HI Security Guard cheat sheet

Hawaii security guards are regulated under HRS Chapter 463 and the Board of Private Detectives and Guards; the 4-hour continuing education requirement is tied to license renewal, though the exact hour count should be confirmed against the current board rule before delivery.

Continuing education instructors and courses must be approved by the board before instruction; unapproved courses do not count toward a guard's renewal hours.

Typical board-approved curricula cover report writing, incident documentation, use of force and de-escalation, emergency response, and Hawaii-specific legal limits on guard authority.

Guards are not police officers: they hold no arrest powers beyond the citizen's arrest authority available to any private person, and must release a detained person to police promptly.

Use-of-force instruction follows the defense-of-self-and-others standard; deadly force is limited to situations where a reasonable person would believe it necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury.

De-escalation is taught as the first response: create distance, use calm verbal commands, summon police, and escalate physically only when imminent harm requires it.

Report writing instruction emphasizes who/what/when/where/how, objective language, time-stamped entries, and retaining the original notes as evidence.

Training records (course title, date, hours, instructor) must be kept and produced at renewal; guards should retain certificates for the full license cycle.

Post orders and site-specific procedures supplement, but never override, the legal limits taught in the approved course.

Board-approved course content must be delivered by an approved instructor; instructors submit course outlines and materials for board review before teaching.

Renewal applicants must show completion of the required continuing education hours within the licensing cycle; hours completed before the cycle or after the deadline generally do not apply.

Core subject areas in approved curricula: legal authority and limitations, report writing, emergency procedures, de-escalation and use of force, and professional conduct.

Guards must carry their license while on duty and display it on request; failure to do so is a separate violation from unlicensed activity.

Unprofessional conduct grounds include excessive force, false reports, sleeping on post, intoxication, and abandoning a post without relief.

First aid and CPR/AED training is commonly included in approved curricula; certification cards should be kept with the guard's training file.

Incident reports should be completed before end of shift, reviewed for accuracy, and never altered after submission without a documented addendum.

Guards must not represent themselves as law enforcement or use badges, titles, or uniforms that imply police authority.

Observation and reporting: record descriptions top-down (sex, race, age, height, weight, hair, clothing, distinguishing marks) and note direction of travel and time.

Access control instruction: verify identification against the approved list, log entry and exit times, and deny entry without confirmation from the site supervisor.

Emergency response sequence: assess the scene for safety, call 911, provide first aid within training, secure the area, then document.

Bomb-threat and suspicious-package training: do not touch or move the item, clear the area, note the exact time and location, and notify police.

Evidence handling: preserve the scene, avoid contaminating items, photograph before moving anything, and log chain of custody.

Use-of-force reporting: any physical force used must be documented in writing and reported to the supervisor the same shift.

Confidentiality: guard reports and client information are not shared with media or unauthorized persons; release only under subpoena or client authorization.

Professional communication: identify yourself by name and title, state the reason for contact, and avoid confrontational language that escalates the encounter.