You're starting the course every working California security officer must complete before being assigned to a post. The next four hours of online study, paired with four hours of in-person training, define what you may lawfully do on duty, what you may not do, and the personal and employer liabilities that attach to every action you take while in uniform.
This module — Powers to Arrest — is the most consequential block of a guard's pre-license education. It is also the one BSIS scrutinizes most often when a complaint is filed. Read every section in order.
The California 40-Hour Training Requirement
California security personnel whose registrations (guard cards) were issued on or after July 1, 2004 are required to complete 40 hours of training, on the following schedule:
01
Pre-Assignment · 8 hours This course
Powers to Arrest training, completed before a guard is assigned to a post. 4 hours online (this module) + 4 hours in-person under SB 652. Without this, a guard cannot be lawfully posted.
02
Within 30 days of registration · 16 hours
Two 4-hour mandatory modules (II.A Public Relations and II.B Observation & Documentation) plus 8 hours of elective instruction chosen from the BSIS-approved list.
03
Within 6 months of registration · 16 hours
The remaining two 4-hour mandatory modules plus 8 hours of elective instruction. Once the full 40 hours are documented, the guard's training file is BSIS-compliant.
The Statutory Basis
BPC §7583.6 / 16 CCR §643
BSIS Mandatory Training
Business & Professions Code · California Code of Regulations
This module is part of the Whitestar Group Security Training Program. It aligns with BSIS training directives, BPC §§7583.6 and 7583.7, and Title 16, Division 7, Article 9, §643 of the California Code of Regulations. This lesson matches Module I.A in the BSIS Mandatory Courses Outline and satisfies the 8-hour pre-assignment training requirement that every security officer must complete before being assigned to a post.
SB 652 Hybrid Delivery
Under Senate Bill 652 (Cal. Stats. 2025, amending BPC §7583.6), effective January 1, 2026, the 8-hour Powers to Arrest course is delivered in two parts by the same BSIS-licensed training provider.
Part 1 · 4 hours · You are here
Online / Self-Study
Sections 10 through 22 of this module — the chapters you'll read next. Read them in order. The student must pass the written assessment (Sections 30 and 31) before advancing to Part 2.
Most students finish Part 1 in 2–3 sittings. Progress is saved as you mark chapters read.
Part 2 · 4 hours
In-Person Facilitated Lab
Use-of-force scenarios, verbal-command drills, handcuffing fundamentals, surrender-of-suspect role plays, and the written attestation BSIS requires for in-person hour credit.
See Section 40 — Facilitator Guide, In-Person Portion. Scheduled when you enroll; held at approved California locations.
Both halves must be completed with the same BSIS-licensed provider, and the provider must retain the completion record for the period required by 16 CCR §643. A guard who completes only Part 1 has not satisfied the pre-assignment training requirement and may not be lawfully posted.
How to Use This Manual
Guidance 01
Read in Order
Each chapter builds on the chapters before it. Where the manual quotes a statute, the section number is cited in the same sentence. You are not expected to memorize the code, but you are expected to know which authority governs the action you are taking and where the limits are.
Guidance 02
Use the Learning Objectives
The assessment at the end of Part 1 draws every question from a learning objective in Section 01. If a question feels unfamiliar, return to the chapter referenced in that learning objective before guessing. Mark each chapter as read as you complete it.
Guidance 03
When in Doubt, Don't Act
The honest signal that you are at the edge of your authority is the moment you start asking yourself "can I do this?" If you have to ask, the answer is almost always: observe, document, call law enforcement.
Nothing in this manual is legal advice. When in doubt on a post, the correct action is almost always to observe, document, and call law enforcement — not to act.
Welcome · Chapter 2 of 16
Learning Objectives
~5 min read
After successful completion of this course, you will understand and apply the legal framework, ethical responsibilities, and operational procedures that govern a security officer's powers and limits while on duty.
Each learning objective is mapped to the chapter where it is taught and tested directly on the Section 30/31 assessment. If a quiz question feels unfamiliar, return to the chapter the LO points to before guessing.
Authority — The Source of What You May Do
LO-1
Source of authority + peace-officer distinction Ch 4
Explain the source of a security officer's authority to detain or arrest under California law, and distinguish it from a peace officer's authority under PC §830 et seq.
LO-2
Ethical responsibilities in citizen-arrest context Ch 4
Describe the duty to use only the authority granted and to refuse to exceed it, regardless of who asks you to.
LO-3
Three categories of legal liability Ch 5
Identify liability of the officer, the employer, and the client under 16 CCR §643.
LO-4
Conditions for lawful citizen arrest Ch 6
State the conditions under which a private person — and therefore a security officer — may lawfully arrest another person under PC §837.
LO-5
Limitations on authority Ch 7
Recognize the prohibition on impersonating a peace officer (PC §538d) and on detaining beyond what is reasonable to deliver a suspect to law enforcement.
Conduct — What You May and May Not Do
LO-6
Search & seizure rules Ch 8
Apply the rules governing consensual searches, weapons frisks, and searches incident to a citizen arrest. Identify conduct prohibited to private security under the Fourth Amendment and California law.
LO-7
Lawful vs unlawful entry — trespass Ch 9
Apply PC §602 and §602.5 (trespass) and the posted-notice and refusal-to-leave standards.
LO-8
Reasonable force + de-escalation Ch 10
Apply the standard of "reasonable force" under PC §835a. Recognize the prohibition on deadly force except in narrow self-defense circumstances. Prioritize de-escalation before any physical contact.
Practice — How You Actually Execute
LO-9
Procedural steps in sequence Ch 11
Execute the procedural steps of a lawful citizen arrest in correct sequence: identification, lawful order, opportunity to comply, physical control if necessary, control hold or handcuffing, and prompt notification of law enforcement.
LO-10
Misdemeanor vs felony predicate Ch 12
Distinguish a misdemeanor arrest (the presence requirement) from a felony arrest (reasonable cause) under PC §837. Recognize when a security officer's authority does and does not extend to each.
LO-11
Documenting the arrest Ch 13
Document an arrest in a manner that meets BSIS reporting requirements, drawing on the report-writing standards introduced in Module II.B.
LO-12
Surrender + chain of custody Ch 14
Surrender an arrested person to a peace officer "without unnecessary delay" as required by PC §847(a). Identify the chain-of-custody documentation expected by the receiving agency.
LO-13
Required BSIS weapons permits Ch 15
Identify the BSIS permits required for any weapon, baton, or chemical agent (BPC §7583.5, §7583.12, §7585 et seq.). Explain why carrying a weapon without a separate permit is prohibited even for a licensed guard.
LO-14
Whitestar Code of Ethics Ch 16
Recite and apply the Whitestar Code of Ethics. Articulate why ethical conduct is operationally inseparable from the legal authority described in this module.
Welcome · Chapter 3 of 16
Course Outline
~3 min read
The 13 substantive chapters of Module I.A are organized into four sections, each building on the one before. The outline below shows the topics covered in each chapter so you can preview the structure or jump back to a specific concept later.
Section · Authority
The four chapters that establish where your authority comes from and where it ends.
4
Responsibilities & Ethics in Citizen Arrest PC §830 · §837 · §538d
Source of a security officer's authority. Peace officer vs. private person authority. The "color of authority" trap. Use only the authority granted. Duty to refuse an unlawful order.
Civil liability of the officer. Criminal liability of the officer. Vicarious liability of the employer. Liability of the client / property owner. The 16 CCR §643 coverage requirement.
6
Powers of Citizen's Arrest PC §837 · §834 · §841
The statutory source (PC §837). Misdemeanor in the officer's presence. Felony committed (need not be in presence). Reasonable cause for a felony charge. Who may arrest (§834). Notice to the arrestee (§841).
