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 Substantial
changes
By Cliff Grumbles
Manager, Texas Private Security Bureau
Recently, the Private Security Board’s continuing education committee reviewed the continuing education requirements in 37 TAC 35 and, after due consideration, made substantial changes. I will not go over all the changes made in this article because the rules are available on our website at
www.txdps.state.tx.us. However, I will discuss some of the most significant changes and urge you to review rules 35.291 and 35.292 as amended, in their entirety.
Here are some of the important changes:
Following their initial registration period, managers of Class B companies can substitute one hour of statute and rules changes for the one hour ethics requirement.
New requirements for private investigators are predicated on whether a private investigator has more then fifteen years of continued registration.
Alarm system installers and alarm systems sales persons are now required to have the Alarm Level One training during their first twelve months of initial registration, and two hours must cover the National Electrical Code. For these two categories, their subsequent continuing education must include at least one hour on the NEC. Additionally, the work of an alarm installer who has not completed the Alarm Level One training must be overseen by an installer who has completed that course or who is exempt from completing the course.
In six months after the rules become effective, all continuing education schools and instructors will be required to be licensed by PSB. The continuing education school director will be responsible for certain duties to include maintaining attendance records and issuing a certificate of attendance.
Companies licensed by PSB with ten or more employees may apply for a letter of exemption allowing them to provide continuing education to their registered employees.
PSB is required to inspect at least ten percent of licensees and registrants annually to assure compliance with the continuing education requirements.
On another topic, at the last Private Security Board Meeting, the following statistics were reported for the period from December 15, 2006 to March 21, 2007:
The following numbers are for arrests or criminal cases presented to prosecutors by the PSB Investigation Section: Employing a non-qualified individual -
1; operating without a license -
23; impersonating a security officer -
19; operating on a suspended license -
4; other felony arrests –
3; impersonating a police officer –
3; unlawfully carrying a weapon –
13; and, other misdemeanor arrests -
16.
The following numbers are for PSB Licensing Section: Original company licenses issued –
180; original individual registrations issued -
8,422; company renewals –
123; and individual renewals -
6,755. As of March 21, 2007, there were
4,609 active licensed companies and
102,582 active individual registrations.
Remember to check our website on a regular basis for new rules, changes in forms and information concerning Private Security Board meetings.
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