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

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

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