How to Become a Security Guard in Tennessee
Security guards in Tennessee, both armed and unarmed, must register with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance to work in the private-security field. Security guards patrol and inspect property to protect against theft, fire, vandalism and other potentially destructive situations. Specific duties vary depending on where they work, which includes shopping malls, offices, banks, sports stadiums and transportation facilities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for a security guard in Tennessee was $23,390 in 2010.
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Instructions
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Apply with guard companies or security organizations. You must already be employed by a security company to apply for registration as a security guard. The organization that takes you on as an employee trains you. To be considered for employment with a guard company or security organization, you must be at least 18. You must be 21 if you are going to be armed.
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Complete the guard training your employer provides. At the very least, your education must include one hour each of orientation, legal powers, emergency procedures and general duties. If you are going to be carrying weapons such as clubs, stun guns or pepper spray, you must undergo further training in the use of these tools. Candidates for armed security guard positions must complete an additional four hours of classroom instruction and eight hours of marksmanship training with a certified firearms instructor.
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Download, print and complete a security guard application from the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance website. Include your personal information as well as that of all of your employers for the past five years. Give detailed information on your criminal history, and, if you have ever been convicted of an offense, include an explanation of that conviction and related court documents.
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Submit your completed application package. Enclose three passport-style photographs, your application fees and completed fingerprint cards that will be used to conduct a criminal background check. Get fingerprint cards and instructions by contacting the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance at (615) 741-6382 . As of 2011, the application fees are $70 for an unarmed security guard application and $105 for an armed security guard application. Have the application notarized and submit it to the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Department of Regulatory Boards, Private Protective Services, 500 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville TN, 37243-1158.
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