The ASSIST legislative team represents the interests of over 107,631 private security officers and 2,438 security companies before the Texas Legislature in Austin.

Our regulatory agency, the Texas Department of Public Safety, (DPS), is under Sunset review this year. That means that every rule, regulation or procedure conducted by DPS is under legislative review.

The licensed security services professionals that make up our association are opposed to many of the Sunset staff recommendations concerning the future regulation of private security in Texas. We feel that these recommendations could negatively affect Texans and the safety of our communities.

Staff has recommended private security officers no longer be affiliated with a licensed company, be supervised or demonstrate their knowledge of state laws governing their actions. Under the proposals, private companies would no longer report the existence of their in-house private security force to DPS. This would place the public at great risk and create a regulatory, liability and accountability nightmare.

In addition, under the recommendations, private security officers would simply pass a criminal background test, pay their fees and then become a freelance security officers. They could design their own uniforms and patrol cars and sell their services. Each individual officer would be responsible for maintaining liability insurance and remitting sales tax to the State Comptroller. They would no longer be under the supervision of a professionally managed security services company with a licensed manager. Under these recommendations, DPS would not even know what companies in Texas utilize their own private security force.

The ASSIST legislative team is working hard to enact our suggested changes to the Sunset staff recommendations. These changes will enable DPS to protect the citizens of Texas by continuing to ensure that private security officers are supervised, trained, maintain liability insurance and collect and remit sales tax.

We need all private security professionals to help us gain legislative support for these changes in our continued efforts to keep Texans safe. Please join us for our legislative ‘walk the halls’ day in Austin on April 10th, 2019.

To learn more concerning these important issues contact ASSIST at 832-274-1079 or at admin@assisttexas.org