Denver | 16-Hour Online Guard Card ClassDenver Security Guard Training Course
On-Demand CourseCourse Overview
Choosing the right security guard training is the difference between simply checking a box and actually launching a career — and this Denver security guard training course is built to do the latter. Approved by the City and County of Denver Department of Excise and Licenses, this 16-hour online course gives you the full pre-licensing education Denver requires, delivered in a flexible, self-paced format that works around your life. You won't have to take time off work, commute to a classroom, or wait for the next scheduled session. You log in, learn at your own pace from any device, and finish on your timeline — which means you can be ready to apply for your Denver security guard license in days, not weeks. The real benefit, though, is what you walk away knowing. This course doesn't just prepare you to pass an exam; it prepares you to do the job well and protect yourself legally and physically from your very first shift. You'll understand exactly where your authority begins and ends under Colorado and Denver law, so you can act decisively without crossing a line that could cost you your license or land you in court. You'll learn how to de-escalate tense situations, communicate professionally, respond to medical emergencies and active threats, and write incident reports that hold up under scrutiny. These are the skills employers look for and the skills that keep good guards employed, promoted, and safe. Every module is grounded in current law and real-world practice, taught by an instructor with decades of law enforcement and private security experience. Beyond the knowledge, the course delivers the credential that moves your career forward. When you complete all 16 hours and pass the final exam, you'll instantly receive your certificate of completion — the document you need to apply for your license through Denver Excise and Licenses. From there, you're positioned to get hired faster, command more confidence on the job, and grow into higher-paying roles, specialized assignments, or even armed and supervisory positions down the line. For the cost of a single day's training, you gain a recognized qualification, practical expertise, and a clear path into a stable, in-demand profession. Whether you're starting fresh or formalizing years of experience, this course gives you everything you need to step into Denver's security industry prepared, protected, and ready to succeed. Enroll today and invest in a career built to last.
What's Included
- • 16 hours of comprehensive training
- • Professional certification upon completion
- • Access to course materials
Learning Objectives
- • Module 1: Role & Duties of a Denver Security Guard By the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- • Define what a Denver security guard is and is not, and distinguish guard authority from that of a peace officer
- • Explain the five core duties of a security guard: observe, report, deter, deny, and detain
- • Apply professional ethics, standards of conduct, and confidentiality on and off duty
- • Identify Denver security guard licensing requirements and uniform and identification rules
- • Module 2: Colorado & Denver Security Guard Laws
- • Explain the Denver Municipal Code and Colorado Revised Statutes that govern security guards
- • Describe citizen's arrest authority and the limits of private security authority under Colorado law
- • Apply shopkeeper's privilege and the reasonableness standard for lawful detention Identify trespass laws, lawful removal procedures, civil liability risks, and search limitations
- • Module 3: Use of Force & De-escalation By the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- • Apply the Colorado use-of-force standard and the legal elements of self-defense
- • Identify the appropriate level of response on the force continuum
- • Use de-escalation as the default approach to managing conflict
- • Articulate and document any use of force clearly and lawfully
- • Module 5: Interacting with Law Enforcement By the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- • Explain the security guard's role as a witness rather than a law enforcement officer
- • Determine when to call 911 versus non-emergency and report incidents accurately
- • Preserve a crime scene and protect evidence in the critical first minutes
- • Cooperate with detectives, body-camera procedures, and courtroom testimony
- • Module 7: Emergency Response & Active Threat Training By the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- • Respond to medical emergencies, fires, and hazardous situations using established frameworks
