Start your career in security with the IFPO’s certification courses

I. To launch your career, consider the Initial Security Officer Program (ISOP):

This course provides online training to help improve the knowledge and performance of private security officers part of an initial training program. The
training is designed to assist security agencies, and officers, to meet many of the published private security officer training guideline recommendations.
In this course you will learn the tasks and capabilities expected of an Entry Level Protection Officer while performing assigned duties, including:

-- Patrols
-- interaction with Clients and the Public
-- Proper Preparation of Written Reports
-- Use of Force
-- Search and Seizure
-- Legal Authority Considerations for Apprehension

This is the first step of many what an be an exciting and rewarding career in the security industry.

II. Professional Security Officer Program (PSOP):

The web-based PSOP course allows students to train as their schedules permit. Students have the ability to access the course at any time, work through a lesson at their own pace, exit, and return to the course at a later time to resume their training. The student's progress through the course is automatically tracked by way of recording the completed units and examination scores.

Course lessons include interactive activities and topic quizzes to reinforce course materials. Immediate remediation is included within the activities, topic quizzes, unit and final course examinations.

Topics covered include:

-- How do you know a crowd is becoming hostile?
-- What should you do in case of a hostile crowd?
-- How do you ensure traffic moves smoothly around a construction site?
-- How do you properly fill a parking lot?
-- How do the duties of a security officer differ from the duties of a public law enforcement officer?

III. Certified Protection Officer Program (CPO):

This course will improve any protection officer’s skills, knowledge, and abilities. This highly interactive course includes 12 units covering 45 chapters. Each chapter provides interactive activities, knowledge checks, and concludes with an end-of-chapter test.

The course will fully prepare candidates for the CPO Final Exam that is included in the price of the course. All course materials prior to the final exam remain available for student review at any time prior to starting the final exam. Candidates who successfully complete the CPO 8th Edition Final Exam are provided an IFPO Certification Certificate.

Topics covered include:

-- Security Risk Management
-- Effective Communications
-- Antiterrorism and VIP Protection
-- Security Awareness
-- Crime and Incident Scene Procedures
-- Automation in Protection Operations
-- Interviewing and Statements

IV. Certified in Security Supervision and Management (CSSM):

The textbook for the course is "Security Supervision: Theory and Practice of Asset Protection," published by Butterworth-Heinemann. It is the result of an alliance between IFPO, the publisher, and more than 50 of the industry's leading security supervisors, authors, educators and consultants.

It will serve not only as an excellent source of information for the course, but as a valuable reference the practitioner or student. It is also an excellent text for upper level undergraduate and graduate courses in Security Management, Homeland Security and similar disciplines.

Chapters cover such topics as:

-- Future of private security
-- Security personnel selection
-- Security officer scheduling
-- Staff training and development
-- Managing/supervising to reduce liability
-- Testimony in court
-- Risk and crisis management

V. Certified Protection Officer Instructor (CPOI):

CPOIs are Certified Protection Officers who have made a significant professional commitment toward advancing themselves as teachers, researchers, mentors and leaders.

Successful candidates must meet the following qualifications:

-- Current designation as a Certified Protection Officer (CPO).
-- Membership in the International Foundation for Protection Officers.
-- Five years teaching experience or equivalent
-- One year full time security experience (part-time requires two years). The experience listed by the candidate must indicate they were completely or primarily responsible for the protection of assets (Security, Crime Prevention or Loss Prevention). Law enforcement or investigative experience in and of itself will not suffice to fulfill this requirement. Candidate should specify job titles and responsibilities. All relevant experience should be listed on the application.
-- Post-secondary education at some level must be documented. This can be college courses or other substantial instruction in any subject given by a corporate, military, governmental or educational organization covering forty (40) or more hours. Courses in communications, supervision, leadership, etc. are all examples of post-secondary education.