Private security services: private patrol operators.

The Private Security Services Act provides for the licensure and regulation of private patrol operators by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services in the Department of Consumer Affairs. The act requires a private patrol operator employing a security guard who carries a firearm to maintain an insurance policy that provides minimum limits of insurance of $500,000 for any one loss due to bodily injury or death and $500,000 for any one loss due to injury or destruction of property. This bill would instead require the bureau to require a private patrol operator or applicant for licensure, as a condition precedent to licensure or continued licensure, to file or have on file with the bureau an insurance policy that provides minimum limits of insurance of $1,000,000 for any one loss due to bodily injury, including death, or property damage, or both, as specified. The bill would provide that if a licensee fails to maintain sufficient insurance or provide proof of insurance as required, the license shall be automatically suspended. The act requires a private patrol operator licensee, qualified manager of a licensee, or security guard who, in the course of his or her employment, may be required to carry a firearm, to satisfy specified requirements prior to carrying a firearm, including the completion of a course of training in the carrying and use of firearms. Existing law exempts from this requirement a duly appointed peace officer, as defined, who has successfully completed a course of study in the use of firearms. The act prohibits the bureau from renewing an expired firearms qualification card unless, among other requirements, the applicant has requalified on the range and successfully passed a written examination, as specified. This bill would exempt a duly appointed peace officer, as defined, who is authorized to carry a firearm in the course of his or her duties and has successfully completed requalification training from the requirements of requalifying on the range and passing the written examination. Existing law generally requires a transfer of a firearm to be conducted by a firearms dealer, and requires specified information about the purchaser and the firearm in the transaction to be submitted to the Department of Justice. The department has created a form for this purpose known as the Dealers' Record of Sale form or DROS form. Existing law authorizes the department to charge a fee for the costs associated with the submission of the DROS form. Existing law does not authorize a business entity to own or register a firearm. This bill would establish procedures, operative July 1, 2016, allowing a Private Patrol Operator (PPO) business entity to be the registered owner of a firearm. The bill would state findings and declarations of the Legislature, and express the intent of the Legislature in connection with these procedures. The bill would direct the Department of Justice to modify the DROS form and create a certificate of assignment (COA) , and to charge a reasonable fee for the filing and processing of the COA for these purposes and for enforcement of these provisions. Among other things, the bill would allow a security guard to be assigned a firearm by the PPO through a COA, as specified, and for a firearm custodian to be designated by the PPO. The bill would require submission to the Department of Justice of information pertaining to the ownership of a firearm by a PPO, the assignment of a firearm by a PPO, and the identity of a PPO firearms custodian, as specified. The bill would require PPO-owned firearms acquired prior to July 1, 2016, to be registered, as specified. The bill would provide that an assignment of a firearm by a PPO to a security guard employee for purposes of employment duties would not constitute a loan, sale, or transfer of a firearm. The bill would authorize the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs, through his or her designee, to assess an administrative fine of up to $1,000 against a PPO or a security guard for each willful violation of these and other provisions of the bill relating to firearms. The bill would require a security guard, upon request by the PPO, or upon separation of employment or revocation of the security guard's firearm qualification card, and within 48 hours, to return the assigned firearm to the PPO. The bill would provide that the failure of a security guard to return an assigned firearm as required would be a misdemeanor. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.