DC Rules & Licensing
Not publishedof exam
Authority & Limits
Not publishedof exam
Use of Force
Not publishedof exam
Emergency & Terrorism
Not publishedof exam
Patrol & Access Control
Not publishedof exam
Reports & Communications
Not publishedof exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- DC Security Officer
- Regulator
- DLCP + MPD SOMB
- Test
- Pearson VUE CBT
- Questions
- ~40 multiple-choice
- Time
- 1 hour
- Pass
- 70%
- Min age
- 18 (SPO 21)
- Training
- 24 hrs + 16 OJT
- Fees
- $103 + $35 check
- Card
- Renew every 2 yrs
Security Officer vs SPO
Security Officer
- No arrest power
- Usually unarmed
- Written exam required
Special Police Officer
- Arrest on premises
- May be armed
- No written exam
Observe vs arrest
Licensing & Regulators
- DLCP
- Processes SO licenses
- MPD SOMB
- Final signoff, oversight
- Pearson VUE
- Administers written exam
- DCMR 17-21
- Security officer rules
- DCMR 6A-11
- Special police rules
- Mayor
- Commissions SPOs
Eligibility & Training
- Min age
- 18 SO, 21 SPO
- Citizenship
- US citizen or permit
- Pre-assignment
- 24 hours classroom
- OJT
- 16 hours, 90 days
- In-service
- 8 hours yearly
- Background
- FBI check, $35
- Drug test
- 6-panel screening
- Physical
- Exam within 90 days
Commission Card
- Purpose
- Proves authorization
- Carry
- On person on duty
- Show
- Produce on request
- Renewal
- Every two years
- Sponsor
- Licensed agency required
- Lost card
- Report immediately
Detain vs Arrest
Detain
- Brief investigative hold
- Reasonable suspicion
- Await police
Arrest
- Custodial seizure
- Probable cause
- Deliver to police
Hold vs take custody
Detain or Release
- Suspect theft, unsure→Observe, gather facts(Confirm elements)
- Felony in presence→Citizen's arrest allowed(§ 23-582(b))
- No probable cause→Do not detain(False arrest risk)
- Detained lawfully→Call police promptly(No delay)
- Trespasser refuses→Warn, then call police(Document it)
- Person wants to leave→Cannot hold without cause(Avoid liability)
Arrest & Detention Law
- SO power
- Private person only
- Citizen's arrest
- Felony in your presence
- § 23-582(b)
- Private-person arrest rule
- Probable cause
- Facts showing crime
- Deliver
- To police without delay
- SPO arrest
- Police-like on premises
- § 23-582(a)
- Special police warrantless arrest
- Fresh pursuit
- Chase off-premises offenders
Observe-Report vs Intervene
Observe & Report
- Default SO role
- Document, notify
- Low liability
Intervene
- Only if necessary
- Imminent danger
- Higher liability
Eyes and ears first
Limits & Liability
- Search
- Needs consent or authority
- Reasonable suspicion
- Articulable facts, not hunch
- False imprisonment
- Unlawful detention
- False arrest
- No legal grounds
- Miranda
- Not required (private)
- Duty of care
- Prevent foreseeable harm
- Civil liability
- Sued for negligence
- Respondeat superior
- Employer held liable
Suspicion vs Probable Cause
Reasonable Suspicion
- Articulable facts
- Justifies brief stop
- Lower certainty
Probable Cause
- Facts show crime
- Justifies arrest
- Higher standard
Stop vs arrest
False vs Lawful Detention
False Imprisonment
- No legal grounds
- Against their will
- Civil and criminal
Lawful Detention
- Probable cause
- Reasonable time, manner
- Prompt police
Grounds make the difference
Citizen vs SPO Arrest
Citizen's Arrest
- Private-person power
- Felony in presence
- Any SO uses
SPO Arrest
- Police-like on premises
- Commissioned authority
- Fresh pursuit
Private vs commissioned
Force Continuum
Presence, Voice, Empty-hand, Less-lethal, Deadly
Presence: visibilityVoice: commandsEmpty-hand: controlLess-lethal: baton/OCDeadly: last resort
Reasonable vs Deadly Force
Reasonable Force
- Proportional, minimum
- Any threat level
- Most situations
Deadly Force
- Death or serious harm
- Imminent only
- Never for property
Proportion vs last resort
Use-of-Force Picker
- Subject present, compliant→Officer presence(Visibility)
- Not complying→Verbal commands(De-escalate)
- Passive resistance→Soft controls(Guide, escort)
- Active resistance→Hard controls(Holds, strikes)
