South Carolina regulates security officers through the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) under Title 40, Chapter 18 of the S.C. Code and Chapter 73 of the state regulations. Officers register through the company that employs them, and the registration carries real authority.
Arrest powers, on the property only
- A registered officer hired to protect specific property has the authority and arrest power of a sheriff's deputy there (S.C. Code 40-18-110). SLED itself calls South Carolina somewhat unique in granting it.
- Only on that property. Officers may not pursue suspects or transport prisoners off the protected property (Reg. 73-416).
- Arrests are reported to the local law enforcement agency as soon as the suspect and the scene are secured. A discovered crime scene must be secured and reported right away.
- An officer working on a pending application has no arrest authority at all.
Requirements
- At least 18 years old (21 for armed work) and a U.S. citizen.
- No felony or crime involving moral turpitude, and no pending charge that would disqualify you if convicted.
- A SLED-approved pre-employment drug test, fingerprints, and a color photo taken within the last 6 months.
- No conflicting job. SLED's ineligibility list includes actively commissioned law enforcement officers, reserve officers, jailers and detention officers, probation and parole officers, state constables, coroners, and federal officers or investigators, including military police. The statute also bars anyone discharged from the military under other than honorable conditions.
- Hired by a licensed company. Since October 2016 you register separately with each company you work for.
Training before your first post
- SafeguardSC Primary Basic: at least 4 hours taught by your company's SLED-certified training officer. It covers post orders, ethics, observation, report writing, working with law enforcement, crime scene preservation, and workplace violence and emergency response.
- A written exam on the material, recorded in your employer's files.
- At least 2 more hours of company orientation, policies and post-specific training.
- Primary Plus modules when your post calls for them: patrol, vehicle operations, detention and arrest, use of force, testimony, handcuffing and firearms.
- The training, the exam and your application must all be done before you start at a client site.
- Keep copies of your training records. A registration card alone does not prove training, and a new employer that cannot get your records has to train you again.
- Batons, pepper spray, stun devices and similar equipment each need training from an instructor certified for that device before you carry it.
Working while SLED processes your application
- Once SLED receives your application, you can work for up to 30 days while it is processed, without arrest authority and without a firearm.
- If the card has not been issued after 30 days, you must stop all security work until it is.
Armed security officers
- 21 or older and legally able to possess firearms.
- At least 4 hours of SLED-approved firearms training from a certified Security Firearms Training Officer or a certified law enforcement firearms instructor, with a supervised range qualification. The SafeguardSC course of fire is 50 rounds, and you need 40 hits (80%).
- One qualification per gun. You qualify, and requalify every year, with each make, model and caliber you carry on duty.
- Handguns only, unless SLED approves a rifle or shotgun for a specific site.
- Open carry in uniform, in a weapon-specific belt holster at the waist. A concealed armed permit is up to SLED and requested each year, and SLED says it denies requests without a credible need.
Cost
- $65 a year unarmed and $110 a year armed, for each company registration.
- $45 to upgrade from unarmed to armed, and $20 for a replacement card.
- Fingerprinting, the drug screen and training are paid separately.
Renewal and staying legal
- Registration lasts 1 year. SLED must receive your renewal 30 to 60 days before the card expires. Miss that window and the card becomes invalid, so you cannot work under it.
- Carry your card whenever you are on duty.
- Report your own arrest to SLED within 72 hours.
- When you leave a company, your registration with that company ends, and the company tells SLED within 10 days.
How tessura helps
South Carolina's clock is tight: a registration that lasts one year, a renewal that has to reach SLED 30 to 60 days before it expires, and for armed officers a yearly requalification with every gun they carry. Working for two companies doubles all of it. tessura is free for guards: keep each registration card, training record and firearms qualification in the credential wallet and get reminders at 60, 30 and 7 days before each expiration. In South Carolina, the 60-day reminder is the day your renewal window opens.
tessura is not affiliated with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division or any state agency. Rules change, so confirm anything you rely on with SLED.