Louisiana: Armed Security Officers
Legislation and Details for Louisiana
Louisiana Revised Statutes
Title 37 – Professions and Occupations
Chapter 47 – Private Contract Security Companies (Section 37:3270 through 3299)
and
Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 46 – Professional and Occupational Standards
Part LIX – Private Security Examiners
In Louisiana individual employees of licensed security businesses must register with the board by filing for a registration card.
The applicant must first be employed by a licensed security company or firm. During this period of employment, the company applies on behalf of the security officer for that license.
See: LA RS §37:3283
For supplemental forms relating to company application, termination, reinstatement, training and other matters, see: Security Application Documents
An applicant who will be registered to carry a weapon must be trained in that weapon prior to carrying such on a job site and verification of training must be submitted by the licensee to the board at the time application is made. If the applicant has not been trained, then the licensee shall register the applicant as unarmed until such time as required training has been received and proof of training submitted to the board.
See: LA AC 46:3.§301.H
Security officer registrations are now being processed on an electronic portal, known as eLicensure, commencing February of 2019.
To find out about the new protocol and requirements, visit: E Licensure Portal
To take the tutorial relating to eLicensure, click here
Fees
$40.00 Application fee
$40.00 Renewal fee .(expire annually on the date of issuance)
$10.00 Criminal Background Tracking Admin Fee (Only for renewal applications
$20.00 Transfer fee
$20.00 Replacement fee for a lost, destroyed, or mutilated card
$20.00 Reinstatement fee
$20.00 Status change fee
$26 State Background check
$13.25 FBI Background Check
$88 Total fees for “Blue Application”
See: Fees
All fees shall be paid by check or money order made payable to the board.
Every security officer must apply for and carry a registration card indicating formal approval and employment with a licensed security firm.
The Code indicates that there is both a “temporary registration card” and a “permanent” one.
While not explicitly mentioned, the inference is that a security officer can work with the temporary card while awaiting the permanent version after all approvals. The Code states:
§3283.
Security officer and security operations manager registrant; card; application; qualifications;
investigation; denial, suspension, or revocation; validity; renewal; change of address
A.(1) Each person who performs the functions and duties of a security officer or security operations manager within this
state as defined in this Chapter shall apply to the board for a registration card.
(2) The portion of the board application indicating temporary registration shall be carried by
the applicant when he is within the scope of his employment until such time as he receives his permanent registration card from the board.
See: LA Rev Stat § 37:3283
Regulations are silent on this issue.
Louisiana Administrative Code (AC), 46:3.301(B)(3)
The applicant must be at least 21 years of age if registered armed.
RS 37:3276(A)(3) and AC 46:3.301(B)(1)
The applicant must be a citizen or of the U.S or may be a resident alien
Not required
RS 37:3298
Inapplicability:
A. This Chapter shall not apply to a person or corporation which employs persons who do private security work in connection with the affairs of such employer only and who have an employer-employee relationship with such employer. Neither such persons or corporations nor their employees shall be required to register or be licensed under this Chapter.
B. This Chapter shall not apply to a peace officer employed by a state, parish, or local law enforcement agency who contracts directly with a licensed contract security company or the actual consumer of contract security services to work during his off-duty hours and whose off-duty employment is conducted on an independent contractor basis with such licensed contract security company or consumer of security services.
C. This Chapter shall not be construed to apply to a federal peace officer or federal law enforcement officer.
AC 46:3.403(e)
Classroom Training
Security officers who have been registered in other states who have licensing requirements similar to Louisiana, and law enforcement officers identified in R.S. 37:3284 may attend a four-hour modular training program administered by a board-licensed instructor. Upon completion of the four-hour modular training, the officer shall take a 50-question examination, and if the security officer successfully passes the examination, this modular training shall be considered the equivalent to the classroom training provided for in R.S. 37:3284 and rules herein. It the security officer does not successfully pass the examination, then he must go through the entire classroom training program.
Trans RS 37:3285
Transportation of firearms
An armed security officer whose duties require the transporting of a firearm to and from the work assignment and his residence, or between assignments, shall be required to have in his possession an armed registration card issued by the board. This registration card does not permit the carrying of concealed weapons.
RS 37:3283(B)
Every person required to be registered by the board shall carry his registration card when performing the duties for which he is registered, and it shall be exhibited upon request by any authorized representative of the board or any law enforcement officer. The registration card shall entitle the registrant to perform the duties as described therein as long as the registrant maintains his eligibility under the provisions of this Chapter.
RS 37:3285
An armed security officer whose duties require the transporting of a firearm to and from the work assignment and his residence, or between assignments, shall be required to have in his possession an armed registration card issued by the board. This registration card does not permit the carrying of concealed weapons.
The applicant must be of good moral character.
See: RS:3276.A(1)
RS 37:3276.1(B)(1)
No person shall be granted a license under the provisions of this Chapter unless the applicant has demonstrated to the board that he is suitable for licensing. For purposes of this Chapter, suitability means the applicant or licensee is:
(a) A person of good moral character, honesty, and integrity.
(b) A person whose prior activities, arrest, or criminal record if any, reputation, habits, and associations do not pose a threat to the public interest of this state or to the effective regulation of private security companies, and do not create or enhance the dangers of unsuitable, unfair, or illegal practices, methods, and operations in the activities authorized by this Chapter and financial arrangements incidental thereto.
RS 37:3276(C)(4) and AC 46:3.(D)(1)
Any individual signing a license application shall submit with the license application classifiable impressions of his fingerprints on a form approved by the board (one set).
