A. The director of the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training, and any staff member designated by the director, shall have all the powers and authority of peace officers of this state for the purposes of enforcing the provisions of the Oklahoma Security Guard and Private Investigator Act, and all other duties which are or may be conferred upon the Council by the Oklahoma Security Guard and Private Investigator Act. The powers and duties conferred on the director or any staff member appointed by the director as a peace officer shall not limit the powers and duties of other peace officers of this state or any political subdivision thereof. The director, or any staff member appointed by the director as a peace officer shall, upon request, assist any federal, state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency.

B. The Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training shall have the following powers and duties:

1. To promulgate rules to carry out the purposes of the Oklahoma Security Guard and Private Investigator Act;

2. To establish and enforce standards governing the training of persons required to be licensed pursuant to the Oklahoma Security Guard and Private Investigator Act with respect to:

a.issuing, denying, or revoking certificates of approval to security training schools, and programs administered by the state, a county, a municipality, a private corporation, or an individual,

b.certifying instructors at approved security training schools,

c.establishing minimum requirements for security training schools and periodically reviewing these standards, and

d.providing for periodic inspection of all security training schools or programs;

3. To establish minimum curriculum requirements for training as the Council may require for security guards, armed security guards, and private investigators. Training requirements for unarmed security guards shall not exceed forty (40) hours of instruction;

4. To establish minimum requirements for a mandatory continuing education program for all licensed private investigators and security guards which shall include, but not be limited to:

a.establishing a designated minimum number of clock hours of required attendance, not to exceed twenty-four (24) clock hours during the licensing period, at accredited educational functions,

b.establishing the penalties to be imposed upon a licensee for failure to comply with the continuing education requirements,

c.designating the Private Security Advisory Committee to assist the Council in establishing the criteria for determining the qualifications of proposed continuing education programs that would be submitted to the Council for accreditation to meet this requirement, and

d.providing that the expense of such continuing education shall be paid by the licensee participating therein;

5. To grant a waiver of any training requirement, except firearms training which shall be required for an armed security guard license, if the applicant has completed not less than one (1) year of full-time employment as a security guard, armed security guard, private investigator, or law enforcement officer within a three-year period immediately preceding the date of application and the applicant provides sufficient documentation thereof as may be required by the Council;

6. To grant an applicant credit for fulfilling any prescribed course or courses of training, including firearms training, upon submission of acceptable documentation of comparable training. The Council may grant or refuse any such credit at its discretion;

7. To issue the licenses and identification cards provided for in the Oklahoma Security Guard and Private Investigator Act;

8. To investigate alleged violations of the Oklahoma Security Guard and Private Investigator Act or rules relating thereto and to deny, suspend, or revoke licenses and identification cards if necessary, or to issue notices of reprimand to licensees with or without probation under rules to be prescribed by the Council;

9. To investigate alleged violations of the Oklahoma Security Guard and Private Investigator Act by persons not licensed pursuant to such act and to impose administrative sanctions pursuant to rules or to seek an injunction pursuant to Section 1750.2A of this title;

10. To provide all forms for applications, identification cards, and licenses required by the Oklahoma Security Guard and Private Investigator Act;

11. To enter into reciprocal agreements with officials of other states;

12. To immediately suspend a license if a licensee's actions present a danger to the licensee or to the public, a family household member, or involve a crime against a minor; and

13. To require additional testing for continuation or reinstatement of a license if a licensee exhibits an inability to exercise reasonable judgment, skill, or safety.

Added by Laws 1986, c. 224, § 3, operative July 1, 1987. Amended by Laws 1987, c. 193, § 2, eff. July 1, 1987; Laws 1988, c. 200, § 2, eff. July 1, 1988; Laws 1992, c. 199, § 2, emerg. eff. May 13, 1992; Laws 1997, c. 226, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1997; Laws 1999, c. 68, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 1999; Laws 2005, c. 155, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2005; Laws 2007, c. 360, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2007; Laws 2011, c. 22, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2011; Laws 2014, c. 136, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2014.