TRAINING LEVELS
Level II, Non Commissioned Officer
Training course shall be completed by all applicants for a security officer commission or for a license as a non-commissioned security officer. The course material shall be prepared or approved by the department. A certificate indicating Level II training shall be submitted to the department with the required application. (6) classroom hours completion of Level II training may be taught by the licensee's designee, or a department approved school and department approved instructor using the most current version of the respective department Level II training course manual.
Level III, Commissioned Officer
Training course shall be completed by all applicants for a security officer commission. The course material shall be prepared by and obtained from the department. A certificate indicating completion of Level III training including gun range training shall be submitted to the department along with the application to license the individual. (45) classroom hours shall be offered by department approved personal protection officer training schools. Level III training must be taught by a department approved school and a department approved instructor.
Level IV, Personal Protection Officer
Training course shall be completed by all applicants for a personal protection officer license. The course material shall consist of a minimum of fifteen (15) classroom hours and shall be offered by department approved personal protection officer training schools and taught by department approved personal protection training instructors. All training shall be conducted with a department approved instructor present during all instruction. All students of a personal protection officer training course shall be tested with an examination prepared by and obtained from the department.
P.I. Private Investigation
Investigation Company Representative Experience:
Pursuant to Occ. Code Section 1702.114 and TAC 35.121, investigator experience must meet one of the following qualifications; three (3) consecutive years of investigation related experience; a bachelor's degree in criminal justice or related course of study; or a bachelor's degree with twelve (12) months of investigation related experience; or an associate degree in criminal justice or related course of study, with twenty-four (24) months of investigation related experience; or a specialized course of study directly designed for and related to the private investigation profession, taught and presented through affiliation with a four (4) year college or university accredited and recognized by the State of Texas. This course of study must be endorsed by the four (4) year college or university's department of criminal justice program and include a departmental faculty member(s) on its instructional faculty. This course of study must consist of a minimum of two hundred (200) instructional hours including coverage of ethics, the Private Security Act, and Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 35. Other combinations of education and investigation related experience may be substituted for the above at the discretion of the department or its designated representative. The degrees referenced above must be affiliated with a college or university recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, or other accreditation organization recognized by the State of Texas.
Continued education P.I.
Training course with more than fifteen (15) years of continued licensure as a private investigator shall complete a total of twelve (12) hours of continuing education, eight (8) hours of which must relate to investigations, two (2) hours of which must cover ethics, and two (2) hours of which must involve the review of the Act and the rules of this chapter. Private investigators with less than fifteen (15) years of continued licensure as a private investigator shall complete a total of eighteen (18) hours of continuing education, fourteen (14) of which must relate to investigations, two (2) hours of which must cover ethics, and two (2) hours of which must involve the review of the Act and the rules of this chapter. Any individual licensed as a private investigator who fails to complete the required continuing education during the twenty-four (24) months of initial licensure is not eligible to make a new or renewal application until such time as the training requirement for the previous licensure period has been satisfied.
Firearm Proficiency
Commissioned security officers shall submit a firearms proficiency certificate along with the renewal application. Commissioned security officers and personal protection officers shall complete six (6) hours of continuing education. This training course must be administered by a licensed Level III Training School and taught by a licensed Level III Instructor. The demonstration of firearm proficiency must be completed within 90 days of the renewal application date.
LTC GUN Training, LICENSE TO CARRY
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) administers the Handgun Licensing Program under the authority of the Texas Government Code Chapter 411, Subchapter H. DPS licenses individuals to carry handguns within Texas, evaluates the eligibility of applicants through criminal history background checks, and monitors those currently licensed to ensure their continued eligibility. DPS also trains and certifies License To Carry (LTC) instructors who teach the required course to applicants.
House Bill 1927 (Permitless Carry) does not repeal the License to Carry Program (LTC), established by Government Code Chapter 411, Subchapter H. The department is still required to process applications, conduct background checks, and produce a laminated license for those who qualify.
