out keys or equipment. I could really get tasteless and crappy, but I will let your own thoughts expand upon this.
A security officer is the person who represents the company they are working for. They look professional, act like a professional, and don't carry a 6-Cell Maglite. When they leave for work, they take that last look in the mirror and check their gig line. They might be the one that gets asked if they are an off-duty police officer or maybe former military. Once again, I could expand upon this, but I am sure you can figure it out.
There are over 40k licensed security officer's in the State of Oklahoma. As a whole, security officer's are the largest gang in the world (ha-ha). Unfortunately the security industry is riddled with idiots, has beens, and wanna-be's. A common misnomer is to call security personnel "rent-a-cops". That term came about as a result of business' hiring actual police officer's to do security. I quit trying to inform people of that about 5 or 6 years ago.
When you have an industry that is filled with incompetent people, you get the general public and civil service employee's (police) thinking that everyone employed in that field is most likely an idiot. So, when you have a person that is well spoken, professionaly dressed, and educated beyond the normal high school diploma or G.E.D., they generally have to put up with a stereotype and a complete line of crap from LEO's. The reaction an experience that you get with a police officer (while YOU are employed as security) varies from call to call and officer to officer. I can name of twenty different officers that I deal with on almost a daily basis that are very "cool" with security people. This is because they worked as security 'officers' while going through college to get a degree. Then they became a police officer. I can also name off quite a few that leave line-up each night making jokes about which security 'guard' they are going to arrest during the shift.
I keep a copy of the current C.L.E.E.T. rules and regulations for security in my vehicle with me at all times. Why? Because a lot of LEO's don't know what is ok/not ok. I have actually had to pull the manual and show them print that what we are doing is legal, acceptable, etc. How you go about 'informing' the police officer of this information will directly result in how you get treated immediately after. In other words, don't be an ass about showing a cop up.
I am currently working on/with individuals within the private security side of C.L.E.E.T. as well as attempting to get the attention of my congressman and state representative. I am pushing for harder testing and licensing requirements for security. I don't believe that what is in place is well written, well placed, or tough enough. Currently, there is nothing on the bookos that requires security to have licensing or certification for handcuff's, baton's, or O.C. spray/mace. Nothing says you can't carry it either. We are required to pass a firearms test that does not apply to over half of the jobs that we fill either. I have followed every case involving security for the last 5 years and looked at what could have changed the outcome for the security people involved. The continuing education is a good start, but it needs to go further. I am not in anyway pushing for the same amount of training that a police officer receives. That just would not make sense. If you are looking for that kind of education, you can get it yourself like I did. I have had over 600 hours of training in the last 6 years in an effort to better myself, and to protect myself should I ever get in front of a lawyer smarter than mine. The best way to arm yourself is with information and training. Sadly, it is something that is missing within this indistry. I want security officer's/guard's to have to receive certification in the Use of Force Continuum. Also, testing for the shotgun should be in place. Next, certification for Tazer's should be required. Countless law suits and false arrests could be avoided with these requirements in place.
I am sorry if I have jumped off of my soap box to stand directly on the podium, but as an security agency owner these are things I am directly involved with and affected by everyday. I have pushed myself as far as I can to better myself and those that work for me. I might not be able to change the opoinion of the world, but if I can convince 5 more cops that we aren't all idiots, then I have made it easier for other security people that come after me.
At this moment, I am at my MIL's. My wife is giving me an 'eye' that would probably short out half the radio's owned by people on here. I am going to end this, as it is not on topic...really.
OKC CSI
