Title of Regulation: 6VAC20-171. Regulations Relating to Private Security Services (amending 6VAC20-171-20, 6VAC20-171-300, 6VAC20-171-445, 6VAC20-171-450, 6VAC20-171-470).

Statutory Authority: § 9.1-141 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: August 27, 2014.

Agency Contact: Lisa McGee, Regulatory Manager, Department of Criminal Justice Services, 1100 Bank Street, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 371-2419, FAX (804) 786-6344, or email lisa.mcgee@dcjs.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments conform to changes in the Code of Virginia by Chapter 32 of the 2014 Acts of Assembly. Specifically, the amendments provide that the Department of Criminal Justice Services may grant a full exemption from compulsory training for certain persons employed by private security services businesses if such persons have already received training that meets or exceeds the minimum standards approved by the department. Currently, the department may only grant a partial exemption from compulsory training.

Part II
Application Fees

6VAC20-171-20. Fees.

A. Schedule of fees. The fees listed below reflect the costs of handling, issuance, and production associated with administering and processing applications for licensing, registration, certification and other administrative requests for services relating to private security services.

CATEGORIES	FEES
CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS CHECK
Fingerprint Processing Application	$50
Initial business license
1 Year License	$550
2 Year License	$800
Business license renewal (2 Year License)	$500
Business license category fee	$50
CERTIFICATIONS
Initial compliance agent certification	$50
Compliance agent certification renewal	$25
Initial training school	$800
Training school renewal	$500
Training school category fee	$50
Initial instructor certification	$50
Instructor certification renewal	$25
Instructor certification category fee	$10
Initial Detector Canine Handler Examiner certification	$50
Detector Canine Handler Examiner Certification renewal	$25
REGISTRATION
Initial registration	$25
Registration renewal	$20
Additional registration category form	$20
Replacement registration card	$20
TRAINING RELATED
Firearm Endorsement	$10
Entry-level partial-training training exemption	$25
In Service Training Alternative Credit Evaluation	$25
Regulatory Compliance entry-level training	$75
Regulatory Compliance In-service training	$50
Training completion roster form	$30

B. Reinstatement fee.

1. The department shall collect a reinstatement fee for registration, license, or certification renewal applications not received on or before the expiration date of the expiring registration, license, or certification pursuant to 6VAC20-171-180.

2. The reinstatement fee shall be 50% above and beyond the renewal fee of the registration, license, certification, or any other credential issued by the department wherein a fee is established and renewal is required.

C. Dishonor of fee payment due to insufficient funds.

1. The department may suspend the registration, license, certification, or authority it has granted any person who submits a check or similar instrument for payment of a fee required by statute or regulation which that is not honored by the financial institution upon which the check or similar instrument is drawn.

2. The suspension shall become effective upon receipt of written notice of the dishonored payment. Upon notification of the suspension, the person, registrant or licensee may request that the suspended registration, license, certification, or authority be reinstated, provided payment of the dishonored amount plus any penalties or fees required under the statute or regulation accompanies the request. Suspension under this provision shall be exempt from the Administrative Process Act.

D. Manual processing service fee. The department shall collect a $5.00 service fee for any applications under this chapter that are submitted to the department by other means than the available electronic methods established by the department.

6VAC20-171-300. Private security services training session.

A. Training sessions will be conducted in accordance with requirements established in this chapter. Adherence to the administrative requirements, attendance and standards of conduct are the responsibility of the training school, training school director and instructor of the training session.

B. Administrative requirements.

1. In a manner approved by the department, a notification to conduct a training session shall be submitted to the department. All notifications shall be received by the department, or postmarked if mailed, no less than seven calendar days prior to the beginning of each training session to include the date, time, instructors and location of the training session. The department may allow a session to be conducted with less than seven calendar days of notification with prior approval. Session notifications require no fee from the training school. A notification to conduct a training session shall be deemed to be in compliance unless the training school director is notified by the department to the contrary.

2. Notification of any changes to the dates, times, location or cancellation of a future training session must be submitted to the department in writing and received by the department at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled starting time of the class. In the event that a session must be cancelled on the scheduled date, the department must be notified immediately followed by a cancellation in writing as soon as practical.

3. Course outline and training objectives must be approved by the department prior to offering a course of instruction for enrollment.

4. The training school director shall issue an original training completion form provided by the department to each student who satisfactorily completes a training session no later than five business days following the training completion date.

5. In a manner approved by the department, the training school director shall submit an original training completion roster to the department affirming each student's successful completion of the session. The training completion roster shall be received by the department within seven calendar days, or postmarked if mailed, no later than five business days following the training completion date and must be accompanied by the applicable, nonrefundable processing fee.

6. A written examination shall be administered at the conclusion of each entry level training session. The examination shall be based on the applicable learning objectives. The student must attain a minimum grade of 70% for all entry-level training examinations and pass any applicable practical exercises, to satisfactorily complete the training session.

