Security Guard is exciting and rewarding work. Even more prestigious are security guards who are licensed to be armed. Armed security guards can work for companies that hire out armed guards for the protection of people or property. Armed guards are usually compensated at a higher rate than unarmed guards, so it is typically a good investment to go through training and to receive proper licensure to work as an armed guard. The additional training that is required will equip a person to understand handling and safety of weapons on the job. It also will license a person to legally possess a firearm while on the job.
Every state has varying laws on how to obtain the training and proper licensing in order to carry a weapon as a security guard. It is important to check your own state requirements, and find a state certified training program in order to ensure that you will be legally able to work within the state you live. Keep in mind that every state requires extensive background checks in order to ensure that you will be legally able to carry a hand-gun. In addition to the additional hours of training, there are additional checks into your legal status and history.
All in all, it may be worth the extra time, money and background checks in order to be properly licensed as an armed security guard. There are more opportunities for security guards who are properly licensed as armed guards. There are also more opportunities for job advancement, and for higher paying jobs on the whole. This page is geared to inform those looking to be certified as an armed security guard. If you are a person with a clean criminal record, no mental illnesses and the desire to work as an armed guard then you have come to right place for more information on what it looks like to become an armed guard.
Armed Security Training
As state above, armed security training is more extensive than for those who are simply being trained to work as an unarmed security guard. This means that the training will involve more hours of course work, more extensive background checks and consequently more fees up front to cover the armed security training and background checks. With that said, it may be a great investment, as the job opportunities and pay are better for those who are licensed as armed security guards.
Armed security guard training will teach you about laws pertaining to those who carry weapons on the job. How a person would or wouldn’t be prosecuted in a given situation when/if they need to use the weapon on the job. These are extremely vital lessons that are needed prior to working as an armed guard. Gun safety is another key lesson that will be taught during armed security training, particularly in the instance of an attack on the job. Self-defense tactics, both with and without a weapon will be taught, in order to protect yourself on the job.
Some people who are looking to achieve armed security guard training have little or no prior experience with fire-arms. There will be time spent (as part of the training) at a shooting range to become familiarized with weapons, shooting, care, etc. All of this will be part of the training requirements in order to properly prepare a person for working with and carrying a firearm while working as an armed security guard. The main point of the course work is to ensure that you will be properly prepared for situations that may occur on the job.
Finally, one of the most important portions of armed security training is all the laws and regulations regarding weapons, weapons on the job, and when a person can legally use a weapon if required on the job. These laws are some of the most vital lessons you will learn throughout your training, so it is important to learn and pay close attention to the laws that are laid out for you during your training. These laws can mean the difference between being prosecuted and even serving jail time if you were to use your weapon in an improper or illegal way on the job (or any other time). A lot of responsibility is required of those who carry a gun for work, so all of the training is vital and it is important that a person undergoing armed guard training is absorbing and learning all the information that is being taught.
If, after reading all of the above information about armed security training, you still would like to pursue the training then you need to complete the required number of training hours by a state approved training program within the state you live. If you’ve worked as a police officer, or have obtained your private investigator license, you may not need to undergo further training. These individuals may simply need to register within the state in which you live to obtain proper licensure in order to work in a different venue. Otherwise, click on the state page on this website to discover more specific requirements for the state in which you live and wish to work.
Armed Security Jobs
Once training is complete, the next step for licensed armed guards is to find an armed security job. As state above, once the license to work as an armed guard is obtained, there are jobs out there for people who are licensed to work in this capacity. It is simply a matter of finding, applying for and interviewing for these positions. There are companies who hire armed guards, there are also individuals or businesses who are looking for properly licensed guards. Most businesses and even individuals go through major security guard companies to locate a guard, however, some armed guards are able to hire themselves out without the need to a large company back them. Sometimes these freelance armed guards are able to find higher paying armed security jobs, however it may be more difficult than simply applying to work for a security company.
Job sites like Indeed are great resources to look for armed security jobs. Similar sites include Simply Hired and Monster, which also allow you to look for job openings and/or upload your resume for those seeking an armed guard to find. These sites are a great asset to those who have already achieved their license and are simply looking for work.
Armed Security Companies
There are many different armed security companies out there. Some security companies (like ADT) are looking to hire guards to work directly for them in the capacity in which their business lends. Other armed security companies, like G4S, hire security guards and then hire those guards out to other businesses (like nuclear power plants, fortune 500 companies etc.). These armed guards work at a business or location under the umbrella of the company that hired them.
Here is a list of other armed security companies that hire armed guards in the United States and what they are looking to do/who they are looking to hire:
ACADEMI: this is a privately owned American security company that works all over the world. It is highly militarized in a sense, and is looking for individuals with military experience. These are in a sense paid, privately run military personal. They have been known to work with state and federal military, but also simply seek to offer: “stability and protection to people and locations experiencing turmoil.” The website is: https://www.academi.com/
Andrews International: this company started in Los Angeles, but has locations all over the US. It offers security to “national landmarks, major tourist attractions, industrial sites, educational and financial institutions, healthcare facilities, and other locations where security stakes and client expectations are high.” The website is: http://www.andrewsinternational.com/
Brink’s Company: Brink’s does more than home security, they provide airport security, cash management, etc. They have been around since 1859, providing protection for horse drawn carriages carrying money. They have come a long way since those days, and working for Brink’s is a prestigious position in security. The website is: http://www.brinks.com/
AlliedBarton: is a private security department that has become very successful throughout the US. The company provides guards for the protection of anything from schools to chemical industries and everything in between. The website is: http://www.alliedbarton.com/
ADT: arguably the largest home security company in the United States. They need and rely on armed guards as part of their security infrastructure. The website is: http://www.adt.com/
In addition to these groups, and for those armed guard looking for more serious security work, there are companies that hire people for other private almost military type organizations that hire people to serve and protect the world. Some of the most well-known and successful groups are companies such as G4S, ICTS, GK Sierra, Triple Canopy, etc. These companies are known for higher the best of the best armed guards. If you are looking to go into armed security to make a difference in the world, to serve and protect (but don’t want to work for the federal government by going into the military, or have already done that) these armed security companies may be a great option for you.