7
Limitations on Authority PC §538d · BPC §7582.1 · PC §847
Prohibition on impersonation. Reasonable detention duration. Prohibition on investigative interrogation. Prohibition on searches without authority. Prohibition on force as punishment. When to disengage and call law enforcement.
Section · Conduct
The three chapters that translate authority into permissible action.
8
Search & Seizure 4th Amendment · CA Const. Art. I §13
Consensual searches. Weapons frisk (limited officer-safety search). Search incident to citizen arrest. Conduct prohibited to private security. Post orders cannot expand constitutional limits.
9
Trespass PC §602 · §602.5
Specific trespass categories (§602 subsections k/l/o/q). Aggravated trespass / occupied residence. Posted notice and the "order to leave" standard. Lawful removal vs. arrest. Special considerations (public-accessible spaces, homelessness, mental health).
10
Use of Force PC §835a
Reasonable force standard. The de-escalation imperative. The 6-level use-of-force continuum. Deadly force — the narrow exception. After-action documentation requirement.
Section · Practice
The six chapters covering execution, documentation, and the equipment that supports both.
11
Procedures for Making a Citizen Arrest 10-step sequence
Pre-arrest observation. Identification and lawful order. Opportunity to comply. Physical control if necessary. Control holds and handcuffing. Weapons frisk. Notification of law enforcement. Continuous reassessment. Transfer of custody. Post-incident documentation.
12
Misdemeanor vs. Felony Arrest PC §837(1) · §837(3)
The presence requirement (misdemeanor). Reasonable cause for a felony. Five bright-line examples with verdicts. Risk calibration: when the predicate is clear, act decisively; when it is not, write the report.
13
Reporting & Documenting an Arrest 12 required fields
Incident report requirements. Objectivity discipline (observation vs. inference). Chain-of-custody notes for evidence. Timing: before the end of shift. Cross-reference to Module II.B.
14
Surrendering the Suspect PC §847(a)
"Without unnecessary delay." Information required by the receiving agency. Chain of custody for the subject. Avoiding continued detention after refusal. After-transfer witness role.
The guard card alone does not permit a weapon. Required BSIS permits (Firearms, Baton, Pepper Spray). Use-of-weapon standard. Off-duty carry (CCW). Inspection and compliance.
16
Code of Ethics & Professionalism 10 commitments
Whitestar Group Code of Ethics. Personal appearance and command presence. Cross-reference to Module II.A Public Relations. The one-sentence standard. Beyond the guard card.
Section · Assessment
T
Written Assessment Section 30 · 31
15 true/false + 20 multiple-choice questions drawn directly from the 14 Learning Objectives in Section 01. Passing the assessment is required before advancing to Part 2 in-person.
★
Certificate of Completion SB 652-compliant
Issued once both Part 1 (online) and Part 2 (in-person) are complete. The completion record is retained by Whitestar per 16 CCR §643 and submitted with your BSIS application materials.
Authority · Chapter 4 of 16
Responsibilities & Ethics
~20 min read
The Source of a Security Officer's Authority
A California-licensed security officer is a private citizen in uniform. Every action you take on duty — from telling a person to leave a property to physically placing someone under arrest — flows from one of two sources: the property owner's permission to act on their behalf (post orders), or the statutory authority any private person has under California law. You do not carry peace-officer authority. Peace officers are defined in PC §830 et seq.; that list includes sheriffs, police officers, CHP officers, and certain marshals and inspectors. A BSIS guard card is not on that list and never has been.
This distinction is the foundation of everything else in this module. When you act, the question is never "what would a police officer do here?" — it is "what does PC §837 permit me to do here?" Those two questions have different answers, and confusing them is the fastest way to convert a defensible incident into a civil lawsuit, a criminal charge, or both.
Peace Officer vs. Private Person Authority
PC §830 et seq.
Peace Officer Authority
Detain on reasonable suspicion of any crime.
Execute warrants issued by a court.
Conduct certain searches without consent (incident to arrest, exigency, plain view).
Use force consistent with PC §835a, with a public-duty privilege backing the action.
Authority created by the Legislature for sheriffs, police, CHP, marshals, certain inspectors.
PC §837
Private Person Authority (You)
Arrest only under one of the three §837 predicates (Ch 6).
Search only with consent or as a narrow incident to a lawful arrest.
Force measured under a stricter "necessity" standard — no public-duty privilege.
Issue lawful orders to leave property you're contracted to protect.
Authority shared with every other private citizen — your training and notes are the evidentiary advantage.
When in doubt: observe, document, call law enforcement. The dispatch radio is more powerful than any handcuff.
The "Color of Authority" Trap
PC §538d
Impersonation of a Peace Officer
California Penal Code · Misdemeanor
It is a crime to wear a uniform, carry a badge, or otherwise represent yourself as a peace officer if you are not one — acting "under color of authority."
A security uniform too close to a police uniform, a badge mimicking a peace-officer star, or a statement like "I'm with the police" can trigger §538d exposure for you personally, plus civil liability for Whitestar. BPC §7582.1 (Private Security Services Act) reinforces this — no licensee may use any title, insignia, or uniform that would lead a reasonable person to believe you are connected with federal, state, county, or municipal government.
Your title is "security officer" or "security guard." Never say "officer" in a way that implies "peace officer."
Ethical Responsibilities
Use only the authority granted
Proportionality of authority is the single most important ethical principle.
Post orders define what the property owner authorized.
The statute defines the upper limit any private person may exercise.
Your job sits at the intersection of those two boundaries — never outside either one.
Duty to refuse unlawful orders
Search a person who has not consented — refuse.
Hold a person beyond what's reasonable to summon LEO — refuse.
Use force as punishment rather than control — refuse.
Misrepresent yourself as a peace officer — refuse.
An action does not become lawful because someone in authority told you to take it.
Document the refusal
The exact request (who, what, when, where).
Your verbatim response refusing.
Notification to your Whitestar supervisor.
Any subsequent retaliation or pressure.
The note in your file is the protection.
A post order that says "stop and search every visitor" is not authority to do so if the visitor does not consent — the post order is voided by the law, not the other way around. The discipline standard is the same one BSIS applies to your license.
Whitestar Field Example
"Hold him until police get here, no matter how long it takes"
A retail loss-prevention manager tells you to escort a suspected shoplifter into a back office and "hold him until police get here, no matter how long it takes." You observed the suspect conceal merchandise and walk past the last point of sale — misdemeanor petty theft in your presence, within PC §837. You may detain. But "no matter how long" is not your call: the detention must be reasonable, and "reasonable" almost always means the minute or two it takes for police to arrive after dispatch is called. If dispatch says the responding unit is 45 minutes out, you call again, you keep notes, and you reassess whether continued detention is still reasonable. The same instinct that tells you when to engage is the instinct that tells you when to disengage.
Authority · Chapter 5 of 16
Liabilities — Officer, Employer, Client
~20 min read
16 CCR §643 specifically requires that Powers to Arrest training cover three categories of liability: the officer's, the employer's, and the client's. This is not theoretical. A wrongful arrest or excessive use of force by a single guard regularly produces lawsuits naming all three.
Track 01 · You
The Officer
Your personal assets are on the line. The E&O policy provides defense for most negligent acts but does not survive intentional misconduct (a §242 battery) or punitive damages.
Civil exposure:
False arrest / false imprisonment — no malice required, just a defective §837 predicate
Battery — touching beyond reasonable force
Assault — placing in fear of imminent battery, including by drawing a weapon you can't carry
A criminal conviction triggers BSIS suspension or revocation under BPC §7583.30 — ending your career.
Track 02 · Whitestar
The Employer
Under California's respondeat superior doctrine, Whitestar is liable for torts committed within the scope of your employment. "Within the scope" is read broadly — even a foreseeable detour or unauthorized impulse can expose the employer.
