On August 16, 2021 Dallas Barrett went to Whiskey Row for a night out with friends. During the night, a fight broke out between the security guards and Mr. Barrett. Six guards were used to restrain Barrett taking him to the floor, but they ended up taking it too far. When police arrived on the scene Barrett laid unresponsive on the floor of the Nashville Bar. An autopsy would show Barrett passed due to oxygen deprivation. This incident prompted the state of Tennessee to take a step forward when it comes to the training of unarmed and armed officers where alcohol is being served on the premises.
Covert Results investigators were able to assist in gathering evidence in this case but the security portion seemed to hit a bit closer to home. Being an armed security company, Covert Results takes training and professionalism very seriously. Our officers are all either active, off-duty officers, retired police, or military personnel. We also require our officers keep their licensing and training up to date which means we will be sure our officers are well-versed in the new requirement prompted by Dallas’s Law.
Dallas’s Law, the new legislation signed by Governor Bill Lee on June 1, 2022 will require changes regarding administration of the Private Protective Services Licensing and Regulatory Act. This law will take effect January 1, 2023 and has removed the exemption for general education on unarmed services. The second provision has added additional training requirements for armed and unarmed security officers working on premises where alcohol is being served. The additional training will be in de-escalation techniques and proper and safe restraint techniques; and first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Next, Dallas’s Law will add additional refresher courses for security officers as a prerequisite to any renewal of licensing. This will be a two (2) hour course added to the current four (4) hour renewal training curriculum. Next, the law prohibits unarmed guards working for any proprietary security organization from carrying any type of weapon including less than lethal devices. Further, this law will give disciplinary authority to local beer boards and the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) regarding violations of having unregistered or improperly registered security guards.
The changes made to Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 35 will require proprietary and contract security companies to stay on top of their personnel. As a contract security company, Covert Results already had a lot of questions for the Regulatory Board. As a company that prides itself on staying up-to-date on all laws we asked what additional materials should be submitted to show completion of the training. The commission advised there is nothing at this time but more than likely a certificate of completion would suffice and be added to your Core.TN profile.
We also inquired as to the length of time the course would need to be completed. The commission advised it does not outline a definite length the course would need to be. We inquired as to if the commission would be reviewing and approving the material on the armed guard certification as well as de-escalation and they advised they would be reviewing both. Covert Results was also advised the de-escalation and CPR/first aid training would be required for guards working on a premises where alcohol is being served. There is no exemption for officers that have been POST certified but active-duty officers will be exempt from the additional training. If you have any additional questions they can be emailed to: private.protective@tn.gov
We, at Covert Results, utilize new laws as a way to make us better. As we enact these new practices among our staff we hope this law will not only improve our already professional staff but will push us to be even better. If you would like to review Dallas’s Law in its entirety please click here.
Covert Results is a licensed and insured private investigations and security company with over 100 years of experience. Our team of highly trained investigators and security experts are well versed in all types of investigations and security topics. With global connections through the Entrepreneurs Organization we are confident that peace of mind is in your future! For up to date information, experience shares, and laughs follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @CovertResults.
