HRS § 463-10.5 - Guards; registration, instruction, training, testing, and continuing education required; renewal of registration

(a) Effective July 1, 2013, all guards, and all agents, operatives, and assistants employed by a guard agency, private business entity, or government agency who act in a guard capacity shall apply to register with the board, and meet the following registration, instruction, and training requirements prior to acting as a guard: (1) Be not less than eighteen years of age; (2) Possess a high school education or its equivalent; (3) Not be presently suffering from any psychiatric or psychological disorder which is directly related and detrimental to a person's performance in the profession; and (4) Not have been convicted in any jurisdiction of a crime which reflects unfavorably on the fitness of the individual to act as a guard, unless the conviction has been annulled or expunged by court order; provided that the individual shall submit to a national criminal history record check as authorized by federal law, including but not limited to the Private Security Officer Employment Authorization Act of 2004, and specified in the rules of the board. The board shall determine whether an individual qualifies for registration pursuant to this subsection. (b) All classroom instruction required under this section shall be provided by an instructor who is approved by the board and who may be an employee, manager, or owner of a guard agency in this State if the course of study meets board-approved curricula. Course curricula shall meet the specific standards of this section and all other applicable requirements of this chapter, and shall be established by the board. (c) Guards and individuals acting in a guard capacity shall successfully complete the classroom instruction specified by this section, pass a written test, and undergo four hours of on-the-job training supervised by an individual who has successfully completed all of the requirements of this section or who has otherwise been approved by the board for on-the-job training. Guards and individuals acting in a guard capacity shall successfully complete: (1) Eight hours of classroom instruction before the first day of service; and (2) Four hours of classroom instruction biennially thereafter; provided that in addition to relevant guard industry material, the required classroom instruction shall include a refresher component on professional image and aloha training. (d) The content of classroom instruction required under this section shall include, but not be limited to: (1) State and federal law regarding the legal limitations on the actions of guards, including instruction in the law concerning arrest, search and seizure, and the use of force as these issues relate to guard work; (2) Access control, safety, fire detection and reporting, and emergency response; (3) Homeland security issues and procedures; (4) When and how to notify public authorities; (5) Techniques of observation and reporting of incidents, including how to prepare an incident report; (6) The fundamentals of patrolling; (7) Professional ethics; and (8) Professional image and aloha training. (e) Before beginning employment as a guard or in a guard capacity, in addition to the classroom instruction required by this section, guards and individuals acting in a guard capacity who carry a firearm or other weapon, including but not limited to an electric gun as defined in section 134-1, while on-duty in a guard capacity shall possess a valid permit to acquire the ownership of a firearm issued by county police pursuant to section 134-2 and shall satisfy the requirements of section 134-2(g). (f) The board may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 that mandate additional training, instruction, testing, and continuing education for guards and agents, operatives, and assistants employed in a guard capacity. (g) Prior to the June 30, 2016, renewal of the guard registration and every registration renewal thereafter, the applicant shall pay all required fees, and have had at least four hours of continuing education as specified in the rules of the board. The board may conduct a random audit, pursuant to rules adopted pursuant to chapter 91, of registrants applying for renewal of a registration to determine whether the continuing education requirements of this subsection have been met. The failure, neglect, or refusal of any registered guard to pay the renewal fee or meet the continuing education requirements shall constitute a forfeiture of the guard's registration. A forfeited registration may be restored upon written application within one year from the date of forfeiture, payment of the required renewal fee plus penalty fees, and meeting the continuing education requirements in effect at the time of restoration. [L 2010, c 208, §1; am L 2014, c 94, §2]