Course Overview

The annual continuous refresher program for the Private Security Officer Level I course is a 17-unit program intended to run for 40 hours to provide Private Security Officers of an organization an opportunity to improve their skills in the areas of their occupation. The course will be implemented in a systematic program that is in line with the accepted principles. The systematic approach to training encompasses the steps of analyzing educational needs by working areas, designing a training program that addresses these needs, and planning the implementation of the program and its evaluation.

This program is an extension of previously provided training as governed by PSRA general rules and regulations. This course is designed to support and complement all previously conducted training and seminars.

 

The Annual Private Security Officer Level I refresher course is a mandatory requirement for license renewal annually. It incorporates Emergency Level First Aid Certification by either the Kenya Red Cross or St John’s Ambulance.

 

General objectives

By the end of this course, the trainee should be able to:

1.            Explain the concept of security, its history, and its execution.

2.            Discharge his/her duties within the legal framework.

3.            Relate how labor laws affect their work.

4.            Identify and report security risks, threats, and hazards.

5.            Adhere to the SOPs of private security officers.

6.            Use and maintain security equipment and animals.

7.            Apply kitting and turnout at their workstations.

8.            Write different types of reports and communicate effectively.

9.            Take measures to counter-terrorism.

10.          Respond to emergencies.

11.          Acquire personal development skills.

12.          Serve internal and external publics professionally.

Entry requirements

Trainee

The minimum entry requirement for the Annual Continuous Refresher Programme for Private Security Officer Level 1 course is that the trainee MUST be a holder of the Private Security Officer Level 1 certification. Therefore, PSOs participating in this course of instruction must have satisfied all previous training requirements.

Trainer

The minimum entry requirement for the instructor of the Annual Refresher Programme for Private Security Officer Level 1 course is as follows:

From the private security industry:

1.            Must be a Kenyan citizen

2.            Must be 18 years and above

3.            Able to read and write in English

4.            Physically and mentally fit

5.            Has a valid police clearance certificate

6.            Has 6 years of proven experience in the private security industry

7.            Has done Private Security Officer Level 1 ToT course

From national security agencies (ex-military, police, etc):

1.            Must be a Kenyan citizen

2.            Must be 18 years and above

3.            Able to read and write in English

4.            Physically and mentally fit

5.            Has a valid police clearance certificate

6.            Has an honorable letter of discharge from any national security organ

7.            Has at least 1 year of proven experience in the private security industry

8.            Has done Private Security Officer Level 1 ToT course

Why Is Continuous Annual Refresher Programme Important?

Ignoring knowledge gaps in areas such as policies and procedures, for example, can lead to expensive mistakes for business, possible miscommunication, or even, in the case of missing safety knowledge – physical injuries. So, conducting retraining to refresh knowledge and cover new topics in the workplace is essential.

Besides, PSOs themselves often report being unable to retain key learning points after a training session concludes and being unable to recall these concepts when they are needed. And this is not surprising. It’s important to factor in the “forgetting curve” which is basically the fact that employees forget what they learn in training sessions quickly. It is estimated that employees forget:

•             50% of what they learn within one hour

•             80% of what they learn after two days

•             90% of what they learn after 31 days

Employee refresher course training can reduce the impact of the forgetting curve on an organization’s time, resources, and ultimately the bottom line.

Goals:

 

The Annual Continuous Refresher Program is intended to support and complement the current security guard training and other security-related endeavors. Through this program, Private Security Officers will gain an increased level of training and knowledge pertaining to security concerns and other security-related issues in support of their role as security specialists and the responsibilities inherent within the purview of their profession.

 

Cognitive Goal:

 

To provide PSOs with the basic knowledge and capability to detect and discern potential lawless elements and other related activities through a cohesive industry-wide effort, promoting a robust environment of prevention and deterrence.

 

Affective Goal:

 

To provide PSOs with an appreciation for the complexity and enormity of criminal and lawless activities, as well as an awareness of ongoing counter-terrorism efforts on local, state, and national levels.

 

Mode of training

The training will have a pattern of attendance either full-time, part-time, or block release. It will combine the following methods with a high level of flexibility to satisfy the demands of the trainee PSOs:

1.            Face-to-face/classroom training

This is traditional classroom-style training delivered by our instructors. The main benefits of this method are interactivity between instructor and trainees and the ability to ask questions and tailor the structure of a course depending on the group being taught.

2.            Virtual classroom

This is classroom-style training to be delivered by an instructor, but virtually, using web conferencing software. The main benefits of this method are that it maintains the interactivity between instructor and trainees, plus it allows employees to attend remotely from home or any other location. Depending on the software used, the trainer may have access to additional interactive elements such as whiteboarding, surveys, and on-screen drawing that can help spice up the sessions and retain engagement.

3.            Online courses (eLearning)

With this method, the institute is able to deliver self-paced training at a scale ranging from a handful of employees to more, and it is also easy to track results to measure the effectiveness of your program and, ultimately, your refresher training’s ROI. With the right tools, content creation is quick and can be updated frequently with little effort

Assessment criteria

Candidates enrolled for the course must meet the following assessment criteria to be eligible for certification:

1.            80-90% attendance requirement

2.            Allocation of marks; 60% theory, 40% practical

3.            Marks obtained shall be graded as follows;

a)            Pass mark - 50%

b)            Resit - 49% - 40% (on specific unit sections that are below the pass mark)

c)            Retake - 39% and below (in the entire course)

Instructor/Student ratio

The instructor/student ratio shall be 1/32 for the training program to ensure the quality of instruction for the student.

Training Content and Programme Length

The Annual Refresher Programme for Private Security Officer Level I course is a 40-hour program. The program incorporates Emergency Level First Aid Certification by either the Kenya Red Cross or St John’s Ambulance.