Security Guard Advisory Council

The Security Guard Advisory Council addresses program and policy requirements and recommends rules and regulations to the commissioner of the state Division of Criminal Justice Services related to approval or revocation of security guard training schools and training programs; the minimum courses of study and all training requirements to be fulfilled by schools; the minimum qualifications for instructors at approved security guard training schools and training programs; and training requirements for unarmed and armed security guards.

The Council’s duties and membership are detailed in state Executive Law Article 35 Sections 841-a - 841-c.

The state Division of Criminal Justice Services provides staff support to the Council, which has 17 members, including two non-voting members, each of whom serve a three-year term. A member whose term has expired remains on the council until they are reappointed, or a replacement is named.

(as of July 2024)

Jessica Johnson, Chair

President, Johnson Security Bureau Inc.

Kings County

Term Expires: 12/31/2024

Anthony Lauro, Vice Chair

Assistant Vice President, Macerich Security Services Inc.

Westchester County

Term Expires: 12/31/2024

Nicholas Auletta

President, TruView B.S.I., L.L.C.

Suffolk County

Term Expires: 12/31/2023

E. Bryan DalPorto

Director of Security, Niagara Falls Central School District

Niagara County

Term Expires: 12/31/2025

Mario Doyle

President and Chief Operating Officer, Doyle Security Services

Nassau County

Term Expires: 12/31/2026

John Lamphere

Lieutenant (Ret.), Cayuga County Sheriff’s Department

Professor Emeritus, Cayuga Community College

Oswego County

Term Expires: 5/3/2027

U. Nicholas Michailides

School Director, Armed and Unarmed Inc.

Putnam County

Term Expires: 12/31/2024

Perry Soule

Director of Security, Culinary Institute of America

Ulster County

Term Expires: 12/31/2026

Matthew Ventura

President, Atlas Security Services Inc.

Orange County

Term Expires: 12/31/2024

David Zeldin

President/CEO, Investicorp Inc.

Suffolk County

Term Expires: 12/31/2024

Ex-Officio (non-voting)

Walter T. Mosely, Secretary of State

New York State Department of State

Albany County

Rossana Rosado, Commissioner

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services

State law requires the council to have 17 members who are knowledgeable about the security guard industry:

• A representative from a contractual security company
• A representative from a proprietary security company
• A security guard employed by a contractual security company
• A security guard employed by a proprietary security company
• A full-time faculty member of a college or university whose area of expertise is in the field of security

Members are appointed by the Governor or appointed by the Governor at the recommendation of the state Senate and state Assembly. The Commissioner of the Division of Criminal Justice Services, and the New York Secretary of State serve as ex-officio, non-voting members.

New York State Executive Law Article 35 Sections 841-a – 841-c.

§ 841-a. Security guard advisory council. 1. There is hereby created
within the division a security guard advisory council composed of
seventeen members who are knowledgeable about the security guard
industry. In addition, the council shall include as ex-officio
non-voting members, the secretary of state and the commissioner of the
division of criminal justice services, or their respective designees.
All members shall be residents of the state and shall be selected as
follows:

(a) eight shall be appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a
representative of a contractual security company, one of whom shall be a
representative of a proprietary security company, one of whom shall be a
person actively employed as a security guard for a contractual security
company and one of whom shall be a person actively employed as a
security guard for a proprietary security company;

(b) three shall be appointed by the governor on the recommendation of
the temporary president of the senate;

(c) one shall be appointed by the governor on the recommendation of
the minority leader of the senate;

(d) three shall be appointed by the governor on the recommendation of
the speaker of the assembly;

(e) one shall be appointed by the governor on the recommendation of
the minority leader of the assembly;

(f) one shall be appointed by the governor who shall be a full-time
faculty member of a college or university who teaches and whose area of
expertise is in the field of security.

2. The governor shall designate from among the members of the council
a chairperson and a vice-chairperson who shall each serve at the
pleasure of the governor.

3. All members of the council appointed by the governor shall be
appointed for terms of three years, such terms to commence on January
first, and expire on December thirty-first; provided, however, that of
the members first appointed, four shall be appointed for one year terms
and four shall be appointed for two year terms. Any member chosen to
fill a vacancy created otherwise than by expiration of term shall be
appointed for the unexpired term of the member whom he is to succeed.
Vacancies caused by expiration of a term or otherwise shall be filled in
the same manner as original appointments. Any member may be reappointed
for additional terms.

