Missouri Code of State Regulations › Title 17 - BOARDS OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS › Division 20 - St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners › Chapter 4 - Rules for Private Watchmen › Section 17 CSR 20-4.015 - Administration and Command of the Private Security Section

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 14, July 15, 2024
PURPOSE: Under section
				  84.340,
				  RSMo, the St. Louis, Missouri Board of Police Commissioners has the authority
				  to regulate and license all private security personnel, serving or acting as
				  such, in St. Louis. These rules establish procedures, training, requirements
				  and license fees for those persons so employed in the security
				  field.
(1) Board of Police
				Commissioners. The St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners (also referred to as
				the board) is established by state statute and consists of five (5) members,
				four (4) of whom are appointed by the governor. The mayor of the City of St.
				Louis serves
ex officio
. The board has sole charge and control
				of the metropolitan police department of the City of St. Louis and of the
				licensing, regulation and discipline of all private security officers, private
				watchmen and couriers in the City of St. Louis. Private detectives are licensed
				by the license collector's office of the City of St. Louis, not by the board of
				police commissioners. The board relegated that responsibility to the city
				license collector's office.
(2)
				Private Security Section. The private security section is responsible for the
				interviewing, investigating, processing, licensing, inspecting and supervising
				of all persons working or acting as licensed private watchmen or any other
				variety of titles in the City of St. Louis. The private security section is
				further responsible for issuing and transferring all such licenses, for
				reinstatements, for periodic inspection of license holders, for liaison with
				all suppliers of security personnel in the city, for maintenance of a personnel
				file on all applicants in the City of St. Louis and for publishing, within the
				department, information of all terminations of employment of security
				personnel. The private security section also conducts background investigations
				on private detective/investigator applicants as requested by the license
				collector's office. The decision to issue a license is made by the license
				collector's office.
(3) Private
				Security Personnel. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department private
				security program has three (3) distinct classifications of personnel. A
				definition of each classification is listed as follows:
(A) Private security officer. A person
				employed with certain police powers (as defined in
				17 CSR 20-4.065 ) to
				protect life or property on or in designated premises. The private security
				officer's powers exist only within the established property owned or leased by
				the contracting employer and to incidents occurring on the premises. The
				private security officer may carry a firearm providing this individual is
				qualified (as defined in
				17 CSR 20-4.055 ).
				Authorization to carry a firearm is designated on the badge/identification (ID)
				card. The private security officer, whether armed or unarmed, may carry a
				slapper, baton, nightstick, aerosol tear gas and handcuffs;
(B) Courier. A person employed to carry out
				the assignment of protecting and transporting property from one (1) designated
				area to another. The person shall be in an approved military style uniform. The
				courier has no power of arrest. The private courier may carry a firearm
				provided this individual is qualified (as defined in
				17 CSR 20-4.055 ), which
				is designated on the badge/ID card; and
(C) Private watchman. A person employed
				without police powers and without authorization to carry weapons or protective
				devices. This individual will perform the tasks of observation and reporting on
				or in a licensed premises or designated area. This may include patrolling the
				public street. The private watchman has a distinctive grey, military uniform.
				The private watchman has no power of arrest. Note: Only the private security
				officer and private courier classifications will be permitted to hold two (2)
				licenses. Each classification is licensed separately and functions as a
				distinct entity. (This licensing does not include the private watchmen
				classification.)