- Armed SPO, threat→Less-lethal tools(Baton, OC)
- Imminent death threat→Deadly force(Last resort)
Use of Force
- Continuum
- Presence to deadly force
- Reasonable force
- Minimum, proportional
- Deadly force
- Imminent death threat only
- Not property
- Never protect property alone
- De-escalation
- Verbal first, stay calm
- Reactionary gap
- Keep 6-foot distance
- Baton
- SO's only weapon
- Document
- Report every use
Fire Extinguisher PASS
Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
Pull: pinAim: baseSqueeze: handleSweep: side to side
Emergency Response Picker
- Unattended package→Evacuate, call police(No touch)
- White powder found→Isolate, call 911(Treat hazmat)
- Fire alarm sounds→Evacuate occupants(No elevators)
- Small contained fire→PASS extinguisher(If trained)
- Active shooter→Run, Hide, Fight(In order)
- Person collapses→Call 911, start CPR(Use AED)
Emergency Response
- Suspicious package
- Don't touch, evacuate, call
- Unknown substance
- Isolate, 911, no touch
- Fire alarm
- Evacuate, no elevators
- Active shooter
- Run, Hide, Fight
- Bomb threat
- Note details, notify
- Medical
- Call 911, CPR/AED
- Evacuation
- Direct exits, check stragglers
- Terrorism
- Report suspicious activity
Active Shooter
Run first, Hide next, Fight last
Run: escapeHide: barricadeFight: last resortCall 911 when safe
Fire & First Aid
- PASS
- Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
- Class A
- Wood, paper, cloth
- Class B
- Flammable liquids
- Class C
- Electrical fires
- Class K
- Kitchen grease
- RACE
- Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish
- AED
- Use when available
Suspicious Package
Don't touch, Evacuate, Isolate, Notify
No touch or moveClear the areaSet a perimeterCall law enforcement
Patrol & Access Control
- Patrol purpose
- Deter and detect
- Vary routes
- Stay unpredictable
- Situational awareness
- Know your baseline
- Post orders
- Site-specific instructions
- Tailgating
- Unauthorized entry behind
- Key control
- Sign in/out, secure
- Visitor log
- Record all visitors
- CCTV
- Monitor and record
Report Elements
Who, What, When, Where, Why, How
Who: peopleWhat: happenedWhen: timeWhere: locationWhy: causeHow: method
Report or Notify
- Routine shift events→Daily activity report(DAR)
- Incident occurred→Incident report(Six elements)
- Crime discovered→Secure, call police(Chain of custody)
- Evidence found→Do not touch(Document distance)
- Radio a message→Press, pause, speak(10-codes)
Reports & Records
- DAR
- Daily activity report
- Incident report
- Six elements, factual
- Field notes
- Contemporaneous details
- Chain of custody
- Track evidence handoff
- Crime scene
- Secure, don't touch
- Objectivity
- Facts, not opinions
Radio & Conduct
- 10-4
- Received, understood
- PTT
- Press, pause, speak
- Concise
- Brief, plain language
- Confidentiality
- Protect information
- Bribery
- Decline and report
- Professionalism
- Courteous, impartial
- Customer service
- Assist tourists, visitors
Common Traps
Officer vs SPO
SO has no arrest ≠ SPO arrests on premises
Detain vs arrest
Detain is brief hold ≠ Arrest is custody
Suspicion vs cause
Suspicion allows stop ≠ Cause allows arrest
Reasonable vs deadly
Reasonable is proportional ≠ Deadly needs death threat
Observe vs intervene
Default is report ≠ Intervene only if needed
Age 18 vs 21
SO minimum is 18 ≠ SPO minimum is 21
Consent vs search
No search without consent ≠ Police need warrants
Last Minute
- 1.Regulator: DLCP + MPD SOMB
- 2.Test: Pearson VUE, pass 70%
- 3.SO min age 18; SPO 21
- 4.Training: 24 classroom + 16 OJT
- 5.SO = observe and report
- 6.SO has NO arrest power
- 7.SPO arrests on premises only
- 8.Citizen's arrest: felony in presence
- 9.Deliver detainee to police promptly
- 10.Deadly force: imminent death only
- 11.No search without consent
- 12.Package: don't touch, evacuate, call
- 13.Powder: isolate, call 911
- 14.Active shooter: Run, Hide, Fight
- 15.Incident report: six elements, factual
- 16.Card: carry, renew 2 yrs
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