RS 37:3276(A)(6)
Applicant must not suffer from habitual drunkenness or from narcotics addiction or dependence.
RS 37:3276(A)(5)
Applicant must not have been declared by any court of competent jurisdiction incompetent by reason of mental defect or disease which has not been restored.
D. After receipt of an application for a registration card, the board shall conduct an investigation to determine whether the facts set forth in the application are true. Actions by the board to approve or deny an application for a registration card shall be the same as that action taken to deny or approve an application for license as provided in R.S. 37:3279.
See: RS 37:3283.D
RS 37:3276.1(A)
No person may be eligible to apply or be granted a license under the provisions of this Chapter if either of the following applies:
(1) He has been convicted in any jurisdiction of any crime of violence as defined by R.S. 14:2(B).
(2) He has been convicted in any jurisdiction of any other felony offense within ten years prior to the date of the application or less than ten years has elapsed between the date of application and the successful completion or service of any sentence, deferred adjudication, or period of probation or parole for which a full pardon or similar relief has not been granted under the laws of the United States, the state of Louisiana, or any other state or country.
All security applicants backgrounds and criminal history are fully scrutinized by the board, the State Police Records Dvision and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Fees are:
$26.00 State Background check
$13.25 FBI Background Check
All fees shall be paid by check or money order made payable to the board.
Not required
RS 37:3284(B)
Any security officer employed after the effective date of this Chapter shall complete, within thirty days of his first work assignment,
either eight hours of classroom training or an approved curriculum-based training course under a licensed instructor and successfully
pass an examination on the prescribed material which shall include the following topics:
• Orientation to R.S. 37:3270 through 3299 and the board’s rules and regulations.
• Legal powers and limitations of a security officer.
• Emergency procedures.
• General duties/field notes/report writing.
Armed security officers in addition to the training requirements outlined in Paragraphs (1) and (4) of this Subsection shall complete firearms training and range qualifications, as prescribed by the board, prior to armed work assignment. The nature and extent of firearms training shall be adequately described, approved, and monitored by the board to include at a minimum the following:
(a) Legal limitations on use of weapons.
(b) Handling of a weapon.
(c) Safety and maintenance.
(d) Dim light firing.
(e) A shoot, don’t shoot program.
(f) Stress factors.
(3) Marksmanship requirement shall be a minimum of eighty percent on any silhouette target course approved by the board.
(4) Security officers shall have sixty days from the date of the first work assignment to complete either an additional eight hours of classroom training or an approved curriculum-based training course under a licensed instructor, as prescribed by the board, and successfully pass a fifty-question test administered by the licensed instructor by achieving a minimum score of seventy percent.
Failure to complete the required training within the prescribed time period may preclude future consideration for a license for a period of one year.
All armed security officers must complete an annual firearms retraining course, as prescribed by the board, which includes refresher courses on
subjects previously specified, a written test of at least fifty questions, and retraining in firearms instructions, to include minimum marksmanship
qualification of eighty percent on an approved silhouette target course approved by the board. The requirement that the test be a written test shall not be
cause for an increase in the cost to the security officer of the required refresher course.
AC 46:4.403
• Any security officer employed after September 1, 1985 shall complete, within 30 days from his date of hire, eight hours’ classroom training under a board-licensed classroom instructor.
• Security officer shall have 60 days from date of first work assignment to complete an additional eight-hour classroom training program which has been approved by the board.
• Upon completion of each of the eight-hour segments of the prescribed training, a 50-question examination shall be given to each security officer by the board-licensed instructor. The first eight-hour examination shall be different from the second eight-hour examination, cover the required training topics, and be approved by the board prior to being administered. Minimum passing score is 70 percent.
• All scores of such examinations must be recorded and submitted to the board by the licensee or employer, as the case may be, on its prescribed training verification form signed by the licensed instructor within 15 calendar days from completion of training.
• Security officers who have been registered in other states who have licensing requirements similar to Louisiana, and law enforcement officers identified in R.S. 37:3284
may attend a four-hour modular training program administered by a board-licensed instructor. Upon completion of the four-hour modular training, the officer shall take a
50-question examination, and if the security officer successfully passes the examination, this modular training shall be considered the equivalent to the classroom training provided for in R.S.
37:3284 and rules herein. It the security officer does not successfully pass the examination, then he must go through the entire classroom training program.
Types of weaponry that are regulated by the Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners:
• .38 Revolver
• .357 Revolver
• 9mm Semi-Automatic
• .40 Semi-Automatic
• .45 Semi-Automatic
• Shotgun
• Rifle
AC 46:4.403
• Upon completion of each of the eight-hour segments of the prescribed training, a 50-question examination shall be given to each security officer by the board-licensed instructor. The first eight-hour examination shall be different from the second eight-hour examination, cover the required training topics, and be approved by the board prior to being administered. Minimum passing score is 70 percent.
• All scores of such examinations must be recorded and submitted to the board by the licensee or employer, as the case may be, on its prescribed training verification form signed by the licensed instructor within 15 calendar days from completion of training.
RS 37:3279(C)
An applicant who fails an examination may be examined again upon filing a reexamination application and paying the reexamination fee fixed by this Chapter.
RS 9:315.30
The courts of this state are authorized to suspend certain licenses of individuals who are found to be in contempt of court for failure to comply with a subpoena or warrant in a child support or paternity proceeding or who are not in compliance with a court order of child support.
• Forms
• FAQ
Laws and Rules:
Louisiana Legislature-
• Louisiana State Legislature Chapter 47
• Title 37 – Professions and Occupations
• Louisiana Administrative Code