- • Apply the Run, Hide, Fight response to an active assailant or active shooter event
- • Manage bomb threats, suspicious packages, and severe Colorado weather
- • Support crowd management and respond to workplace violence
- • Module 8: Security Guard Report Writing & Court Readiness By the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- • Apply note-taking discipline and write clear, accurate, complete incident reports
- • Document photo and video evidence in compliance with Colorado recording law
- • Respond to subpoenas and testify credibly in court
- • Complete the Denver security guard license application and identify career pathways
Course Content
Denver Security Guard Training | 16-Hour Online Guard Card Course (Online & Self-Paced)
- • Section 1 — Intro / Overview
- • Introducing the 16-hour online course, Denver Excise and Licenses approval, and the certificate outcome. Primary keywords: Denver security guard training, security guard license Denver, Denver guard card
- • What a Denver Security Guard Is — and Is Not
- • The Five Core Duties: Observe, Report, Deter, Deny, Detain
- • Standards of Conduct & Professional Ethics
- • Denver Licensing Requirements, Uniform & ID Rules
- • Module 2: Colorado & Denver Security Guard Laws (2 Hours)
- • 2.1 Module Orientation
- • 2.2 Denver Revised Municipal Code, Chapter 32
- • 2.3 Colorado Revised Statutes for Security Guards
- • 2.4 Citizen's Arrest Authority (CRS 16-3-201)
- • 2.5 Shopkeeper's Privilege (CRS 18-4-407)
- • 2.6 Trespass Laws & Lawful Removal
- • 2.8 Module 2 Knowledge Check
- • 2.8 Module 2 Knowledge Check
- • 3.1 Module Orientation
- • 3.2 The Colorado Use-of-Force Standard
- • 3.3 The Force Continuum
- • 3.4 Self-Defense Under Colorado Law (CRS 18-1-704)
- • 3.5 De-escalation as the Default Response
- • 3.6 Articulating & Documenting Use of Force
- • 3.7 Less-Lethal Awareness
- • Module 4: Security Guard Communication & Crisis Response (2 Hours)
- • 4.1 Module Orientation
- • 4.2 Verbal & Non-Verbal Communication
- • 4.3 Radio Procedure & the Phonetic Alphabet
- • 4.4 Customer Service & Public Interaction
- • 4.5 Mental Health Crisis Recognition
- • 4.6 De-escalation Applied
- • 4.7 Cultural Competency & Bias Awareness
- • Module 5: Interacting With Law Enforcement (2 Hours)
- • 5.1 Module Orientation
- • 5.2 Your Role: Witness, Not Officer
- • 5.3 911 vs. Non-Emergency: Which to Call
- • 5.4 Making the Call
- • 5.5 Crime Scene Preservation: The First 90 Seconds
- • 5.6 Evidence & Witness Cooperation
- • 5.7 Body Cameras, Detectives & After the Incident
- • 5.8 Module 5 Knowledge Check
- • Module 6: Patrol, Observation & Threat Assessment (2 Hours)
- • 6.1 Module Orientation
- • 6.2 Patrol Fundamentals
- • 6.3 Observation: Baseline, Anomaly, Action
- • 6.5 Threat Assessment & Target Hardening
- • 6.6 Surveillance Detection & Pre-Attack Indicators
- • 6.7 Security Technology Awareness
- • Module 7: Emergency Response & Active Threat Training (2 Hours)
- • 7.1 Module Orientation
- • 7.2 Medical Emergencies
- • 7.3 Fire Response (RACE & PASS)
- • 7.4 Active Assailant: Run, Hide, Fight
- • 7.5 Bomb Threats & Suspicious Packages
- • 7.6 Colorado Weather & Environmental Hazards
- • 7.7 Crowd Management & Workplace Violence
- • Module 8: Report Writing, Court Readiness & Career Pathways (2 Hours)
- • 8.1 Module Orientation
- • 8.2 Note-Taking Discipline
- • 8.3 The Incident Report Structure
- • 8.4 Photo & Video Documentation (Colorado Recording Law)
- • 8.5 Subpoena Response & Court Testimony
- • 8.6 Security Career Pathways
- • 8.7 Denver Excise & Licenses Application Walk-Through
- • 8.8 Comprehensive Final Examination (50 Questions, 80% to Pass)
- • 8.9 Certificate & Course Closeout
Your Instructor
Catherine D. Flowers
Catherine Flowers is the founder and lead instructor of this Denver security guard training program and an authorized Eligible Training Provider approved by the City and County of Denver Department of Excise and Licenses (Provider #282) to deliver the city's required pre-licensing course. A retired Raleigh, North Carolina police officer and licensed North Carolina Private Investigator (NCPI 2141), she brings decades of real-world law enforcement and private security experience to the classroom. Catherine is also a certified Close Protection Instructor, an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot, and a Defense Technology OC aerosol instructor. Her mission is to prepare new security professionals to enter the field confident, capable, and fully compliant with Denver and Colorado law.