Curriculum + Examination Rules
Not publishedof exam
Rule 5N-1.140FDACS-P-01878Exam MechanicsSubject Counts
Legal Authority + Limits
Not publishedof exam
Chapter 493Private-Citizen LimitsReasonable ForceRetail Detention
Conduct + Communications
Not publishedof exam
Officer RoleProfessional ConductDe-escalationClient Relations
Observation + Protection
Not publishedof exam
Incident ReportsAccess ControlPatrolsPhysical Security
Emergency + Medical Response
Not publishedof exam
Emergency PlansFire SafetyHazMat AwarenessFirst Aid
Threats + Special Issues
Not publishedof exam
Terrorism AwarenessEvent SecurityWorkplace ViolenceWeapons Awareness
Quick Facts
- Curriculum
- 40 hours
- Administration
- Licensed school
- Format
- Approved examination(s)
- Question total
- 170
- Testing floor
- Not less than 2 hours
- Passing mark
- 128 correct
- True/false cap
- 50% per subject
- Subject areas
- 18
- Training certificate
- FDACS-16103
- Certificate timing
- Within 3 business days
- Current fees
- $97.75 total
- Domain weights
- Not published
Training Certificate vs License
FDACS-16103
- Proves training
- School issues form
- Supports application
Class D license
- FDACS credential
- Authorizes unarmed work
- $45 license fee
Training proof is not licensure
Rule Mechanics
- Required curriculum
- 40 hours
- Exam administration
- Licensed school
- Permitted format
- One or multiple examinations
- Combined total
- 170 questions
- Minimum testing
- Not less than two hours
- Passing requirement
- 128 correct
- True/false limit
- Maximum 50% each subject
- Certificate
- Form FDACS-16103
- Certificate deadline
- Within three business days
- Retake procedure
- Ask licensed school
One vs Multiple Examinations
One examination
- School-administered option
- Still totals 170
Multiple examinations
- School-administered option
- Combined total 170
Statewide totals stay identical
Official Subject Counts
- Legal Aspects
- 26 questions
- Officer Role
- 9 questions
- Officer Conduct
- 13 questions
- Communications
- 9 questions
- Observation + Reporting
- 17 questions
- Access Control
- 4 questions
- Patrols
- 4 questions
- Safeguarding Information
- 4 questions
- Physical Security
- 4 questions
- Interviewing
- 4 questions
- Emergency Preparedness
- 6 questions
- Safety Awareness
- 11 questions
- Medical Emergencies
- 19 questions
- Terrorism
- 11 questions
- Event Security
- 4 questions
- Communications Systems
- 4 questions
- Special Issues
- 17 questions
- Weapons
- 4 questions
Application + Fees
- Minimum age
- 18 years
- Training proof
- Required with application
- Class D license
- $45
- Fingerprint processing
- $42
- Fingerprint retention
- $10.75
- Current fee total
- $97.75
- Training tuition
- Separate provider cost
- Certificate vs license
- Different documents
Class D vs Class G
Class D
- Unarmed duties
- Forty-hour training
- No firearm authority
Class G
- Firearm add-on
- Separate training
- Duty authorization needed
Class D remains unarmed
Detention + Force Scan
- Authority is unclear→Observe and report(Avoid detention)
- Retail probable cause exists→Use reasonable detention(Call police immediately)
- Person cooperates→Use verbal direction(No force needed)
- Resistance begins→Reassess necessity(Stay proportional)
- Threat ends→Stop force(Never punish)
- Lawful arrest completed→Transfer to police(No unnecessary delay)
Reasonable vs Excessive Force
Reasonable force
- Lawful purpose
- Necessary amount
- Proportional response
Excessive force
- Beyond necessity
- Punitive response
- Creates liability
Need ends force ends
Detention + Force
- Retail detention basis
- Probable cause
- Detention manner
- Must be reasonable
- Detention duration
- Must be reasonable
- Police notification
- Call immediately
- Nondeadly force
- Imminent unlawful force
- Deadly force
- Imminent extreme harm
- Force amount
- Necessary and proportional
- Punitive force
- Never justified
- False imprisonment
- Detention without authority
- Stand Your Ground
- Not firearm authorization
De-escalate vs Disengage
De-escalate
- Dialogue remains safe
- Offer clear choices
- Use calm tone
Disengage
- Immediate danger
- Create distance
- Call police
Safety controls communication time
Conduct + Communication
- Professional standard
- Calm firm respectful
- Post orders
- Site-specific duties
- Client
- Contracts security services
- Customer
- Receives on-post service
- Active listening
- Attend paraphrase clarify
- De-escalation
- Distance tone choices limits
- Media request
- Refer designated spokesperson
- Confidentiality
- Share only when authorized
- Bias
- Apply rules consistently
Six Report Questions
Who, What, When, Where, Why, How
People involvedEvents observedTime and placeReasons and sequence
Interview vs Interrogation
Interview
- Gather information
- Open questions
- Build rapport
Interrogation
- Accusatory approach
- Presumes guilt
- Generally police function
