Commissioned security officer (Level III): Definition and What It Means for Your Property

The licence behind an armed guard

In Texas, “armed guard” is a plain-language term; the licence is a Level III commission issued under Occupations Code chapter 1702 and administered by the Department of Public Safety’s private security program. The commission is what allows a security officer to carry a firearm while working for a licensed company. It is issued to the individual, tied to the company that employs them, and renewed on a schedule with continuing education. An officer without a commission may not carry, whatever the client asks for.

What the Level III course covers

The Level III course is 45 hours and builds on the Level II material. It includes the legal framework for private security in Texas, use of force and the law on deadly force, handcuffing and defensive tactics, and a firearms component that ends in a proficiency test the officer must pass with the type of weapon they will carry. Firearms proficiency is repeated on renewal. Price Protection’s armed officers are state-certified in this way and, on top of the state course, are trained in the company’s own standards for customer service, incident reporting, first aid and fire safety, with performance reviewed and documented daily.

When a client should ask for Level III

An armed post is the right call when the risk on the property includes violence rather than only theft, trespass and disorder: cash handling, pharmacies and check-cashing offices, some healthcare settings, sites with a specific threat, and properties where the client’s insurer or corporate policy requires it. The commission does not change what the officer’s post orders say. Officers deter, observe, report and call police; the firearm is for the defence of life within the law, not for enforcement. This is a summary, not legal advice. The armed security guard page describes how an armed post is staffed.