Exposure increases when:
The training record is incomplete or non-compliant with BPC §7583.6 / 16 CCR §643.
Post orders authorized or implicitly tolerated unlawful conduct.
A pattern of similar complaints existed and was not addressed.
This is why Whitestar treats documentation, training records, and supervisor review as core operational priorities. Every signed-off training module — including this one — is a piece of the employer's defense if a wrongful-arrest claim is later filed.
Track 03 · Property Owner
The Client
The property owner who contracted Whitestar can also be sued on theories of:
Negligent hiring of the security company.
Ratification — knowing about and accepting an unlawful practice.
Direct instruction — the client told the guard to take the unlawful action.
Hold-harmless agreements between client and Whitestar limit recourse between them but do not insulate the client from the injured plaintiff.
Operationally: when a client representative instructs you to do something outside your authority, write it down. The note becomes part of the file. If the instruction is later denied, the contemporaneous note is the evidence.
16 CCR §643 requires training in all three tracks because the State has decided a guard cannot be safely posted without an explicit understanding of each. The cost of acting outside your authority is concrete: your money, your job, your license, your employer's contract, your client's business.
Authority · Chapter 6 of 16
Powers of Citizen's Arrest
~22 min read
The Statutory Source — PC §837
Penal Code §837 is the single most important sentence a California security officer must know.
PC §837
Authority of a Private Person to Arrest
California Penal Code · Citizen Arrest Statute
"A private person may arrest another:
For a public offense committed or attempted in his presence.
When the person arrested has committed a felony, although not in his presence.
When a felony has been in fact committed, and he has reasonable cause for believing the person arrested to have committed it."
Three predicates. Any of them — and only those three — supports a lawful citizen arrest by a private person, including a security officer.
The three predicates, in plain English
①
Misdemeanor or Public Offense in Your Presence §837(1)
"In your presence" is the controlling phrase. You must have personally perceived the elements of the offense through your own senses. A radio call, a security-camera replay an hour later, a witness statement — none of those satisfy "in your presence" for a misdemeanor or general public offense. "Public offense" (PC §15) covers felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions; in practice this predicate almost always means a misdemeanor (petty theft, public intoxication under §647(f), simple battery, trespass).
②
A Felony, Even Outside Your Presence §837(2)
If a felony has actually been committed and you know the suspect committed it, you may arrest even though you did not see it happen. The risk is the "actually committed" element: if it turns out no felony was committed at all, your arrest is unlawful regardless of how reasonable your belief was. Predicate ③ exists to mitigate this risk — but only in part.
③
Reasonable Cause for a Felony Charge §837(3)
If a felony was in fact committed and you had reasonable cause to believe the person you arrested committed it, the arrest is lawful even if you turn out to be wrong about the identity. Both halves must be satisfied. This predicate does not protect you if no felony was committed at all, and it does not protect you if your "reasonable cause" was based on race, gender, dress, or any other protected characteristic rather than on observed conduct.
Reasonable cause is an objective standard tested by a jury looking at the facts you knew at the time. Not what you felt. Not what you suspected. What a reasonable person standing where you stood would have concluded.
Who May Arrest — PC §834
PC §834
Definition of Arrest
California Penal Code
"An arrest is taking a person into custody, in a case and in the manner authorized by law. An arrest may be made by a peace officer or by a private person."
There is no separate "security guard arrest." When you arrest, you arrest as a private person under §837, with whatever evidentiary advantages your training and contemporaneous notes give you in a later legal proceeding.
Notice to the Arrestee — PC §841
PC §841
Three Things the Arrestee Must Be Told
California Penal Code · Notice Requirement
The person making an arrest must inform the arrestee:
Of the intention to arrest the person,
Of the cause of the arrest, and
Of the authority to make the arrest.
Lawful language for a security officer: "I am placing you under citizen's arrest for [offense] under California Penal Code §837." You do not say "I am the police" or "I am a peace officer" — both would violate §538d. You say what is true: you are a private person making a citizen arrest, and you state the offense. The §841 notice is waived if the person is in the act of committing the offense, is being pursued immediately after committing it, or if giving the notice would endanger you or others. Those exceptions are narrow; the default expectation is that you give the notice clearly and audibly.
When Predicates Run Out
If none of the three §837 predicates fits, you do not have lawful authority to arrest. You still have these tools:
Lawful actions
Observe and document the conduct (Module II.B).
Issue lawful orders to leave property (Section 15).
Call law enforcement and wait.
Detain briefly for identification only if a specific statute applies (e.g., PC §490.5 merchant detention).
Prohibited
Detain or restrain a person without a §837 predicate.
Pursue or apprehend off the property you're contracted to protect.
Search, frisk, or interrogate without lawful authority.
Continue detention after law enforcement declines the arrest.
Document either way
Time, location, exact conduct observed.
Identification information for any suspect contacted.
Time of 911 call + dispatcher identifier.
Witnesses and verbatim quotes when possible.
The honest answer to most close calls is: not all bad behavior is arrestable by a private person. That is a feature of California law, not a bug.
Authority · Chapter 7 of 16
Limitations on Authority
~18 min read
Section 12 described what a security officer may do. This section describes what a security officer may not do — even when post orders, supervisors, or clients suggest otherwise. The limitations come from three sources: the citizen-arrest statute itself (PC §837 — limited to its three predicates), the criminal statutes prohibiting impersonation and overreach (PC §538d, §236, §245), and the Private Security Services Act (BPC §7582 et seq.).
Prohibition on Impersonating a Peace Officer
PC §538d
Impersonation Prohibitions
California Penal Code + BPC §7582.1
You may not, in word or appearance, hold yourself out as a peace officer.
BPC §7582.1 (Private Security Services Act) reinforces this rule specifically for licensees. Your job title is "security officer" or "security guard" — never "officer" in the law-enforcement sense.
Words
"I'm with the police."
"PD" / "sheriff" / "officer of the law."
Any equivalent phrasing that implies peace-officer status.
Appearance
Insignia, badges, color schemes, patches, or stripes a reasonable person would associate with police, sheriff, CHP, or federal agencies.
Seven-point star or shield designs used by CA peace-officer agencies.
Equipment
Emergency lights or sirens reserved for peace officers.
Vehicle markings that mimic patrol cars.
Body-cam configurations that read as government-issued at a distance.
Reasonable Detention Duration
Once a citizen arrest is lawful under §837, the detention is lawful only for as long as is reasonable to deliver the arrestee to a peace officer.
PC §847(a)
Without Unnecessary Delay
California Penal Code · Delivery Requirement
"A private person who has arrested another for the commission of a public offense must, without unnecessary delay, take the person arrested before a magistrate, or deliver him or her to a peace officer."
The moment the arrest is effected, dispatch is called. From that point, every minute of continued detention must be justifiable as time the police needed to arrive.
0
Arrest effected · call 911 immediately
The clock the court will examine starts here, not when you happen to remember to call.
15
15 minutes · second call if LEO not on scene
A second call shows continued urgency. Note both calls with dispatcher identifier.
30
30 minutes · supervisor consult · reassess
Beyond 30 minutes, coordinate with your supervisor. Reconsider whether continued physical detention is defensible against the public-safety risk of release.
There is no statutory cap, but California courts have repeatedly held that a private detention extending materially beyond the time needed to summon and transfer custody is unreasonable and supports a false-imprisonment claim.
Prohibition on Investigative Interrogation
A private security officer is not a detective. You do not have authority to interrogate a detained person, to demand they answer questions, or to imply that refusal will result in consequences. You may ask routine identification questions to fulfill the §841 notice requirement and to fill in your incident report — nothing more.
Permitted
Ask the subject's name and date of birth for the §841 notice.
Listen to and document anything the subject volunteers unprompted.
Confirm identification needed to fill in your incident report.
