Licensing in Alaska
Alaska security guards and security guard agencies are licensed by the commissioner of public safety (Alaska Department of Public Safety) under AS 18.65.400 to 18.65.490. The detailed rules are in 13 AAC 60. A person may not be employed as a security guard until licensed, apart from the short temporary period described below.
Under AS 18.65.490, a security guard is a person in the business of acting as a private watchman, providing patrol services, or providing other services to prevent the theft, misappropriation or concealment of goods, money or valuable documents.
Who can be licensed
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be a US citizen or a resident alien with a work permit.
- Not be addicted to or dependent on alcohol, narcotics or other drugs.
- Have no felony conviction within 10 years before applying, unless fully pardoned.
- Not have a mental illness that impairs memory, reason, judgment or perception.
- Meet the bonding or insurance rules and complete preassignment training.
The application
Under 13 AAC 60.060, you use the department's form, sign it in front of a notary, and include a waist-up photo taken within 30 days, two sets of fingerprints, proof of bonding or insurance and the fees. The department then issues a license identification card. The card remains the property of the state, and you may not let anyone else use or hold it.
Required training
Under 13 AAC 60.110, Alaska sets training hours rather than a state written exam. Make sure each course is documented, because you certify your training when you renew.
| Stage | Hours | When |
|---|---|---|
| Preassignment training on the guard's duties | At least 8 | Before a temporary permit is issued or the application is sent |
| Inservice training | 40 | Within 180 days after employment |
| Refresher course (must be passed) | At least 8 | Every year |
Inservice topics include arrest authority, search and seizure, your obligations to your employer and the client, fire prevention, first aid and patrol methods. The refresher covers the same subjects. Failing the refresher may be grounds for revoking your license.
Temporary work, renewal and armed guards
Temporary work
Under 13 AAC 60.130, you may work for a licensed agency on a temporary basis for no more than 30 days while your license is pending. The agency must make reasonable inquiries to confirm you qualify, your completed application and fee must be with the department, and the agency manager must note your temporary status on the form.
Renewal
Under AS 18.65.430, a license is valid for two years and may be renewed for more two-year terms. Under 13 AAC 60.080, the renewal must reach the department at least 30 days before expiration. It includes a list of the agencies you worked for, proof of bonding or insurance, an affirmation that you still qualify, and certification of your training.
Armed guards
Under 13 AAC 60.085, an armed guard needs at least 8 hours of firearms preassignment training covering lawful use of firearms, handling, safety and maintenance. The instructor must be certified by a law enforcement agency, or be an agency employee with a nationally recognized instructor certification. Armed guards must show competence with the issued firearm in an annual practice firing review, and affirm that they are not barred from having a firearm.
Doing the job well
Your main job is to observe, deter and report. Call the police for crimes in progress and leave police work to police.
Watching, being visible and reporting are the core of unarmed security work.
- Observe: watch people, places and activity carefully
- Deter: a visible, alert officer discourages crime
- Report: pass on what you see by radio, phone or written report
Patrol methods
Patrol methods are part of your inservice training. Vary your route and timing, check doors, windows, lights and exits, and report anything unusual.
Changing your patrol route and timing makes it harder for anyone to predict where you will be.
- A predictable route that follows the same loop every time
- An irregular route that changes its order and timing
Fire prevention
A fire needs heat, fuel and oxygen. Remove one and it goes out. Report hazards, keep exits clear and know where extinguishers and alarms are.
Taking away heat, fuel or oxygen stops a fire.
- Heat
- Fuel
- Oxygen
First aid
First aid is also an inservice topic. Check that the scene is safe before you help. Call 911 for anyone who is seriously hurt, not breathing or unresponsive, and give care only to the level of your training. Write down what you saw and what you did.
Arrest, search and your limits
As a private person, your power to arrest is limited, and searching a person or their property usually needs their consent or a clear rule on your site. Most of the time the safest choice is to watch, record details and call the police. If you do use force, use only what is reasonable and stop when the threat stops.
If your site allows consent searches, follow a careful, recorded process.
- Ask for permission first
- A searcher of the same sex, where possible
- A witness watching
- A careful, systematic search
- Record the search in writing
Notes and reports
Write notes as soon as you can while details are fresh. A good report answers who, what, when, where, why and how, records facts rather than opinions, and quotes people's exact words when possible. Your reports may be read by police, insurers and courts.
Key terms
The 16 words and rules to know for this test. Read the list or study them as flashcards: flip each card, then mark it "Know it" or "Still learning".
- Commissioner of public safety
- Licenses Alaska security guards and agencies through the Alaska Department of Public Safety under AS 18.65.400 to 18.65.490.
- 13 AAC 60
- The Alaska regulations that set the detailed rules for security guard licensing, training and renewal.
- Security guard (AS 18.65.490)
- A person in the business of acting as a private watchman, providing patrol, or preventing theft of goods, money or valuable documents.
- Eligibility
- You must be at least 18, a US citizen or resident alien with a work permit, and have no felony within 10 years unless pardoned.
- Notarized application
- Signed in front of a notary, with a waist-up photo taken within 30 days, two sets of fingerprints and proof of bonding or insurance.
- License identification card
- Issued by the department after approval. It stays the property of the state, and no one else may use or hold it.
- Preassignment training
- At least 8 hours on the guard's duties, finished before a temporary permit is issued or the application is sent.
- Inservice training
- 40 hours completed within 180 days after employment, covering arrest authority, search and seizure, fire prevention, first aid and patrol.
- Annual refresher
- A course of at least 8 hours that must be passed every year. Failing it may be grounds for revoking your license.
- 30-day temporary work
- Under 13 AAC 60.130, you may work for a licensed agency for no more than 30 days while your license is pending.
- Two-year license
- An Alaska guard license is valid for two years. The renewal must reach the department at least 30 days before expiration.
- Armed guard training
- At least 8 hours of firearms preassignment training plus an annual practice firing review with the issued firearm.
- Observe, deter and report
- The guard's main job. Call the police for crimes in progress and leave police work to police.
- Limited arrest power
- As a private person your power to arrest is limited. A security license does not give you police powers.
- Search consent
- Searching a person or their property usually needs their consent or a clear rule on your site.
- Good report
- Answers who, what, when, where, why and how, records facts not opinions, and quotes exact words when possible.