Gather facts without coercion
Observation + Reporting
- Observation cycle
- Perceive recognize recall
- Common barriers
- Fatigue lighting distance bias
- Six interrogatives
- Who what when where why how
- Report voice
- Factual objective specific
- Direct statements
- Quote exact words
- Handwritten correction
- Single line and initials
- Crime scene
- Isolate and protect
- Evidence handling
- Avoid movement contamination
- Chain of custody
- Document every handler
- Court testimony
- Firsthand facts only
OPSEC Cycle
Identify, analyze, assess, protect
Critical informationThreats and vulnerabilitiesRisk assessmentApply countermeasures
Fact vs Opinion
Fact
- Observed action
- Exact quote
- Specific time
Opinion
- Assumed motive
- Unsupported label
- Emotional conclusion
Describe observations precisely
Protective Operations
- Access question
- Verify current authorization
- Visitor control
- Identify verify log
- Patrol purpose
- Observe deter detect report
- Patrol patterns
- Vary route and timing
- Key control
- Log issue and return
- OPSEC
- Protect critical information
- CCTV
- Deters records monitors
- Locks
- Delay unauthorized entry
- Interview
- Non-accusatory information gathering
- Leading questions
- Can taint recall
PASS Extinguisher
Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
Pull pinAim at baseSqueeze handleSweep sidewise
Emergency Scene Scan
- Hazard appears→Check scene safety(Avoid second victim)
- Life threat exists→Call emergency services(Give exact location)
- Evacuation is ordered→Follow emergency plan(Use assembly point)
- Small fire is safe→Use trained response(Keep escape route)
- HazMat is suspected→Isolate and notify(Do not clean)
- Scene stabilizes→Document actions(Preserve evidence)
Emergency + Safety
- First priority
- Protect life
- Response basis
- Emergency action plan
- Fire discovery
- Alarm call evacuate
- Extinguisher use
- Small safe trained only
- PASS
- Pull aim squeeze sweep
- Bomb threat
- Record exact details
- Suspicious package
- Do not touch
- HazMat role
- Recognize isolate notify
- Safe positioning
- Uphill upwind when practical
- Evacuation
- Routes assembly accountability
Medical Response
- Scene safety
- Before patient contact
- Medical scope
- Basic trained actions
- Unresponsive adult
- Call EMS start CPR
- AED
- Follow voice prompts
- Severe bleeding
- Firm direct pressure
- Shock
- Warm monitor call EMS
- Spinal concern
- Avoid unnecessary movement
- Universal precautions
- Treat blood as hazardous
- Bloodborne risks
- HBV HCV HIV
- Good Samaritan
- Good-faith civil protection
Run Hide Fight
Escape, shelter, resist only last
Run when safeHide when trappedFight last resort
Threat Response Scan
- Suspicious behavior appears→Record specific facts(Avoid profiling)
- Package seems suspicious→Do not touch(Create distance)
- Threat becomes immediate→Protect life(Call police)
- Escape route is safe→Run(Leave belongings)
- Escape is impossible→Hide(Silence devices)
- Life remains endangered→Fight last(Only last resort)
Threats + Special Issues
- Suspicious activity
- Report behavior not identity
- CBRNE
- Chemical biological radiological nuclear explosive
- Active shooter
- Run hide fight
- Police arrival
- Hands visible follow directions
- Workplace violence
- Recognize report protect life
- Crowd density
- Escalating safety risk
- Traffic direction
- Private-property role
- Radio traffic
- Brief clear professional
- Class D weapons
- Awareness only
- Duty firearm
- Requires Class G
Common Traps
Examination vs examinations
One or multiple allowed ≠ Combined total stays 170
Testing floor vs limit
Two hours minimum ≠ School may allow longer
True/false cap scope
Applies each subject ≠ Not overall pool
Question counts vs weights
Counts are official ≠ Domain percentages unpublished
Certificate vs license
School issues certificate ≠ FDACS issues license
Class D vs firearm
Class D is unarmed ≠ Class G is separate
Observe vs police powers
Private-citizen authority ≠ No general police powers
Interview vs interrogation
Use non-coercive questions ≠ Avoid forced confession
Body language vs proof
Cues are not conclusive ≠ Record observable facts
Provider policy vs statewide
School controls scheduling ≠ No universal retake rule
Last Minute
- 1.Curriculum = 40 hours
- 2.Approved examination(s) total 170
- 3.Testing = at least 2 hours
- 4.Passing = 128 correct
- 5.True/false = 50% maximum each subject
- 6.Form FDACS-16103 within 3 business days
- 7.Current fees total $97.75
- 8.All domain weights = Not published
- 9.Legal Aspects = 26 questions
- 10.Medical Emergencies = 19 questions
- 11.Observation and Special Issues = 17 each
- 12.Class D means unarmed
- 13.Observe and report first
- 14.Force stays necessary and proportional
- 15.Reports answer six interrogatives
- 16.Life safety outranks property
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