Prohibited
Read Miranda warnings (they apply to peace-officer interrogation; reading them implies peace-officer status → §538d).
Use threats, promises of leniency, or deception to obtain admissions.
Continue questioning after the subject indicates they do not wish to answer.
Document
Verbatim subject statements (volunteered, not solicited).
The fact that no investigative questioning was conducted.
Time of each interaction with the subject.
Prohibition on Searches Without Authority
Private security officers do not have the authority to conduct investigative searches of a person, their belongings, or their vehicle. The narrow exceptions — consent searches, a weapons frisk for immediate officer safety after a lawful arrest, and a search incident to a lawful citizen arrest — are covered in Section 14. Outside those circumstances, any search is a Fourth Amendment violation (civil liability) and may also be a state-law battery or invasion of privacy.
A demand to "empty your pockets" or "open your bag" without consent and without a lawful predicate is a search. The person's compliance does not retroactively legalize it — a reasonable person feels compelled by your uniform and authority, and compelled "consent" is not valid consent.
Prohibition on Using Force as Punishment or Persuasion
Force may be used only to effect or maintain a lawful arrest, or in self-defense / defense of others.
Permitted purposes
Effecting a lawful arrest under §837.
Maintaining a lawful arrest already effected.
Self-defense against imminent harm.
Defense of another against imminent harm.
Prohibited purposes
Punishing a person for what they did.
Compelling a person to leave property faster than they would otherwise.
Discouraging a person from filing a complaint.
Demonstrating authority.
Charge if violated
PC §242 — Battery, regardless of surrounding circumstances.
Push, strike, takedown, chokehold for any prohibited purpose = battery.
See Section 16 for the affirmative use-of-force standard.
When to Disengage and Call Law Enforcement
The honest signal that you are at the edge of your authority is the moment you start asking yourself "can I do this?" If you have to ask, the answer is almost always: disengage, observe, document, call law enforcement. A guard who knows where their authority ends is more valuable to Whitestar than a guard who pushes past it.
Conduct · Chapter 8 of 16
Search & Seizure
~18 min read
The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article 1, Section 13 of the California Constitution protect people from "unreasonable searches and seizures." Those protections were written to constrain government action, but they have practical force for private security in two ways: (1) when you act in close coordination with law enforcement, courts may treat your search as state action subject to the Fourth Amendment, and (2) under California civil and criminal law, an unconsented search by a private person is generally a battery, an invasion of privacy, or both — even when the constitutional analysis does not directly apply.
The operating rule is simple: as a security officer you do not search people unless one of three narrow circumstances applies.
The Three Narrow Exceptions
Exception 01
Consensual Search
A person can voluntarily allow you to search their person, bag, locker, or vehicle. To be legally valid, consent must be:
Freely given — compliance produced by uniform, tone, or threat is not consent. The test: would a reasonable person in their position feel free to refuse?
Knowing — "Can I look in your bag?" is different from "Hand me your bag."
Specific in scope — consent to "look at your DL" is not consent to open your wallet.
Revocable — the instant "stop" or a physical pull-back, the search ends.
Document everything: who, when, where, what was said, what was found, what was not. Unprovable consent is no consent.
Exception 02
Weapons Frisk (Post-Arrest)
After a lawful citizen arrest under PC §837, you have a narrow authority to pat down the arrestee's outer clothing for weapons that present an immediate danger.
Scope: outer clothing only.
Target: weapon-shaped objects only.
Purpose: officer safety, not evidence collection.
Plainly a weapon → remove and secure it.
Not plainly a weapon (wallet, phone, hard plastic) → do not remove or open.
This authority does not exist before the arrest. A pre-arrest "just making sure" frisk is a search without consent and without lawful predicate.
Exception 03
Incident to Lawful Arrest
Case law on whether a private person may conduct a full search "incident to arrest" the way a peace officer can (per United States v. Robinson) is mixed and circumstance-dependent.
The defensible Whitestar standard:
Do not search beyond the weapons frisk above.
Inventory the arrestee's personal property only after a peace officer arrives, and only at the peace officer's direction.
If the arrestee has a container (purse, backpack), secure it — do not open it. Hand it to the responding officer in the condition you received it.
This costs nothing in real cases (police will conduct any necessary search themselves) and forecloses an entire category of suppression and civil-liability claims.
Conduct Prohibited to Private Security
The following are not searches a security officer is permitted to conduct, full stop:
On the person
Strip searches — PC §4030 is restrictive even for peace officers; a private person committing this act is committing a battery.
Body-cavity searches — a crime when conducted by a private person.
Forced removal of clothing (jackets, hats, shoes) without consent or lawful arrest.
Vehicles + property
Entering the passenger compartment, trunk, or any closed container therein without consent or owner-signed post-order authority.
Opening containers (bags, briefcases) seized from a subject.
Searching lockers without the explicit written consent of the locker user (or the property owner under a clearly-disclosed policy).
Digital + credential
Compelled disclosure of phone passcodes.
Computer passwords or cloud-storage credentials.
Accessing locked devices found in the subject's possession.
Inspecting electronic devices' contents without consent.
Post Orders Cannot Expand Constitutional Limits
A property owner can authorize you to require visitors to consent to a search as a condition of entry — that is a private contract between the visitor and the property owner. The visitor's options are to consent or to leave.
What a property owner cannot do is authorize you to search a non-consenting person who is already on the property. That conflict between post orders and law is resolved in favor of the law every time.
When in doubt, the rule is the same one this manual returns to repeatedly: do not search; observe, document, call law enforcement.
Conduct · Chapter 9 of 16
Trespass
~20 min read
Trespass is the most common public-offense category a security officer will encounter and the most common predicate for a citizen arrest at a Whitestar post. The two governing statutes are PC §602 (general trespass) and §602.5 (aggravated trespass / occupied residence). Both are misdemeanors in their typical forms — which means an arrest under PC §837 requires the conduct to occur in your presence.
PC §602 — General Trespass
PC §602
Specific Trespass Categories
California Penal Code · 24+ enumerated acts
Section 602 lists more than two dozen specific acts that constitute trespass. The subsections you'll encounter most on a security post:
k
Cultivated or fenced lands §602(k)
Entering any lands under cultivation or enclosed by fence, belonging to or occupied by another, and damaging or destroying any property.
l
Entry without consent §602(l)
Entering and occupying real property or structures of any kind without the consent of the owner.
o
Refusing to leave after order §602(o) · the workhorse
Refusing or failing to leave land, real property, or structures belonging to or lawfully occupied by another and not open to the general public, upon being requested to leave by the owner, the owner's agent, or a peace officer at the request of the owner. This is the predicate that fits the great majority of private-property trespass at commercial accounts.
q
Public agency after-hours §602(q)
Refusing or failing to leave a public agency building during hours when it is closed to the public, upon being asked to leave by a peace officer or designated security officer.
The Four Elements of §602(o) (you must observe all four)
1
Land or structures of another
Property belonging to or lawfully occupied by the client.
2
Not open to the public at that time
After closing, in a back-of-house area, or after entry has been refused.
3
Lawful request to leave
By you as the owner's agent, or by another authorized person — clearly stated and audible.
4
Refusal or failure to leave
After a reasonable opportunity to comply. Silence + continued presence can satisfy "failing to leave."
All four elements must be present. A person in a publicly accessible area during open hours is not, by their mere presence, trespassing. The trespass arises when the property withdraws permission and the person refuses to leave.
PC §602.5 — Aggravated Trespass / Occupied Residence
PC §602.5
Trespass Into a Residence
California Penal Code · Apartments, gated communities, student housing
§602.5(a) — Entering a noncommercial dwelling without consent.
§602.5(b) "aggravated" — Entering or remaining in a noncommercial dwelling while the resident or another lawful occupant is present, with intent to threaten or compel the occupant to vacate.