7. Firearms classroom training shall be separately tested and graded. Individuals must achieve a minimum score of 70% on the firearms classroom training examination.

8. Failure to achieve a minimum score of 70% on the firearms classroom written examination will exclude the individual from the firearms range training.

9. To successfully complete the handgun or shotgun firearms range training, the individual must achieve a minimum qualification score of 75% of the scoring value of the target.

10. To successfully complete the advanced firearms range training, the individual must achieve a minimum qualification score of 92% of the scoring value of the target.

11. To successfully complete the patrol rifle firearms range training, the individual must achieve a minimum qualification score of 85% of the scoring value of the target.

C. Attendance.

1. Private security services business personnel enrolled in an approved training session are required to be present for the hours required for each training session unless they have been granted a partial an exemption to training from the department.

2. Tardiness and absenteeism will not be permitted. Individuals violating these provisions will be required to make up any training missed. All training must be completed within the 12 months prior to application of a registration or certification. Individuals not completing the required training within this period are required to complete the entire training session.

3. Individuals who do not successfully complete the compulsory minimum training standards of the training session shall not be issued a training completion form or training certificate.

4. Each individual attending an approved training session shall comply with the regulations promulgated by the board and any other rules within the authority of the training school. If the training school director or instructor considers a violation of the rules detrimental to the training of other students or to involve cheating on examinations, the training school director or instructor may expel the individual from the school. Notification of such action shall immediately be reported to the employing firms and the department.

D. Standards of conduct.

1. The training school, training school director and instructor shall at all times conform to the application requirements, administrative requirements and standards of conduct established for certification as a training school and instructor.

2. Training sessions will be conducted by certified instructors or other individuals authorized to provide instruction pursuant to this chapter and each of whom must be present for all periods of instruction unless otherwise authorized by the department.

3. Training sessions will be conducted utilizing lesson plans developed including at a minimum the compulsory minimum training standards established pursuant to this chapter.

4. Instruction shall be provided in no less than 50-minute classes.

5. Training sessions shall not exceed nine hours of classroom instruction per day. Range qualification and practical exercises shall not be considered classroom instruction; however, total training, including the maximum allotment of nine hours classroom instruction and applicable range qualification and practical exercises, shall not exceed 12 hours per day. This does not include time allotted for breaks, meals and testing.

6. All audio-visual training aids must be accompanied by a period of instruction where the instructor reviews the content of the presentation and the students are provided the opportunity to ask questions regarding the content.

7. A training session must adhere to the minimum compulsory training standards and must be presented in its entirety. Training school directors may require additional hours of instruction, testing or evaluation procedures.

8. A training session must provide accurate and current information to the students.

9. Mandated training that is not conducted in accordance with the Code of Virginia and this chapter is null and void.

10. A duplicate set of instructor course materials, including all student materials, shall be made available to any department inspector during the training session, if requested.

11. Certifiable in-service training may include a maximum of one hour of instruction dedicated to the review of regulations unless otherwise authorized by the department.

12. Live ammunition, pyrotechnics, and explosives are not to be utilized or present in any firearms training environment except on a firing range approved by the department.

Article 3
Training Exemptions

6VAC20-171-445. Training exemptions.

Persons who meet the statutory requirements as set forth in § 9.1-141 of the Code of Virginia may apply for a partial an exemption from the compulsory training standards. Individuals requesting such partial exemption shall file an application furnished by the department and include the applicable, nonrefundable application fee. The department may issue such partial exemption on the basis of individual qualifications as supported by required documentation. Those applying for and receiving exemptions must comply with all regulations promulgated by the board. Each person receiving a partial an exemption for entry-level training must apply to the department for registration within 12 months from the date of issuance, otherwise the partial exemption shall become null and void.

6VAC20-171-450. Entry level training exemption.

A. Persons previously employed as law-enforcement officers who have not terminated or been terminated from said employment more than five years prior to the application date must submit official documentation of the following with the application for partial exemption:

1. Completion of law-enforcement entry level training; and

2. Five continuous years of law-enforcement employment provided such employment as a law-enforcement officer was not terminated due to misconduct or incompetence.

B. Persons having previous training or employment in any of the classifications defined in § 9.1-138 of the Code of Virginia must submit official documentation of the following with the application for partial exemption:

1. Completion of previous private security training, which has been approved by the department and which meets or exceeds the compulsory minimum training standards promulgated by the board; or

2. Five years continuous employment in the category for which partial exemption is sought, provided such employment was not terminated due to misconduct or incompetence and such employment ended within five years of the date of application.

6VAC20-171-470. Prior firearms training exemption.

Persons having previous department-approved firearms training may be authorized credit for such training which that meets or exceeds the compulsory minimum training standards for private security services business personnel, provided such training has been completed within the 12 months preceding the date of application. Official documentation of the following must accompany the application for partial training credit:

1. Completion of department-approved firearms training; and

2. Qualification at a Virginia criminal justice agency, academy or correctional department.