Virginia Law

In addition to the words and terms defined in § 9.1-138 of the Code of Virginia, the following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Administrative Process Act" means Chapter 40 (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Board" means the Criminal Justice Services Board or any successor board or agency.

"Date of hire" means the date any employee of a private security services business or training school performs services regulated or required to be regulated by the department.

"Department" or "DCJS" means the Department of Criminal Justice Services or any successor agency.

"Director" means the chief administrative officer of the department.

"Electronic images" means an acceptable method of maintaining required documentation through the scanning, storage, and maintenance of verifiable electronic copies of original documentation.

"Employee" means a natural person employed by a licensee to perform private security services that are regulated by the department.

"Firearms endorsement" means a method of regulation that identifies an individual registered as a private security registrant and has successfully completed the annual firearms training and has met the requirements as set forth in 6VAC20-174.

"Firm" means a business entity, regardless of method of organization, applying for an initial or renewal private security services business license or private security services training school certification.

"Incident" means an event that exceeds the normal extent of one's duties.

"Independent contractor" means a self-employed personal protection specialist or a private investigator who (i) maintains comprehensive liability insurance in an amount fixed by the department, (ii) has been issued a registration by the department, and (iii) enters into a contract to perform work for a private security business licensed to provide services within the Commonwealth.

"Intermediate weapon" means a tool not fundamentally designed to cause deadly force with conventional use. This would exclude all metal ammunition firearms or edged weapons. These weapons include baton/collapsible baton, chemical irritants, electronic restraining devices, projectiles, and other less lethal weapons as defined by the department.

"Licensed firm" means a business entity, regardless of method of organization, that holds a valid private security services business license issued by the department.

"Licensee" means a licensed private security services business.

"Official documentation" means personnel records; Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD214); copies of business licenses indicating ownership; law-enforcement transcripts; certificates of training completion; a signed letter provided directly by a current or previous employer detailing dates of employment and job duties; college transcripts; letters of commendation; private security services registrations, certifications or licenses from other states; and other employment, training, or experience verification documents. A resume is not considered official documentation.

"On duty" means the time during which private security services business personnel receive or are entitled to receive compensation for employment for which a registration or certification is required.

"Performance of his duties" means on duty in the context of this chapter.

"Person" means any individual, group of individuals, firm, company, corporation, partnership, business, trust, association, or other legal entity.

"Physical address" means the location of the building that houses a private security services business or training school or the location where the individual principals of a business reside. A post office box is not a physical address.

"Principal" means any sole proprietor, individual listed as an officer or director with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, board member of the association, or partner of a licensed firm or applicant for licensure.

"Private security services business personnel" means each employee of a private security services business who is employed as an unarmed security officer, armed security officer/courier, armored car personnel, security canine handler, detector canine handler, private investigator, personal protection specialist, alarm respondent, a locksmith, central station dispatcher, electronic security employee, an electronic security sales representative, electronic security technician, or electronic security technician's assistant.

"Reciprocity" means the relation existing between Virginia and any other state, commonwealth, or province as established by agreements approved by the board.

"Recognition" means the relation of accepting various application requirements between Virginia and any other state, commonwealth, or province as established by agreements approved by the board.

"Related field" means any field with training requirements, job duties, and experience similar to those of the private security services field in which the applicant wishes to be licensed, certified, or registered. This term includes law enforcement and certain categories of the military.

"This chapter" means the Regulations Relating to Private Security Services Businesses (6VAC20-172).