ESS Global Corp provides Florida State required “G” armed security guard training, and is the only state licensed protection and security school in Florida. Let’s take a quick look at security guard liability.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, under the direction of Adam Putman (pictured) per the Division of Licensing, licenses and regulates the private security industry in accordance with Chapter 493, of the Florida Statutes. Armed and unarmed security officers and security agencies serve both businesses and the public sector. Untrained and unlicensed persons or businesses, or persons not of strong moral character can be a threat to public safety. The private security industry is state regulated to ensure the interests of the public are adequately and properly served and protected.
Armed Security Guard Training
To begin the licensing process for the Armed Security Guard Certification, you must first successfully completed the unarmed “D” course. Then you must take the state mandated 28 hours of armed security training in the classroom and at the gun range. The Florida armed security guard certification training is obtained by completing 20 hours of classroom instruction and 8 hours of firearm instruction on the range. The firearm portion of the class is meant to provide basic firearm usage and safety and to meet the armed security training requirements of the state-regulated shooting sequences to show proficiency and safety with a firearm.
Don’t forget that the State of Florida requires that all Florida License “G” Armed Security Officers must re-qualify at least once per year with the type of handgun that they carry on duty.
Security Guard Liability Issues
While not all security situations require armed officers, they are a useful addition in many cases. If there is a need for armed professionals, there must be much more training and evaluation of the individual before they ever carry a weapon. It’s important to remember there is liability of having an armed guard, but in many instances there is also liability by not having an armed professional.
Also, like everything else, the statutes change frequently, sometimes they are big changes (see the new firearms allowed HERE), and sometimes little changes (uniform requirements). You can read the current Florida statutes HERE. This is important. As a rule, the bigger security agencies generally know the changes before the smaller companies. These statues also matter in cases such as vicarious litigation. Security guards, bouncers, and venue protection are, in most cases, considered employees of the venues and businesses they are charged with protecting when it comes to security guard liability issues.
So yes, it’s kind of important that you talk about these issues with your current security company. If you’re not comfortable with the answers you get, give ESS a call.
In addition to providing professional security guards around the country, ESS Global Corp offers Executive Protection/Bodyguard Training Classes and Security Training/Licensing courses. We are the ONLY state licensed Executive Protection School in Florida and among only a handful in the entire country.
And who trains our guards? We do!
Minimize your risks and exposure to liability. Hire a company that know the rules and plays by the rules. Because if you are hiring security guards, as a business, you need to know the best liability protection is knowledge.
As the only training facility in Florida to be licensed by the US Department of Education, ESS Global Corporation provides education, training and consulting for commercial endeavors, government entities and the general public solely designed to enhance the safety and security of our communities.
ESS knows that predictive intelligence is a central core of protective operations. This course emphasizes the importance of being able to analyze and respond appropriately to apparent and real threats. It will teach how to predict the intention to make contact with your client. Finally, the course will offer intervention strategies that cover the spectrum of options from protective measures, to legal restraint.