GEORGIA BOARD OF PRIVATE DETECTIVE AND SECURITY AGENCIES
The Georgia Board of Private
Detective and Security Agencies ("The Board") is charged with the
responsibility of regulating and monitoring the certain aspects of
security guard training and licensing in the State of Georgia. The Board was
created with a primary public interest purpose in mind --
to safeguard
the citizens of Georgia by regulating the security business.
Having been appointed by the Governor, the seven (7) members of the Board are statutorily granted the authority to:
(1) Set the qualification for licensing and regulation;
(2) Review the applications during meetings;
(3) Administer the security guard examinations;
(4) Grant licenses to qualified applicants;
(5) Regulate security guard licensees throughout Georgia; and
(6) Investigate complaints and, if appropriate, take disciplinary action.
Meetings
of the Board are held in Macon,
Georgia and are public proceedings (i.e., anyone is permitted to attend)
However, anyone wanting to bring matters for the Board’s consideration
is required to submit a written notification or request to the office.
BOARD MEMBERS
1. Anthony "Tony" Biello – Chairman
2. Pam Griggs - Vice Chair
3. Timothy "Tim" Mitchell
4. John Villines
5. Vic Reynolds
6. James “Tripp” Mitchell
7. Antonio Long
Private
security companies are required to have a company license issued by the
Board. Armed security guards must also be registered with a security
company. Unarmed security guards are not required to be registered but
must have completed the minimum number of training requirements set by
board rule. The Board also licenses training instructors to regulate all
training requirements for licensure, registration, and weapon permits
required by the law.
INITIAL LICENSING REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A GEORGIA UNARMED SECURITY GUARD:
As
stated above, unarmed security guards need not be registered with the
Board to employed. However, because security guard agencies (i.e., the
companies that hire unarmed security guards) are regulated, these
companies typically based their hiring criterion as if the would-be
security guard was, in fact, required to be registered. Accordingly,
Georgia security guard agencies usually scrutinize the backgrounds of
their applicants. The following are the guidelines that the Board
considers in deciding whether to grant a license to an armed security
guard:
CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS
(1)
Upon receipt of an application for employee registration that indicates
a prior criminal record, the Board may register such employee who has
previously been convicted of a misdemeanor provided that:
(a)
The criminal record does not show evidence of disregard for the law,
which may be cause for the Board to deny any application for
registration.
(2)
Any felony conviction may be cause for the Board to reject an
application for employee registration. However, the Board may inquire
into the nature of the crime, the date of conviction or plea, and other
underlying facts and circumstances surrounding such criminal conviction
and, in its discretion, may allow the employee to be registered.
WHITE CARD VS
BLUE CARD
White
Card
Firearm license issued by the Probate Court to
be used in the personal defense of one’s self. This license cannot be used to work any type of security in the state of Georgia. It is only used for ones personal self defense.
Blue Card
License issued
by the Georgia Board of Private Detectives and Security Agencies to be used
by licensed security officers, and private detectives in the performance of their duties. This card is only used while the security officer is on duty. It is not to be used as the "White Card" above, for ones own self defense. These are both, two separate licenses that must be used for its individual intended purpose.
NOTE: As of this year the
Blue Card License is no longer issued. Once approved, the applicant simply prints out a digitized copy of the license applied for.
