Guard Card Guides · The Course

What Is Power to Arrest?

Short answer

Power to Arrest is the first module of California's required 8-hour guard card course — 3 hours covering a security guard's legal authority and its limits: the responsibilities and ethics of a citizen's arrest, when and how a guard can detain someone, restrictions on search and seizure, and the criminal and civil liability that comes with getting it wrong. It is paired with the 5-hour Appropriate Use of Force module to make up the full 8 hours.

What Power to Arrest Covers

  • The responsibilities and ethics of a citizen’s arrest
  • How security officers and peace officers relate when making an arrest
  • The limits on a guard’s power to arrest, plus company policy and contract limits
  • Restrictions on searches and seizures
  • Criminal and civil liability — personal and employer

Why It Matters

Security guards act without a badge or peace-officer authority. Knowing exactly what you can and cannot do protects you, your employer, and the public — and keeps a routine situation from turning into a lawsuit or a criminal charge.

How It Fits the 8-Hour Course

Power to Arrest (3 hours) plus Appropriate Use of Force (5 hours) make up the required 8-hour course. Under SB 652, all 8 hours must come from a single provider.

Who Takes It

Every California guard card applicant. No prior experience is required. You can take Power to Arrest online, but the Use of Force portion must be in person.

Related Questions

Is Power to Arrest the whole guard card course?
No. It is the 3-hour first module. The full course is 8 hours — 3 hours of Power to Arrest plus 5 hours of Appropriate Use of Force.
Can I take Power to Arrest online?
Yes — the 3-hour Power to Arrest portion can be taken online; at NPS we teach it live online with a real instructor. The 5-hour Appropriate Use of Force portion must be completed in person.
Is there a test on Power to Arrest?
The course ends with a 52-question open-book exam covering both modules, and you need 100% to pass. Your instructor prepares you throughout class.

See more in our full FAQ and guides, or contact us. Verified against bsis.ca.gov. BSIS License ATG #2995. General information, not legal advice.

Take the Course That Starts It All

Power to Arrest is the first 3 hours of your 8-hour guard card course. Book it today.

Book the 8-Hour Course — $80