Armed Security Guard Training Requirements in Colorado

The requirements for an armed security guard for the state of Colorado are centered on age requirements, laws concerning the duties of a security guard as well as security guard training.

For the requirements in obtaining a licensed armed security guard, all applicants must have the following:

• Applicants must at least be 18 years old
• Must have a valid driver’s license in the state of Colorado or any valid identification card
• Applicants must have a valid social security number
• Applicants must provide the make and model of a vehicle that will be used for transportation
• Must have three (3) letters of reference from non-family members to be submitted
• Must have a proof of background check submitted with the application as obtained from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) within 30 days of submission.
• A letter of intent must also be submitted. Usually this letter comes from the security company that will hire the applicant once they have obtained their license. This letter will entail their job description, duties, where they will be located or assigned and the date that they will be hired.
• Must have a medical certification signed by a licensed physician or medical assistant declaring that the applicant is free from any medical condition that will hinder them from their security guard duties.

Obtaining an armed security guard license is done on a city by city level as opposed to a statewide level. All application fees must be done through the City Clerk’s Office before submitting the application.

Armed security guards are given a mandatory class information sessions regarding crowd control, legal use of force, communication skills, legal and ethics issues, report writing, emergency training, health and safety and detainment of suspects. These are given to applicants before they receive their security guard license. They must undergo training and should have a certification before they are allowed to carry a firearm in the state of Colorado.

For weapons other than a firearm, an armed licensed security guard is allowed to carry a knife, nightstick and a single canister of mace. Similar to the ones that an unarmed guard is using, the knife should not be more than 3 ½ inches long. The nightstick should be no more than 26 inches in length and 1 ½ inches in diameter. A security guard must have taken an 8 hour training course regarding how to use the nightstick and the effects it will have on the other person. Any forced used that have caused injury to a person during their duty must be written as a report and must be submitted in complete detail of the incident to the Department of Excise and Licenses within 3 days of the incident. Keep in mind that any weapon that an armed security guard is issued to use must only be used to protect another person, stop the commission of a felony or to prevent an injury and not to harm another.

Like the unarmed security guard, an armed security guard can also be assigned to a public or private environment such as government offices, malls, schools, libraries, banks and other public buildings where security is needed.