Ontario Security Guard study plan
Ontario Security Guard · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Introduction to the Security Industry & Private Security and Investigative Services Act and Code of Conduct
Define the role, duties, and limits of authority of an Ontario security guard, and distinguish each from the powers held by police officers
Outline the structure of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 and identify which conduct it regulates and who administers it
List the eligibility requirements for a security guard licence, including age, mandatory training hours, first aid/CPR certification, and criminal record check
Explain the difference between a security guard licence, a private investigator licence, and a dual licence, and state when each is required
Your checkpoint
A one-page licensing requirements sheet stating all eligibility criteria from memory with zero errors, plus a 10-question self-quiz scored at 80% or higher
Private Security and Investigative Services Act and Code of Conduct
Recite the Code of Conduct rules and explain what each one prohibits in a guard's day-to-day work
Classify written scenarios as compliant or non-compliant with the Code of Conduct and justify each decision in one sentence
Describe the complaint, investigation, and discipline process, including the Registrar's powers to refuse, suspend, revoke, or attach conditions to a licence
Identify the restrictions on uniforms, badges, titles, and equipment, including what may not resemble police insignia
Your checkpoint
30 written conduct scenarios sorted as compliant or non-compliant with a one-sentence justification each, scored at 27/30 or better
Basic Security Procedures
Describe the components of a post order and explain how to conduct a shift handover that transfers all outstanding risks
Compare foot, vehicle, and CCTV patrol methods and state which is appropriate for a given site and condition
Explain access control procedures for people, vehicles, keys, and materials, including visitor sign-in and escort rules
State the legal authority and limits for arrest, detention, search, and use of force available to a private citizen under the Criminal Code and the Trespass to Property Act
Your checkpoint
A 15-item patrol and access-control checklist covering pre-shift, during-shift, and handover steps, self-graded against the course outline at 90% coverage or better
Basic Security Procedures & Private Security and Investigative Services Act and Code of Conduct
Apply the Trespass to Property Act to scenarios by deciding when to ask a person to leave, when an arrest is lawful, and when to call police
Sequence the response steps for a suspicious person, a theft in progress, and a disturbance, keeping each response non-escalating
Explain evidence preservation and chain of custody from the moment an incident is discovered until police arrive
Re-test all Code of Conduct rules and licensing rules from Weeks 1-2 to confirm retention
Your checkpoint
A 50-question timed mock on Domains 1, 2, and 3 completed in 60 minutes at 80% or higher, with every missed question logged and explained in one sentence
Communication and Documentation
Draft incident reports using the who, what, when, where, why, and how framework in objective, first-person, past-tense language
Distinguish observation from inference and rewrite biased or conclusory statements into factual ones
Demonstrate notebook standards: chronological entries, time stamps, permanent ink, and no obliterations or removed pages
Use radio procedure correctly, including call signs, the phonetic alphabet, and structured clear speech, in written drills
Explain the guard's role, preparation, and conduct when testifying in court or at a hearing
Your checkpoint
Three complete incident reports written from supplied fact patterns, each scoring 8/10 or higher on a rubric covering objectivity, chronology, completeness, and plain language
Emergency Situations and Safety
State the guard's priority order during any emergency: life safety first, then incident stabilization, then property protection
Apply the RACE and PASS sequences to a fire scenario and describe evacuation, assembly point, and re-entry duties
Describe the response steps for medical emergencies including CPR and AED use, choking, severe bleeding, and seizure
Outline procedures for bomb threats, lockdown, and suspicious packages, including who to notify and what not to touch
Identify personal safety and workplace violence risk factors and select appropriate de-escalation and disengagement options
Your checkpoint
A one-page emergency action card covering fire, medical, bomb threat/lockdown, workplace violence, and suspicious package, reproduced from memory with 90% or more of key steps correct
Communication and Documentation & Emergency Situations and Safety
Integrate procedure and documentation by writing a full incident report for an emergency scenario within a 20-minute time limit
Convert a verbal radio transmission into a clean written narrative without adding facts not transmitted
Review the error log from Week 4 and re-answer every missed question correctly without notes
Explain how documentation created during an emergency is later used in investigations, discipline, and court
Your checkpoint
Two integrated scenario packets, each containing a written response sequence and a complete timed incident report, scored at 80% or higher against a combined rubric
Private Security and Investigative Services Act and Code of Conduct & Basic Security Procedures
Recite all Code of Conduct rules and licensing requirements unaided as a final retention check
Re-state the legal limits on arrest, search, and use of force and apply them to fresh scenarios without error
Complete full-length timed mocks covering all five domains under exam conditions
Re-test every item in the cumulative error log until each is answered correctly twice
Your checkpoint
Two full-length timed mocks of 100 questions in 90 minutes each, both scored at 85% or higher, with an error log showing every missed item re-tested to 100%
Milestones
Week 2: Score 27/30 or better on the conduct classification task and recite all Code of Conduct rules with no prompts
Week 4: Score 80% or higher on the 50-question timed mock covering Domains 1-3; do not advance to Week 5 until this is met
Week 6: Score 85% or higher on a 40-question mock covering Domains 4-5 and reproduce the emergency action card from memory
Week 8: Two consecutive full-length mocks at 85% or higher and 100% on all re-tested error-log items