National Certified Protection Officer Certification
An Industry Recognized Credential
Industry Provider – International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO)
The International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) is dedicated to providing meaningful, cost effective education for all levels of security personnel. Learn more about IFPO – ifpo.org
IFPO and LAPSEN have been working together to provide the best offering in security and protective services training for secondary and post-secondary education. The certificate is professional level while the instruction is appropriate for high schools and colleges.
Security and protective service entities hire as young as 18 years old
Certified Protection Officer Certification Course
The Certified Protection Officer course provides students with the basic knowledge, skills, and experience to understand security and protection officers, and their role and responsibilities within the public safety and criminal justice system. The high school model can be implemented in 100-120 hours of class time. At the end of the course, students will be able to take the industry certification test.
The CPO certificate is recognized by:
- U.S. Department of Labor
- ASIS International
- Canadian General Standards Board
To review the course outline covered to prepare students for the CPO certification – Click Here
Here is a list of domestic entities that hire CPOs – Click Here
To learn more about course materials, student testing and classroom implementation: Click Here
Support Materials
LAPSEN provides materials and resources for instructors to prepare their students for 1) entry level career success and 2) industry recognized credential success
Standards
Review the National Course Standards for a dispatch supplement from LAPSEN.
Lesson Plans
For instructors who have completed certification. Password protected.
Forgot password? Email info@lapsen.org
Links
Here are some websites that are useful in teaching courses aligned to this credential.
Teacher Training
CPO Certification
Teachers are required to either have 1) certification by a state entity in security or protective services 2) three years experience in security, law enforcement or military experience in security or policing 3) complete the IFPO CPO Course or 4) pass the CPO exam.
For teachers needing CPO certification, IFPO has a special price of $325 for the CPO course (includes exam) or $100 for the exam only.
Instructor Certification
To be an instructor that can certify their students, there is a required CPO Instructor course. The CPOI cost is $225.
Recertification
IFPO requires 3 hours of professional development in security and protective services every two years. Recertification cost $50.
For more specific information on instructor training, including CPO waivers: Click Here
Certified Protection Officer Certification Capstone Competencies
This is an outline of the test design. Instructors can use this to crosswalk their instruction to ensure they are covering the necessary content. This is also useful to have students create a review for the certification as they progress through the course content.
- Career Planning for Protection Professionals
- Crisis Intervention
- The Protection Officer as a Leader
- Security Risk Management
- Effective Communications
- Antiterrorism and VIP Protection
- Security Awareness
- Crime and Incident Scene Procedures
- Automation in Protection Operations
- Interviewing and Statements
- Patrol Principles
- Legal Aspects of Security
- Environmental Crime Control
- Use of Force
- Alarm System Fundamentals
- Defensive Tactics and Officer Safety
- Occupational Safety and Health and the Protection Officer
- Apprehension and Detention Procedures
- An All Hazards Approach to Hazardous Materials
- Human Relations in a Global Environment
- Information Security and Counterintelligence
- Ethics and Professionalism
- Workplace Crime and Deviance