Today was the second of four days of a training class I'm taking at [url]www.weaponsacademy.com[/url]. The goal is to get my Texas personal protection officer certification. Since telecom has netted me absolutely nothing since I was laid off, I decided to do something else for which at least part of my resume is suited.
Texas requires those getting a personal protection officer (level IV: armed, concealed, plainclothes) cert to also have their commissioned security officer (level III: armed, in uniform) certification. This, I suspect, is mostly to get the laws regarding what security personnel can and can't do.
Of the eight in my class, we are evenly divided between those getting just their level III to work uniformed armed security (for TXU and a company called Statewide) and those who are getting their PPO cert to work executive protection. The first day was mostly classroom in the morning going over the laws, then handcuffing and non-lethal open hand force in the afternoon. Today was a bit more lecture, but mostly baton work with ASP batons and weapon retention drills, as well as more open hand work.
Tomorrow is range day and the written test for level III. Texas law requires 50 rounds for qualification, just like the CHL, but we're going to be firing 400 rounds. Those of us staying for the PPO cert will be doing some assault-on-the-principal drills in the afternoon tomorrow.
Monday will be some close protection instruction and drills, then the PPO test.
I'm also planning on getting some medical training, maybe EMT qualification, as well as a protective driving course. I'll be going out to Memphis, TN to [url]www.legionconsulting.com[/url] in November for their executive protection class.
It can't possibly pay me any [b]less[/b] than telecom has for the past few months, and it will keep my ass out of cubicles for the forseeable future.