Section 602.5 trespasses are misdemeanors but carry stiffer penalties. In apartment complexes, gated communities, and student housing, these are the most consequential trespass offenses you will be in position to observe.
Posted Notice + Order-to-Leave — Operational Practice
1
Verify the postings at shift start
Walk every entrance during initial patrol. Confirm "No Trespassing" signage is visible, legible, and oriented toward approach traffic. Photograph the signs and attach the photos to your daily activity report.
2
Issue the order clearly and audibly
Use the same language every time:
"This is private property. You are not permitted to be here. I am asking you to leave now."
Document the timestamp of the order, your position, and any witnesses present.
3
Allow a reasonable opportunity to comply
A reasonable opportunity to leave is part of the §602(o) trespass — the person must refuse or fail to leave after being asked. Standing over them with handcuffs out is not "asking."
4
Document the refusal
Note the exact words or conduct showing refusal. Silence and continued presence after a clear order can satisfy "failing to leave," but a clear verbal refusal is stronger evidence.
Removal vs. Arrest
Option 01 · Preferred
Lawful Removal
They leave when ordered. Document and resume patrol. No arrest needed. No further action is warranted unless the conduct repeats.
Most trespass encounters end here. The successful removal that nobody noticed is the best possible outcome.
Option 02 · If removal fails
Citizen Arrest under §837 / §602
They refuse to leave. You have observed the misdemeanor (§602(o) elements 1–4) in your presence. You may now lawfully arrest under §837(1), in which case you transition to the procedures in Section 17.
Calling law enforcement first is usually wiser unless circumstances require immediate action.
There is no third option that involves physically dragging a person off the property without effecting an arrest. "Helping them along" is a battery if it is not within a lawful arrest — and excessive force even within a lawful arrest if the person was not resisting.
Special Considerations
During business hours
Public-accessible spaces
A retailer's parking lot during open hours is effectively open to the public for ingress. A person walking through is not trespassing absent specific facts (loitering after a clear order, conduct in a posted "no loitering" area where the posting is enforceable).
Operational discretion
People experiencing homelessness
The statute applies the same way regardless of housing status, but discretion and humanitarian factors weigh heavily. Whitestar's standard: verbal order, generous time to gather belongings, social services or police only if the person refuses or the conduct creates an immediate safety issue.
Call for specialty response
Mental health crisis
A person in psychiatric crisis who is unable to comply with a lawful order is best handled by a Crisis Intervention Team or police mental-health unit — not by a citizen arrest. Refer to Module II.A's discussion of vulnerable populations.
The trespass statute is a tool, not a default. Use it when removal fails and the conduct is concrete enough to be documented. When it isn't, write the report and continue the patrol.
Conduct · Chapter 10 of 16
Use of Force
~25 min read
The use of force is the single highest-liability action a security officer takes. Every modern security training program — including Whitestar's — leads with de-escalation, treats force as a last resort, and trains the use-of-force continuum as a discipline of restraint, not aggression. The reason is simple: virtually every lawsuit and every BSIS license revocation involving a private guard begins with an unjustified or excessive use of force.
The Reasonable Force Standard — PC §835a
PC §835a
Objective Reasonableness Standard
California Penal Code · Force to Effect an Arrest
Force used to effect an arrest must be objectively reasonable in light of the facts known to the officer at the time, considering:
The severity of the offense,
Whether the suspect poses an immediate threat to the safety of the officer or others,
Whether the suspect is actively resisting or attempting to evade arrest.
For a private person making a citizen arrest, the same factors are weighed under common-law principles of necessity. The practical translation: use the least force necessary to gain compliance, no more.
The De-Escalation Imperative
Before any physical contact, the expectation is a serious and continued attempt at verbal de-escalation. This is not a soft option — California codified the duty to de-escalate where feasible (the 2019 amendment to §835a) and the BSIS curriculum reflects it.
Lower your voice and slow your speech. Pitched-up volume invites escalation.
Create space. Distance reduces threat perception on both sides and gives you room to react.
Use plain language. "Please leave the property" is more effective than "Move it."
Offer a choice. "If you leave now, this ends here. If you refuse, I will place you under citizen's arrest and call the police." Many encounters end the moment the subject perceives an exit ramp.
Listen. Some subjects need to feel heard before they will comply. Active listening is a tactical skill in this context, not a courtesy.
If the encounter de-escalates, that is a successful outcome. Document it. The encounter that ended with verbal compliance is the encounter that did not generate a complaint, a use-of-force review, or a lawsuit.
The Use-of-Force Continuum
When de-escalation fails and force becomes necessary to effect a lawful arrest, the force used should track the level of resistance. Step up only as resistance steps up, and step down immediately when resistance decreases.
Level 1 · Lowest
Officer Presence
A uniformed guard, in position, is itself a use-of-force level — and the highest level the great majority of incidents will ever require.
Level 2
Verbal Commands
Clear, repeated, calm. Includes the §841 notice when an arrest is being effected.
Level 3
Soft Control
Escort holds, joint manipulation that does not generate injury, guiding the subject. Appropriate for passive resistance.
Level 4
Hard Control
Strikes, takedowns, hard joint manipulation, control holds. Active resistance only. To the extent necessary.
Level 5
Less-Lethal
OC spray, batons, CEDs. Each requires a separate BSIS permit. Do not carry without the permit.
Level 6 · Highest
Deadly Force
Reserved for narrow self-defense / defense-of-others against imminent death or great bodily injury.
Continuing force after compliance is excessive force — and is no longer protected by any legal privilege. The moment a subject stops resisting, your authorization to use the prior level of force ends.
Deadly Force — The Narrow Exception
Deadly force — force likely to cause death or serious bodily injury — is permissible only in defense of yourself or another from an imminent threat of death or great bodily injury, and only when no reasonable alternative exists.
Permitted (narrow)
Defense of yourself or another against an imminent threat of death or great bodily injury.
No reasonable alternative exists.
The threat is present at the moment force is applied.
Prohibited
To prevent the escape of a fleeing suspect.
To protect property.
As an arrest tool — even for a violent felony — when the threat has subsided.
BSIS notification under B&P §7583.2 within 7 days.
Preserve weapon, brass, and scene evidence in place.
Carrying a firearm requires a BSIS Firearms Permit (BPC §7583.12, §7585 et seq.); discharging it requires that the elements of lawful self-defense or defense of others be satisfied at the moment the trigger is pulled. The legal, professional, and personal consequences of a wrongful use of deadly force are severe enough that the Whitestar standard is, in practice: assume you will not use it, train for the alternatives, and continue calling 911.
After Any Use of Force
Any force above officer presence and verbal commands triggers a use-of-force report:
Document immediately while details are fresh.
Cite the threat or resistance that justified the level of force used.
Identify witnesses and preserve their contact information.
Photograph any injuries — yours, the subject's, and to property.
Notify your Whitestar supervisor before the end of the shift.
Cooperate with any BSIS or law-enforcement review.
A clean, contemporaneous use-of-force report is, in roughly half of all litigated cases, the difference between the case being dropped at the pleading stage and the case going to trial. Module II.B covers the documentation standards in detail.
Practice · Chapter 11 of 16
Procedures for Making an Arrest
~25 min read
A lawful citizen arrest is a sequence of clearly defined steps executed in order. The order matters. Skipping a step almost always either undermines the legal basis for the arrest, exposes you to physical danger, or both. This section describes the Whitestar standard sequence, anchored to the requirements of PC §837 (predicate), §841 (notice), §835a (force), and §847 (delivery).
1
Pre-Arrest Observation and Documentation §837
Before any contact:
Confirm the predicate. Mentally check PC §837: did I observe a public offense in this person's presence, or do I have a known felony and reasonable cause? If the answer is no, do not proceed.
