The
Division is busting Fraudulent Firearms Instructors throughout Florida for the Class G Statewide Firearms License
Be careful where you get your Armed G License and G Re-cert Training! The DOL is busting fraudulent firearms & security instructors throughout Florida. There is a significant problem right here in the State of Florida with security schools and firearms instructors cheating the system and committing fraud. The State of Florida finally after years of issues are investigating these instructors who have been providing security & firearms certifications to students with improper training or no training at all. The significant issue is UNTRAINED security officers providing services without correct training is a liability to the clients they are hired to protect. Another issue is security officers without correct training are reducing the salaries for the security industry. When you have a surplus of improper trained armed security officers, this allows the security firms to hire armed officers at the very same rate as an unarmed officers and also undercut pricing when these companies bid on contracts. The security companies that are hiring these inexperienced security officers must also be held responsible for hiring these officers, which is Vicarious Liability.
Another significant concern I view with Florida statutes 493 is that an unarmed security officer is required to complete 40 hours of training but the Statewide Firearms Course is only 28 hours to carry a lethal weapon on duty. To acquire your G license or 4 hour re-cert you are simply required to complete the training with K instructor, this could be performed at the instructors garage or perhaps McDonalds for all we know. There is no requirement for this training to be performed at a accredited security institution or facility. The firearms instructors are not even required by the State to have insurance to provide firearms training.
The amount of fraud for the D & G licenses has been out of control for many years and this is creating a surplus of minimum trained security officers on the streets. As a licensed security institution as well as firearms academy we provide a cutting-edge classroom, equipment, firearms, training aids, proper training and 2 million dollar insurance coverage. If the State permits this course to be provided outside a security academy or facility, the concern is how do you keep accountability of the Statewide Firearms course? There is not enough accountability held on these instructors providing improper training. The question we constantly have on the phone is “why are your costs higher then xyz.. academy or trainer?”. Everything comes down to you pay for what you get! It is virtually like going to College as well as obtaining your degree however never ever obtaining any training for that degree. You have security schools offering security & firearms courses at inexpensive prices, teaching the bare minimum, flooding the marketplace with these inexperienced security officers.
Class G Statewide Firearms License Fraud and Improper Training
We have come across many armed security officers throughout the whole State of Florida that have had a D & G licenses for years, yet do not know the basic principles of marksmanship, the 4 step draw, firearms malfunctions and the Florida Statutes 493, 776, & 790. How do you provide a professional service if you do not know about the above fundamentals that armed security officers should have acquired when they went through their initial training. There is a factor why they do not know, because they did not obtain the correct security training. Security officers wonder why the marketplace is not paying fair wages for a industry that requires licensure compared to someone who works in the fast food market. The problem once again is there are to many untrained security officers in the industry because these instructors are mostly in business for a quick buck.
The State of Florida ultimately after years of complaints are finally taking action investigating these instructors that have been committing fraud. You could lose your license if you do not properly qualify and complete the required training for the Security D License, Class G Statewide Firearms License and the Class G Statewide Firearms Recertification.