Administration and Command of the Private Security Section

PURPOSE: Under section 84.340, RSMo, the St. Louis, Missouri Board of Police Commissioners has the authority to regulate and license all private security personnel, serving or acting as such, in St. Louis. These rules establish procedures, training, requirements and license fees for those persons so employed in the security field. (1) Board of Police Commissioners. The St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners (referred to as the board) is established by state statute and consists of five (5) members, four (4) of whom are appointed by the governor. The Mayor of the City of St. Louis serves as ex officio member. The board has sole charge and control of the metropolitan police department of the City of St. Louis and of the licensing, regulation, and discipline of all corporate security advisors, private security officers, private watchmen, and couriers in the City of St. Louis. Private detectives are licensed by the state of Missouri, not by the board of police commissioners. (2) Private Security Section. The private security section is responsible for the interviewing, investigating, processing, licensing, inspection, and supervision of all persons working or acting as licensed security officers or any other variety of titles in the City of St. Louis. The private security section is further responsible for issuing and transferring all such licenses, for reinstatements, for periodic inspection of license holders, for liaison with all suppliers of security personnel in the city, for maintenance of a personnel file on all applicants in the City of St. Louis, and for publishing, within the department, information of all terminations of employment of security personnel. (3) Private Security Personnel. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Private Security Program has four (4) distinct classifications of personnel. A definition of each classification is listed as follows: (A) Corporate security advisor. A person employed to provide all services rendered by a private security officer, as well as other specialized corporate security services related to the protection of his/her employer’s/principal’s resources and personnel. A licensed corporate security advisor may carry a firearm and protective devices in accordance with the guidelines established in these rules. S/he shall be authorized to exercise the same police powers granted to private security officers while on his/her employer’s/principal’s property. However, the corporate security advisor’s power and authority shall not be restricted to that property, but shall be coextensive with the geographic limits of the City of St. Louis (as defined in 17 CSR 20-5.065); (B) Private security officer. A person employed with certain police powers (as defined in 17 CSR 20-2.065) to protect life or property on or in designated premises. Generally, the private security officer’s powers exist only within the established property owned or leased by the contracting employer and to incidents occurring on the premises. The private security officer may carry a firearm providing this individual is qualified (as defined in 17 CSR 20-2.055). Authorization to carry a firearm is designated on the badge/identification card. The private security officer, whether armed or unarmed, may carry a baton, nightstick, pepper mace, and handcuffs after training requirements have been satisfied; (C) Courier. A person employed to carry out the assignment of protecting and transporting property from one designated area to another. The person shall be in an approved military style uniform. The courier has no power of arrest. The courier may carry a firearm provided this individual is qualified (as defined in 17 CSR 20-3.055). Authorization to carry a firearm is designated on the badge/identification card; and (D) Private watchman. A person employed without police powers and without authorization to carry weapons or protective devices. This individual will perform the tasks of observation and reporting on or in a licensed premises or designated area. This may include patrolling the public street. The private watchman has a distinctive grey, military style uniform. The private watchman has no power of arrest. Note: Only the private security officer and private courier classifications will be permitted to hold two (2) licenses. Each classification is licensed separately and functions as a distinct entity. (This licensing does not include the private watchmen classification.) AUTHORITY: section 84.340, RSMo 2000.* Original rule filed April 8, 1988, effective July 11, 1988. Amended: Filed Feb. 13, 2002, effective Aug. 30, 2002. Amended: Filed April 23, 2012, effective Oct. 30, 2012. *Original authority: 84.340, RSMo 1939.