Security Guards Safety Course
History/Background
On the commencement of the Weapons Act 1990 (the Act), persons seeking to obtain a Security Licence (Guard) were required to undertake and successfully complete a course of training in the safe handling and use of weapons as may be prescribed. The last version of this prescribed course was approved by the Commissioner, Queensland Police Service on 12 December 1994.
In May 1996, the Australasian Police Ministers’ Council (APMC) agreed to a number of resolutions in order to bring about uniform national firearms laws and relevant training. It was agreed that all jurisdictions would require first time licence applicants to complete an accredited course in firearms safety training. The accreditation was to be by an appropriate authority and there was also to be a system of accredited trainers to bring prospective licensees to the required standard. The course was to focus on firearms law, firearms safety and firearms competency.
In January 1997, the Act was amended to make completion of ‘a course approved by the Commissioner of Police’ a requirement for firearms licensing in Queensland. In May 1997 the Queensland Police Service had accredited a short course, the Weapons Act Security Guard Licensing Course. The Commissioner approved the Weapons Act Security Guard Licensing Course as the course approved under the Act for security industry weapons licensing in Queensland. This short course was subject to review and amendment on 24 November 1998.
During 1997 and 1998 Property Services Training Australian (PSTA) developed the National Training Package for Asset Security (PRS98), which was endorsed by the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) in December 1998. The package was modified in 2002 with the addition of units relating to firearms and defensive tactics.
Effective from 1 July 2003, Units of competence from the PRS98 package, assessed against the non-endorsed approved formal assessment instruments, were approved by the Commissioner as the training course for the purposes of section 10A(2)(a) and 124 of the Act, for security guard licensing.
PSTA redeveloped the PRS98 package subsequently introducing the Asset Security Training Package (PRS03) in its place. PRS03 has been endorsed by ANTA. The implementation phase of the transition from the PRS98 to the PRS03 commenced in July 2003.
Consultation with industry has resulted in support for the adoption of the competency standards contained in the PRS98 and PRS03 as the mandatory (minimum) requirement for licensing purposes. It was identified during the consultation that there is a continuing need for a standard set of assessment instruments to be used. These assessment instruments have been approved as non-endorsed ‘formal assessment instruments’ and are to be utilised for licensing purposes in Queensland.
The assessment instruments that are available as Support Materials for the Use of Firearms & Defensive Tactics - PRS98 can be located in the PRS98 training package. A mapping exercise was conducted identifying the equivalent units of competence in both the PRS98 and the PRS03 training packages and deficiencies within the current assessment materials. These deficiencies will be addressed in the near future.
On 22 March 2004 the Commissioner approved the amended training requirements for the issue of a ‘security licence (guard)’ under sections 10A(2)(a) and 124 of the Act. The amended training requirements were effective from 1 February 2004 to coincide with changes to the Security Providers Act Training requirements.
During 2006 and 2007 the PRS03 Asset Security Training Package was reviewed and incorporated in the CPP07 Property Services Training Package released in May 2007. The Construction and Property Services Industry Training Skills Council developed a series of non-endorsed Formal Assessment Tools in consultation with representatives of the security industry and licensing authorities from each jurisdiction including Weapons Licensing (QPS).
On 15 June 2009 the Commissioner approved the specific units of competence from CPP07 Property Services Training Package in 2007 as the requirements for the issue of a 'security licence (guard)' under sections 10A(2)(a) and 124 of the Act.
What is the Approved Course for Security Guard Licensing?
The course for security guard licensing is a competency-based course consisting of units of competence related to the issue of a security officer licence under the Security Providers Act 1993.
Additional units of competence related to categories C, E and H firearms, determining appropriate responses to security risk situations, maintaining security of environment and managing conflict through negotiation are drawn from the CPP07 PropertyTraining Package.
These units of competence are considered to be the minimum standards for persons seeking Weapons Act security guard licences in Queensland. Potential licence applicants choose the units of competence related to the specific categories of firearms for which Weapons Act licences will be sought.
Who are the Training Providers?
As part of their licence application, all persons seeking Weapons Act licences in Queensland are required to provide evidence of having successfully completed this course at a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
An RTO is a training organisation registered in accordance with the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF). RTO registration is the formal approval and recognition of a training organisation by a State or Territory registering body in accordance with the Standards for Registered Training Organisations the Australian Quality Training Framework 2007 (AQTF2007) and the Standards for State and Territory Registering/Course Accrediting Bodies. In Queensland an RTO is administered by the Department of Education and Training (DET). Information about RTO registration is available on the DET website located at: http://www.training.qld.gov.au/ .
The details of approved training providers for the CPP07 Property Services Training Package are available on the National Training Information Service (NTIS) website located at: http://www.ntis.gov.au/ .
