Bureau of Security and Investigative Services

Right Column

Proprietary Private Security Officer Registration Requirements

Printer Friendly Version

October 2006

Special Notice

Updated Version

Senate Bill (SB) 194: Proprietary Private Security Officer Registration Requirements

Due to the passage of Senate Bill 194, a person who meets the definition of a proprietary private security officer must register with the Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). SB 194, sponsored by Senator Abel Maldonado, was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on October 7, 2005.

Effective Dates

  • People hired as security officers on or after January 1, 2006, must apply on or after July 1, 2006.
  • People hired as security officers before January 1, 2006, must apply on or after January 1, 2007.

Background

A proprietary private security officer is defined (with some exceptions) as an unarmed individual who is employed exclusively by any one employer, whose primary duty is to provide security services for his or her employer, whose services are not contracted to any other entity or person, and who meets both of the following criteria:

  1. He or she is required to wear a distinctive uniform clearly identifying the individual as a security officer.
  2. He or she is likely to interact with the public while performing his or her duties.

Requirements

A person who meets the definition of a proprietary private security officer shall register with BSIS. The criteria for licensure includes, but is not limited to:

  1. Submission of fingerprints for background checks through the California Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
  2. Payment of an application fee.

Training

Although training is not required, Proprietary Private Security Officer (PSO) candidates need not provide any proof of training, employers of PSOs may find that appropriate job-specific training can provide significant benefits, including, increased awareness, shortened response times, overall improved security effectiveness and correspondingly improved customer satisfaction.

Copies of SB 194 may be obtained at:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/05-06/bill/sen/sb_0151-0200/sb_194_bill_20051007_chaptered.html

If you have any questions regarding SB 194, please contact Noreene DeKoning at (916) 575-7054 or Rolando Taeza at (916) 575-7055.