Identify the offense. Be able to name it: "Petty theft, PC §484." "Trespass after order to leave, §602(o)." "Public intoxication, §647(f)." If you cannot name it, you should not be arresting for it.
Call for backup if available. A two-officer arrest is safer for both you and the subject.
Note your time and position. A 10-second silent observation gives your incident report a precise starting timestamp.
2
Identification and Lawful Order §841
Approach with command presence but without aggression. Identify yourself by title and state your authority:
"Sir/ma'am, I'm a security officer with the Whitestar Group. I observed you [describe the offense in plain terms]. I am placing you under citizen's arrest under California Penal Code section 837. I need you to remain here until the police arrive."
This single statement satisfies the PC §841 notice requirement (intention to arrest, cause, authority) and avoids §538d exposure (you are clearly identifying as a security officer, not a peace officer).
3
Opportunity to Comply
Pause. Allow the subject a clear moment to acknowledge the arrest and comply with verbal direction. Many subjects, faced with a calm and lawful citizen arrest, will comply without further escalation. The pause is also evidence in your favor — it shows you gave the subject a meaningful chance to cooperate before any force was used. If the subject begins to walk or run away, your obligation is to call law enforcement first, then decide whether continued physical engagement is safe and necessary. There is no general "pursue and tackle" authority for a private person.
4
Physical Control If Necessary §835a
If the subject refuses to remain and continued detention is necessary, use the lowest level of force sufficient to gain control:
Soft control techniques first (escort hold, joint manipulation).
Hard control only against active resistance.
Less-lethal tools only if you hold the separate BSIS permit for them.
Deadly force only in defense of imminent death or great bodily injury.
Throughout, give clear verbal direction so the subject can de-escalate by complying ("Stop resisting. Place your hands behind your back. I do not want to hurt you.").
5
Control Holds and Handcuffing
If you carry handcuffs and are trained in their application (Whitestar provides this training in Part 2):
Double-lock cuffs once applied. Single-locked cuffs can tighten on the wrist with movement and cause injury.
Check tightness. Insert a finger between the cuff and the wrist.
Position the subject safely. A seated position against a wall is generally preferable to prone positioning, which carries a documented risk of positional asphyxia.
Never sit, kneel, or stand on a subject's back, neck, or chest. California has explicitly addressed this risk following multiple in-custody deaths.
Handcuffs are restraint, not punishment. Once the subject is under control, force above passive maintenance of the cuffs is excessive force.
6
Weapons Frisk for Officer Safety
A limited pat-down of outer clothing for weapons (see Section 14) is permissible while the subject is in your custody awaiting law enforcement. Stop at weapons. Do not search for evidence.
7
Immediate Notification of Law Enforcement 911
Call 911 (or your dispatch protocol) the moment the arrest is effected. Provide:
Your location and post.
That you have effected a citizen arrest, and the offense.
A brief description of the subject and their current behavior.
Any weapons, injuries, or medical conditions you have observed.
Whether the subject is in handcuffs.
Stay on the line if directed. Note the time of the call and the call-taker's identifier for your incident report.
8
Continuous Reassessment
While awaiting law enforcement, continue to:
Monitor the subject's breathing, color, and level of responsiveness. Any signs of medical distress trigger an immediate medical call and may require you to release restraint.
Document statements the subject volunteers (verbatim if possible). Do not interrogate.
Document the time and substance of any further communications with dispatch.
Keep bystanders at a safe distance and identify potential witnesses for the report.
9
Transfer of Custody §847
When law enforcement arrives, comply immediately with their instructions. The arrest transitions to a peace-officer arrest at this point. Provide:
A brief verbal narrative of what you observed and the statutory basis (PC §837 predicate + offense statute).
Your incident report or contemporaneous notes if requested.
Any evidence you secured (in the condition you secured it).
Witness contact information.
After transfer, you are a witness, not a custodian. Step back from the subject. Do not interject during the responding officer's questioning. Make yourself available for follow-up.
10
Post-Incident Documentation
Before the end of the shift:
Complete a full Whitestar Incident Report.
Complete a Use-of-Force Report if any force above Step 3 (verbal commands) was used.
Notify your Whitestar supervisor.
Preserve all photographs, video, and contemporaneous notes.
The work after the handcuffs come off is, in legal terms, often more consequential than the work that put them on. Steps 7–10 are where most arrests are won or lost in court.
Practice · Chapter 12 of 16
Misdemeanor vs. Felony Arrest
~20 min read
The most consequential legal distinction inside PC §837 is the difference between a misdemeanor predicate and a felony predicate. The two have different evidentiary requirements, different risk profiles for the security officer, and different practical implications for how often each arises on a post.
Predicate · §837(1)
Misdemeanor — Presence Required
For any misdemeanor or general public offense, the predicate is that the offense was "committed or attempted in his presence." This is a high evidentiary bar:
You must have personally observed the conduct through your own senses, in real time.
A radio call, a phone video, a security-camera replay, or a third-party report does not satisfy "in your presence."
You must have observed enough of the conduct to identify every element of the offense (for petty theft: the taking, the carrying away, the lack of consent, and the intent to permanently deprive).
If any element depends on something you did not personally see, the misdemeanor predicate fails. You may have a basis for an order to leave or to call law enforcement, but not for arrest.
Predicate · §837(2)–(3)
Felony — Reasonable Cause
For a felony, §837 provides two separate predicates. §837(3) is the workhorse — a two-part test:
A felony was actually committed. Objective fact, judged in retrospect. If no felony was committed at all, the arrest is unlawful even if you reasonably believed one had been.
You had reasonable cause to believe this person committed it — the same standard peace-officer probable cause is measured against, evaluated against the facts you knew at the moment.
Felonies you'll encounter on a post: §487 grand theft§459 burglary§211 robbery§245 ADW§451 arson
The rationale for the strict misdemeanor rule is that minor offenses are ones for which the legal system has decided the cost of a private person's mistake outweighs the value of an immediate arrest. Most misdemeanor matters can wait for law enforcement to investigate.
Bright-Line Examples
The following examples illustrate the rules with the kinds of facts a Whitestar guard will actually see.
A
Petty theft, fully in presence
You observe a customer take a $40 wireless speaker from the display, conceal it in a backpack, walk past the registers, and exit the store. You have personally observed every element of petty theft (PC §484). This is a misdemeanor in your presence under §837(1).
Verdict
Arrest permitted
B
Petty theft, partial observation
A loss-prevention manager radios that she just watched a customer conceal merchandise on a back-aisle camera. You arrive as the customer is exiting. You did not personally observe the concealment. The misdemeanor predicate is not satisfied. Detain pending police only if the merchant-detention statute (PC §490.5) applies; otherwise, do not arrest.
Verdict
Do not arrest
C
Robbery, after the fact
You hear a commotion in the parking lot. You arrive to find a victim on the ground holding a bleeding head, and a witness pointing at a person running toward the street. The victim says he was just struck and his wallet taken. A felony (PC §211 robbery) has in fact been committed, and the witness's identification gives you reasonable cause to believe the fleeing person committed it. §837(3) supports an arrest if you can safely effect it — though "safely" usually argues for getting a description and letting the responding peace officer handle the pursuit.
Verdict
Arrest permitted
D
Trespass with refusal
A non-customer remains in a posted "employees only" hallway after you instruct him to leave. He says "make me." You have personally observed §602(o) — the refusal in your presence after a lawful order. This is a misdemeanor in your presence under §837(1). (Whether it is the best option is a separate question; calling law enforcement first is usually wiser.)
Verdict
Arrest permitted
E
Assault, before you arrive
A bystander reports that "the guy in the red hoodie just punched a security camera and ran." You did not see it. Vandalism (§594) is a misdemeanor at this damage level. The misdemeanor predicate is not satisfied. Document, photograph, and call law enforcement.