Refer to the following section on the procedures to access NTIS to identify an RTO authorised to deliver an approved firearms safety training course.
Approved Training Requirements for a New Licence
| A: | For applicant who is a security guard - employed, who holds a Security Provider licence endorsed with Cash in Transit under the Security Providers Act 1993 and in compliance with section 48(1A) of the Weapons Regulation 1996.
CPP07 Property Services Training Package
Unit numbers followed by ** are to be assessed against the approved non-endorsed Formal Assessment Tool/s relevant to that unit. | ||||||||||||||||
| B: | For applicant who is a security guard - self employed guarding another person's property, who holds a Security Provider licence endorsed with Cash in Transit under the Security Providers Act 1993 and in compliance with section 48(1A) of the Weapons Regulation 1996.
CPP07 Property Services Training Package
Unit numbers followed by ** are to be assessed against the approved non-endorsed Formal Assessment Tool/s relevant to that unit. | ||||||||||||||||
| C: | For applicant who is a security guard - self employed guarding the person's property, and does not hold a Security Provider licence endorsed with Cash in Transit under the Security Providers Act 1993.
CPP07 Property Services Training Package
Unit numbers followed by ** are to be assessed against the approved non-endorsed Formal Assessment Tool/s relevant to that unit. |
For the formal assessment of competence in the DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM as required in Assessment Tools for CPPSEC3008A– Control Security Risk Using Firearms, the discharge of firearms must be completed in accordance with Security Licence (Guard) Shoot – Course of Fire for the category of firearm being used.
Approved Training Requirements for a Licence Renewal
For the renewal of a ‘security licence (guard)’ the Commissioner has approved, as a minimum requirement the completion of the following units assessed against the approved non-endorsed assessment material.
For applicant who is applying for the of a ‘security (licence) guard’ in compliance with section 47 of the Weapons Regulation 1996.
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CPP07 Property Services Training Package
Unit numbers followed by ** are to be assessed against the approved non-endorsed Formal Assessment Tool/s relevant to that unit. |
For the formal assessment of competence in the DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM as required in Assessment Tools for CPPSEC3008A– Control Security Risk Using Firearms, the discharge of firearms must be completed in accordance with Security Licence (Guard) Shoot – Course of Fire for the category of firearm being used.
Assessment Requirements
The Commissioner has approved that the following units of competence from the CPP07 package be assessed utilising the non-endorsed ‘formal assessment tools’ that are available as support materials for the package.
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CPP07 Property Services Training Package
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It is important to note that the approved non-endorsed assessment tools do not in all cases adequately assess all performance criteria, skills and knowledge, range statement and critical aspects; therefore it is incumbent upon the RTO to develop additional assessment material to assess the learner’s competence in all areas of the unit.
The approval by the Commissioner is subject to a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and trainers and assessors preparing and maintaining appropriate marking guides mapped to the non-endorsed ‘formal assessment instruments’ and the training package. This marking guide will be subject to audit.
Statements of Attainment
A Statement of Attainment is a formal certification in the VET sector by an RTO under the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) that a person has achieved:
- part of a qualification;
- one or more units of competency from a nationally endorsed Training Package; or
- all the units of competency comprising learning outcomes for an accredited course that does not meet the requirements for a qualification.
Statements of Attainment are to clearly show the category of weapon/s against which the course participant has been assessed and found competent, using the approved non-endorsed formal assessment instruments, to ensure that the licensing requirements have been satisfied.
Other Matters
The units of competence PRSFA04A, PRSFA05A and PRSFA06A from the PRS98 package and PRSS0318A and PRSS0317A from the PRS03 package, that relate to empty hand techniques, batons and handcuffs are not included in the minimum requirement, due to the fact that there is currently no licence regime in place. However, it is recommended these units be completed as a best practice measure, where persons have a reasonable excuse to possess such items as part of their duties.
Applicants for a ‘security licence (guard)’ are still required to hold a ‘security provider’s licence’ endorsed for ‘cash in transit’ issued under the Security Providers Act 1993 (Qld).
If a security guard fails to renew their current Weapons Act licence they will need to complete all the training requirements to obtain a new licence.
PROCEDURE TO IDENTIFY REGISTERED TRAINING ORGANISATIONS (RTO) AUTHORISED TO DELIVER APPROVED SECURITY INDUSTRY TRAINING (INCLUDING FIREARMS)
1. Access National Information Service search page at web address:
http://www.ntis.gov.au/Default.aspx?find
2. Enter “security firearms” in “search for” field. Check boxes for “RTOs” and “QLD”. Click on search.
3. Screen will display search results of all RTOs registered to deliver training in aspects of the security industry and firearms. It is necessary to access the information for each RTO in order to identify the qualifications delivered by that RTO, the jurisdiction they fall under and their contact details.
