Pepper Spray / Chemical Dispensing Device FAQs

September 21, 2020

1. Is a separate training certificate necessary for students as proof of having completed the Pepper Spray Course?

Yes. The Pepper Spray Training Course may be taught as a component of the Level III training course, but can also be offered as a separate supplement to Level III training received previously. A separate training certificate will be provided following the successful completion of this training course.

2. Will the Pepper Spray Training Course require the students to be sprayed?

No. The use of live targets, and the spraying of students, is within the discretion of the instructor and is not required for passage of the course.

3. If I have previously had Pepper Spray Training will the department provide a current certificate?

No. To receive a Pepper Spray training certificate, the current approved curriculum must be completed.

4. If I previously received training on the use of pepper spray, can I continue to carry the spray or do I need to receive the newly approved training?

The prior training material has been superseded by the new curriculum and is no longer approved by the Private Security Board. For purposes of Penal Code Section 46.05's defense to prosecution, security officers must have received the currently approved training on the use of a chemical dispensing device in conjunction with the board's approved Level III training.

5. Can a non-commission security officer receive the Pepper Spray Training?

Yes, however the Private Security Board has approved training on the use of a chemical dispensing device as a supplement to the Level III training curricula. The defensive tactics and use of force components of the Level III training course provide the background training necessary to ensure the officer's use of the device is safe, appropriate, and authorized. The Pepper Spray Training is therefore approved only for those who have successfully completed the Level III training.

6. As a Level III or Level IV Instructor, am I required to teach Pepper Spray?

The approval as a Level III or Level IV instructor authorizes the instructor to teach the Pepper Spray Training course, but whether this course component is taught as part of the Level III training course is within the discretion of the instructor.

7. Is there approved training or certification I must obtain prior to instructing the pepper spray component?

The approval as a Level III or Level IV instructor authorizes the instructor to teach the Pepper Spray Training course. It is the individual instructor's sole responsibility to determine whether he or she is qualified or competent to teach the Pepper Spray Training course and to seek any additional training he or she may feel is necessary.

8. Will commissioned security officers be required to repeat Level III training in order to receive the Pepper Spray Certification?

No. The Pepper Spray Training is approved when administered to a security officer who has successfully completed the board approved Level III training.