Verdict
Do not arrest
Risk Calibration
In every close case, the higher-risk decision is to arrest on a thin predicate:
A misdemeanor arrest on a defective "presence" foundation is exposed to civil and criminal liability the same way a felony arrest on a defective "reasonable cause" foundation is.
The cost of a wrongful arrest is uniformly higher than the cost of letting the suspect leave and writing a high-quality incident report for follow-up.
Peace officers have evidentiary tools — recorded statements, warrants, forensic evidence, lawful searches — that you do not have, and they can recover an investigation from facts that would defeat a private citizen arrest.
When the predicate is clear, act decisively. When it is not, write the report.
Practice · Chapter 13 of 16
Reporting & Documenting an Arrest
~20 min read
A citizen arrest produces three documents at minimum: a Whitestar Incident Report, a Use-of-Force Report (if any force above verbal commands was used), and contemporaneous notes. Section 19 covers the arrest-specific requirements layered on top of the general report-writing standards introduced in Module II.B, Observation & Documentation.
If you have not yet completed II.B, you should pause here and complete it; the foundational mechanics of report writing (the Who/What/When/Where/How framework, objectivity, and legal-liability implications of documentation) are covered there and are not repeated in full here.
What the Arrest Report Must Contain
Every Whitestar incident report involving a citizen arrest must capture all 12 elements below:
01
Identification
Your name, BSIS guard card number, post, and assignment.
02
Time and location
Date, exact start time, location of the offense, and location of arrest if different.
03
Statutory predicate
Which subsection of §837 + the offense statute (e.g., "§837(1), misdemeanor petty theft in officer's presence, PC §484").
04
Observed facts
Complete narrative of what you personally observed, in chronological order, using objective language.
05
PC §841 notice
The exact language you used to notify the arrestee of intention, cause, and authority — and the arrestee's response.
06
Use of force
Any force used, the resistance that justified it, and the de-escalation that preceded it. If none, say so: "compliant arrest, no physical contact."
07
Notification of law enforcement
Time of call, dispatch operator's identifier, responding agency + unit, time of arrival.
08
Custody transfer
Time of transfer, name + badge number of receiving officer, the officer's stated disposition.
09
Witnesses
Name, contact information, and one-line summary of what each witness saw.
10
Evidence
Description + chain-of-custody handling for any item secured before transfer.
11
Subject's condition
Injuries (to the subject, to you, or to property) + any medical interventions called or refused.
12
Verbatim subject statements
Anything the subject said unprompted, in quotes. Do not quote your own questions — that implies investigative interrogation (Section 13).
Objectivity Discipline
Every line of an arrest report can be tested in court by the subject's defense attorney or a civil plaintiff's attorney. The two reliable safeguards:
Safeguard 01
Write Only What You Observed
Use the word "I observed" or "I heard" as the subject of your sentences. Anything outside that frame is hearsay or inference and should be either omitted or clearly labeled ("Witness Smith stated that…").
Safeguard 02
Distinguish Observation from Inference
Observation: "The subject was unsteady on his feet, had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, and used slurred speech."
Inference: "The subject was drunk."
Report the first; the second is for the responding officer's investigation, not yours.
Chain-of-Custody Notes for Evidence
If you secure an item (concealed merchandise, weapon, dropped wallet), the report must show:
Time + location
Exact time you took possession.
Specific location where item was secured.
Position relative to suspect at moment of seizure.
Description
Make, model, color, size.
Serial numbers or distinguishing marks.
Condition at moment of seizure.
Custody
How you secured it (hand, evidence bag, sealed envelope).
Where it remained until transfer.
Time + name/badge of receiving peace officer.
A defective chain of custody can convert good evidence into inadmissible evidence — and, in the worst case, can expose you to a theft or evidence-tampering allegation.
Timing
Write the report before the end of the shift. The Whitestar standard: "while details are fresh, before you go home." Reports written hours or days later are weaker evidence and weaker shield. If circumstances prevent immediate writing (medical situation, multi-officer incident with extended scene response), document the reason and write the report as soon as practicable.
Coordination with Module II.B Standards
The mechanics in II.B carry over to every word of an arrest report:
The Who / What / When / Where / How framework anchors the narrative.
Objectivity prevails over characterization.
Spelling, grammar, and legibility are part of professionalism, not optional polish.
ESL considerations (II.B) apply if you needed an interpreter; note the interpreter's identity and the method used.
A good arrest report tells the story of the encounter in a way that any reader — a Whitestar supervisor, a peace officer, a prosecutor, a defense attorney, an insurance adjuster, a juror, the subject themselves — would be able to reconstruct what happened and why your actions were lawful. That is the standard. Anything less is not enough.
Practice · Chapter 14 of 16
Surrendering the Suspect
~15 min read
For practical purposes on a Whitestar post, "deliver to a peace officer" is the only relevant option under PC §847(a): you call 911 (or your dispatch protocol), you maintain custody, and you transfer the subject to the responding agency when they arrive.
PC §847(a)
Without Unnecessary Delay
California Penal Code · Delivery Requirement
"A private person who has arrested another for the commission of a public offense must, without unnecessary delay, take the person arrested before a magistrate, or deliver him or her to a peace officer."
There is no fixed time limit, but California courts evaluate the totality of the circumstances. Below are the factors that argue for — and against — continued detention.
The Detention Factors
For a defensible detention
Call LEO immediately upon effecting the arrest. The clock the court will examine starts here.
Call again at 10–15 minutes — shows continued urgency. Note both calls with the dispatcher's identifier.
Stay in radio/phone contact with Whitestar dispatch and your supervisor.
Reassess at 30 minutes. Beyond this, consult your supervisor.
Against continued detention
The subject's medical condition deteriorates.
The subject becomes a serious risk of injury to self or others.
The agency states it cannot respond at all.
The wait extends far beyond reasonable response times without explanation.
If you release before LEO
Every step taken before release.
Every 911 call + dispatcher identifier.
Reason continued detention became indefensible.
Refer to LEO for follow-up investigation.
Subject's last known direction + ID.
Information Required by the Receiving Agency
When the responding peace officer arrives, hand off these elements verbally (then in writing if you have the report):
01
Statutory predicate
Which §837 subsection you relied on + the offense statute.
02
Observation narrative
Brief, chronological, observation-only.
03
§841 notice given
Exact language you used + the subject's response.
04
Location + time of arrest
Where it happened + when. Different from offense location if applicable.
05
Force + injuries
Any force used + any injuries observed (yours, subject's, property).
06
Evidence secured
Items in your custody + their condition at moment of transfer.
07
Witnesses
Names + contact info + what each saw.
Some agencies will provide a short form for you to complete on scene; complete it carefully and request a copy or photograph it before handing it over.
Chain of Custody for the Subject
The transfer of custody is itself a chain-of-custody event. Document:
Time of transfer.
Receiving officer's name and badge number.
Receiving agency and unit number.
Subject's condition at moment of transfer (alert, oriented, injured, sedated, in handcuffs).
Whether the receiving officer accepts the arrest, declines and releases, or transports without expressing a determination on scene.
If the responding officer declines the arrest, the subject is to be released. You do not have authority to continue the detention. Refusal to release at that point is false imprisonment — the §837 privilege no longer attaches. The same applies the instant a Whitestar supervisor tells you to release. Either instruction ends your lawful authority to detain.
After Transfer
Once the subject is in peace-officer custody, your role transitions to witness, not custodian. Step back from the subject. Do not interrupt the responding officer's questions.
Witness-role posture
Step back, hands visible, weapons holstered.
Provide the responding officer a way to reach you (Whitestar phone, supervisor's line).
Make yourself available for follow-up questions.
Be prepared to be subpoenaed for the preliminary hearing or trial.
Don't
Interrupt the responding officer's questioning.
