July 14, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alex Haddox, M.Ed. of Security Training Center® testifies in OPPOSITION to California AB 229.
Los Angeles, CA - July 14, 2021 - On July 13, 2021, Alex Haddox, M.Ed., on behalf of Security Training Center,® testified in front of the California State Senate in OPPOSITION to Assembly Bill 229. His testimony follows:
Testimony of Alex Haddox, M.Ed. before Senate Standing Committee on Public Safety to OPPOSE Assembly Bill 229
My name is Alex Haddox and I am co-owner of Security Training Center.® We are a company that provides job training for the private security industry. We do not offer physical security services. We focus exclusively new job training and continuing security education as prescribed by the BSIS. Thank you for letting me speak today in opposition to Assembly Bill 229.
The provision in AB 229 to make the initial 8-hours of training, called the Power to Arrest Course, exclusively live classroom training is terrible for Californians and disenfranchising for the working poor and underemployed. It will cost people life-changing job opportunities, which they sorely need, now more than ever.
The power of private security is extremely limited. They are not granted special police powers. They have no more authority than you or I do. Security Guards are civilians who have been trained to observe and report. They are instructed to intervene in an extremely limited capacity and call law enforcement when appropriate.
The Power to Arrest Course is not just the first course to earn a security guard license; it is the course where limitations on authority are taught. Most security employers will not interview a candidate unless they have already completed the Power to Arrest course and hold a security guard license. All employment and future training pivots on this one course. To limit this course's accessibility to only those who can afford to travel to a traditional classroom creates an unnecessary barrier to entry for thousands of Californians seeking better jobs. Using our company as an example, we have two facilities in the greater Los Angeles area. So far this year, the first 6-months of 2021, we trained [###] people on the Power to Arrest. During the identical period, we have taught the same course [###] times online. [###] versus [###]. That is over [###] new jobs in California using online job training.
The flexibility of online training allows the underemployed and working poor to get the critical job training they need to restart their lives. This same group often cannot afford a personal car. They must rely on public transportation. Many parts of California, especially the rural areas, do not have local training facilities. The distance to a training facility can be a huge burden or insurmountable barrier. Once again, online training is the best solution here. No travel is needed. The training can be completed on a smartphone, tablet, or computer from home or a shelter. If none of these devices are owned or can't be borrowed, the local public library can be used. Every town has a public library, but not every town has a security guard training facility.
A better job in security, or a second part-time job in security, can help lift the working poor and underemployed out of poverty. The flexibility that online job training offers should not be dismissed. Not only can the training be completed from home, but it can also be completed at any hour. Rather than fixed to "business hours" online training lets the candidate complete the coursework day or night. So, after a long day, the working parent can come home, spend time with the family, and then complete the job training after the kids are asleep. Just as important, the online job training does not force the working parent to skip a day of work to attend training for a second or better job.
The legislation as currently proposed should be amended to permit online training to continue as it is presently authorized by the BSIS. In addition, I support the strengthening of the basic training as set forth in the proposed legislation and offer my knowledge and expertise in furtherance of this goal.
We need to keep this job training accessible and keep it affordable to all. To remove access to online job training will unfairly affect the economically vulnerable of California. This is why Assembly Bill 229 cannot pass as it is currently written.
Online training must be preserved.
Security Training Center® will continue to fight AB 229.
Links
Video of Hearing (AB 229)
About Security Training Center®
Founded in 2003, Security Training Center® is a professional security guard training company and has trained over 100,000 students. Our purpose is to educate security personnel and organizations in the latest protocols and techniques to keep staff, property and other valuables safe. A proactive approach to security awareness prevents many problems from ever occurring, reducing risk to staff and liability. We teach early identification of potential problems and how to defuse conflicts before reaching crisis. Our staff and advisory board have decades of experience in military, law enforcement, executive protection, private security, defensive weapons and martial arts. Our training programs span the globe and are being used on five (5) continents.
Contact
