BSIS Power to Arrest & Appropriate Use of Force Course Overview
This 8-hour Power to Arrest and Appropriate Use of Force course is mandated by the California Bureau of Security & Investigative Services (BSIS) to obtain a Security Guard Registration or a “guard card.”
Completion of this course allows eligible applicants to apply for and obtain a guard card. A guard card allows an individual to work as an unarmed security officer in California.
Course topics include, but are not limited to:
- roles and responsibilities of security personnel
- observation and report writing
- authority to question
- arrestable offenses
- encounters and arrests
- searching a subject
- legal standards for use of force
- civil and criminal liability
- objectively reasonable force
- force options
- de-escalation and interpersonal communication
- implicit and explicit bias
- mental health
To complete this course, students must:
- Be present for the entire course.
- Pass a written exam.
- The exam is open-book, and the passing score is 100%.
- If a student fails, they may view their incorrect answers, review the course material, and answer the questions again.
Additional training requirements:
In addition to completing this course, applicants must complete an additional 32 hours of training.16 hours must be completed within 30 days. The remaining 16 hours must be completed within 6 months. All 32 hours may be completed online or in-person.
Security professionals must also complete 8 hours of annual security officer skills training. This training may be completed online or in-person.
For more information on the guard card application process, please check out this article:
