CA Private Security Officer (PSO)

PSO Guard Training in California

How to Determine if Your Business Can Train a PSO

When can a PSE train PSOs?

As a PSE, you can get licensed to provide the initial 8 hour Proprietary Private Security Officer training and the 8-hour continuing education courses. However, just having the PSE registration doesn’t license you to provide training. To become a Licensed PSO Training Provider:

  1. Submit a letter and resume to the BSIS Bureau’s Chief/Deputy Chief for review.
  2. A BSIS representative conducts a phone interview to verify the validity of your request.
  3. You get an authorization letter and your license number mailed to you. This approval process can take up to 10 weeks depending on the volume of requests the BSIS is handling.

Once you get your  PSO Training Provider license, you must issue a certificate of completion of the training to each PSO.

PSO Training Requirements

A PSO needs an initial 8 hours of training to register as a PSO and then 8 hours of continuing education every year. A proprietary private security officer needs to complete the 32 hours of training within the first 6 months from either their date of employment with a PSE or date of issuance of their PSO registration.  See CA PSO Training Requirements for more information.

PSEs Must Provide Use of Force Training to New Hires

There is no grandfather clause in the updated Power to Arrest and Appropriate Use of Force training regulations, which were effective November 30, 2023 per California Code of Regulations Section 643. The Appropriate Use of Force training requirement during an audit will be based upon the date of hire, not when the PSO license was issued.

Further, the BSIS recommends that PPOs train any currently employed PSOs in the in-person Appropriate Use of Force course.  The annual refresher course that includes Appropriate Use of Force topics is not considered as sufficient training because it does not include all Appropriate Use of Force topics and may not have been taken in-person. A PSO who completes the new Power to Arrest and Appropriate Use of Force training can count the course as their annual refresher.

Note:  Many of the BSIS website pages have not been updated to reflect the changes in the Security Personnel Skills Training Syllabus. However, there is a link on the BSIS home page to a PDF that announces the training requirement changes to include the in-person Appropriate Use of Force training.

“Traditional Classroom Instruction” is defined as instruction where the instructor is physically present with students in a classroom, or on a firing range, and is available to answer student questions while providing the required training. The instructor provides demonstrations and hands-on instruction in order to establish each student’s proficiency as to the course content.

“Non-Traditional Instruction” is defined as instruction that includes, but is not limited to:

  1. The use of internet courses, distance learning, e-learning, or virtual classrooms; and
  2. The use of videos or media-based training modules without in-person instructors

This means that training students remotely via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or other video conferencing software does not meet the in-person training requirements.

PSO Training Records

A PSE is must keep training records for any PSO they employ.  A PSE is responsible to make sure their PSOs have completed their required PSO training per California regulations, including yearly continuing education course completion records. It is not the responsibility of the PSO, and they cannot be fined for non-compliance. A PSE  can be fined or have their PSE license revoked by the BSIS if the PSE’s  PSOs have not completed the required training.

Record Retention

Further, you must keep the training PSO records for 2 years after the employee leaves your employment.

What should I Read Next?