Continue physically engaging with the subject.
Volunteer characterizations ("he was lying" / "she was high").
Discuss the case with bystanders or media.
Preserve
Contemporaneous notes.
Photographs + video.
Bodycam footage.
Until Whitestar or counsel directs otherwise.
A clean transfer is the punctuation mark on a lawful citizen arrest. It signals to the responding officer that you understood your authority, you exercised it within its limits, and the matter is now properly in the hands of the public system that is designed to process it.
Practice · Chapter 15 of 16
Weapons & Equipment Restrictions
~15 min read
A BSIS guard card by itself is not a permit to carry any weapon. Every category of weapon — firearm, baton, chemical agent — requires a separate permit issued by BSIS, with its own training requirement, examination, and renewal cycle. Carrying or using a weapon without the matching permit is a crime, a license violation, and a near-automatic loss on the question of negligence in any subsequent civil case.
The guard card permits presence, not force. Your authority on duty is to observe, document, communicate, and — when lawful — arrest. Weapons multiply force, not authority. The authority comes from §837. Without the authority, the weapon is a liability.
What the Guard Card Does NOT Authorize
Carrying any of the below on duty without the matching BSIS permit is a license violation under BPC §7583.30 and, depending on item and circumstances, an independent crime.
Firearms
Handguns of any kind.
Long guns (rifles, shotguns).
Concealed firearms (CCW separate from BSIS permit).
Impact + electrical
Expandable or fixed batons.
Tasers, stun guns, conducted electrical weapons.
Brass knuckles, slungshots (prohibited regardless of permit).
Chemical + edged
Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) pepper spray in regulated sizes.
Knives, edged weapons.
Switchblades (prohibited regardless of permit).
Improvised force-multipliers.
Required BSIS Permits
BPC §7583.12 · §7585 et seq.
Firearms Permit
Requirements:
BSIS-approved 14-hour firearms training course.
Range qualification on the type carried (revolver, semi-auto, etc.).
BSIS-administered written examination.
DOJ Live Scan background check.
Renewal every 2 years with continuing-education range quals.
Permit specifies type of firearm + conditions of carry. Carry only what's on your permit, only in uniform, only during assigned duties.
Covers expandable and fixed batons. Cannot be carried under a guard card alone, even briefly.
BSIS Permit Course
Pepper Spray (Tear Gas)
Requirements:
BSIS-approved Pepper Spray Permit course.
Permit applies to on-duty carry in a security context.
Small consumer pepper spray (under 2.5 oz) is regulated separately under PC §22810 and available to adults without a BSIS permit — but Whitestar policy requires the BSIS permit for any on-duty carry.
Use-of-Weapon Standard
Holding the permit is necessary but not sufficient. Every deployment of a weapon must independently satisfy:
01
Reasonable-force standard
PC §835a objective reasonableness — see Section 16.
02
Narrow deadly-force exception
Firearms only — defense against imminent death or great bodily injury.
03
Use-of-force continuum
Do not skip levels. Lower level reaches compliance? Use it.
04
Post-event documentation
Use-of-force report + weapon-discharge report for firearms + supervisor notification.
Off-Duty Carry
This module addresses on-duty carry by a uniformed security officer. Off-duty carry is governed by separate legal frameworks, including California's concealed-carry (CCW) regime for firearms.
A guard's BSIS Firearms Permit does not authorize concealed off-duty carry of a handgun. That requires a separate sheriff- or police-issued CCW.
Inspection and Compliance
Whitestar supervisors may inspect duty belts at any time. Carrying an unpermitted weapon — even briefly, even with subjectively good intent — is grounds for immediate termination and a report to BSIS.
The professional standard is to leave home with only the equipment on your assignment-specific equipment list, and to verify each item against your active permits before every shift.
The simplest framing: if it is not on your BSIS permit, it does not go on your duty belt.
Practice · Chapter 16 of 16
Code of Ethics & Professionalism
~15 min read
The legal framework described in Sections 10 through 21 sets the outer boundary of what a Whitestar security officer may do. Within that boundary, ethics and professionalism define how the officer chooses to act — which is, in the long run, the more important question. Two officers operating under identical post orders and identical statutes will produce very different results depending on their personal standards.
This section is the operational counterpart to the legal framework. Where Module II.A treats community and customer ethics in detail, this section focuses specifically on the ethics of the arrest authority itself.
Whitestar Group Code of Ethics
A Whitestar security officer commits to the following standards on every shift:
01
Exercise only granted authority
I will exercise only the authority granted to me by law and by my post orders. I will not exceed that authority for any reason — including direction from a client, a supervisor, or a member of the public.
02
Refuse unlawful actions
I will refuse to take an unlawful action, regardless of who asks me to take it. I will document the request and the refusal.
03
Treat every person with dignity
I will treat every person I encounter with dignity — including persons under arrest, persons accused of wrongdoing, persons in psychiatric crisis, and persons whose conduct I personally find offensive.
04
Force only as a last resort
I will use force only as a last resort, and only at the level necessary to gain compliance with a lawful arrest or to defend myself or another from imminent harm.
05
Document truthfully + objectively
I will document every consequential action truthfully, contemporaneously, and in objective terms — separating what I observed from what I inferred.
06
Do not impersonate a peace officer
I will not impersonate a peace officer by word, by uniform, or by implication. PC §538d
07
Refuse gifts that could influence judgment
I will not accept gifts, gratuities, or favors from clients, the public, or persons under detention that could be perceived as influencing my judgment.
08
Report misconduct
I will report misconduct by other security officers, by clients, or by anyone I observe, through Whitestar's chain of command.
09
Maintain professional appearance + command presence
I will maintain a professional appearance and command presence, recognizing that my conduct on a post reflects on the entire profession.
10
Continue to learn
I will complete required training on time and seek voluntary improvement in the skills the work demands — observation, documentation, de-escalation, first aid, and the law.
Personal Appearance and Command Presence
The visual signal you project on a post is itself a use-of-force level (Section 16). A uniformed, alert, well-groomed officer prevents incidents that a sloppy or distracted officer invites. Whitestar's appearance standard is not vanity — it is operational risk reduction.
Standards
Uniform clean, pressed, complete to spec.
Footwear safe, polished, appropriate to assignment.
Equipment belt organized — only permitted items (Section 21).
Personal grooming consistent with the uniform standard.
Posture upright; eyes scanning, not on a phone.
The "lazy guard" tell
Untucked or rumpled uniform.
Phone in hand instead of eyes on post.
Seated when supposed to be patrolling.
Headphones blocking situational awareness.
Off-duty footwear with a duty uniform.
What the jury sees
CCTV stills in trial exhibits.
Bodycam timestamps of when you sat down.
Witness testimony on whether you "looked engaged."
The guard who looked careless rarely gets the benefit of the doubt.
Cross-Reference to Module II.A — Public Relations
Module II.A treats public-relations duty (community and customer interactions, harassment and discrimination, diversity, verbal skills, ethics in the public-relations frame) in detail.
Where II.A treats ethics as a community-facing professional standard, this section treats ethics as the inner discipline that keeps the powerful authority of §837 from being abused. Both are required for a complete picture of the role.
The One-Sentence Standard
If you cannot describe what you did, why you did it, and the lawful authority for it in a single calm sentence — to a Whitestar supervisor, to a peace officer, to a member of the public, or to the subject of your arrest — you should not have done it. That sentence test is the most reliable real-time ethics check available, and it is the standard this course expects of every Whitestar-trained security officer.
Beyond the Guard Card
The guard card is the floor of the profession, not the ceiling. The officers Whitestar promotes — to supervisor, to account manager, to specialty assignment — are the ones whose ethics records are clean and whose reports tell the story of a person who acted within their authority every time. That career trajectory begins on the first shift after this course is complete.