4. The council shall meet as frequently as it deems necessary but in
no event less than one time in each year. Special meetings may be
called by the chairperson and shall be called by him or her at the
request of the governor or upon the written request of nine members of
the council. The council may establish its own requirements as to quorum
and its own procedures with respect to the conduct of its meetings and
other affairs; provided, however, that all recommendations made by the
council to the governor pursuant to section eight hundred forty-one-b of
this article shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the
council.

5. Membership on the council shall not constitute the holding of an
office, and members of the council shall not be required to take and
file oaths of office before serving on the council. The council shall
not have the right to exercise any portion of the sovereign powers of
the state.

6. The members of the council shall receive no compensation for their
services but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their functions hereunder.

7. No member of the council shall be disqualified from holding any
public office or employment, nor shall he or she forfeit any such office
or employment, by reason of his or her appointment hereunder,
notwithstanding the provisions of any general, special or local law,
ordinance or city charter.

§ 841-b. Functions, powers and duties of council. 1. The council shall
recommend to the commissioner rules and regulations with respect to:

(a) the approval, or revocation thereof, of security guard training
schools and training programs;

(b) minimum courses of study duration, attendance requirements, and
equipment and facilities to be required at approved security guard
training schools and training programs, taking into account subject
matter, the hours each subject is to be taught and special requirements
unique to particular assignments, employers and work sites;

(c) minimum qualifications for instructors at approved security guard
training schools and training programs; and

(d) the subject matter of all training requirements which security
guards and security guard applicants must complete before being
registered as unarmed and armed security guards.

2. The council may, in addition:

(a) consult with, advise and make recommendations to the commissioner
with respect to the exercise of his or her functions, powers and duties
as set forth in this section;

(b) recommend studies, surveys and reports to be made by the
commissioner regarding the carrying out of the objectives and purposes
of this section;

(c) visit and inspect any security guard training school approved by
the commissioner or for which application for such approval has been
made;

(d) make recommendations, from time to time, to the commissioner, the
governor, the legislature and the secretary of state, with regard to
implementation of the purposes of this section and of article seven-A of
the general business law; and

(e) perform such other acts as may be necessary or appropriate to
carry out the functions of the council.

§ 841-c. Functions, powers and duties of the commissioner with respect
to the council. In addition to the functions, powers and duties
otherwise provided by this section and article seven-A of the general
business law, the commissioner shall, upon the recommendation and with
the general advice of the council:

1. prescribe minimum requirements for the eight hours of
pre-assignment training; the on-the-job training program to be completed
within ninety working days following employment as a security guard; the
forty-seven hours of firearms training for a special armed guard
registration card; the eight hour annual in-service training course; and
the eight hour in-service training course for armed security guards;

2. approve and certify security guard training schools, programs and
courses which meet or exceed the minimum requirements prescribed
pursuant to subdivision one of this section and issue certificates of
approval to such schools, and revoke such approval or certificate
provided, however, that the commissioner may permit any such school,
program or course in existence on the effective date of this section, to
remain in effect for a period of one year following the effective date;

3. certify, as qualified, instructors of security guards and issue
appropriate certificates to such instructors;

4. certify security guards or applicants who have satisfactorily
completed basic training programs and issue appropriate certificates to
such security guards or applicants;

5. cause studies and surveys to be made relating to the establishment,
operation and approval of security guard training schools and training
programs;

6. consult with and cooperate with approved security guard training
schools and programs for the development of advanced in-service training
programs for security guards and issue appropriate certificates to
security guards, attesting to their satisfactory completion of such
advanced training programs;

7. consult with and cooperate with universities, colleges and
institutes in the state for the development of specialized courses of
study for security guards;

8. consult with and cooperate with other departments and agencies of
the state concerned with security guard training;

9. consult with, cooperate with and provide technical assistance to
the council and to the department of state on matters concerning
security guards;

10. report to the council at each regular meeting of the council and
at other such times as may be appropriate;

11. waive the training requirements as specified in article seven-A of
the general business law with respect to applicants employed by a
security guard company, if the security guard applicant provides
appropriate documentation to demonstrate that he or she was or is
subject to training requirements which meet or exceed the requirements
established pursuant to such article;

12. waive the training requirements as specified in article seven-A of
the general business law with respect to applicants employed by a
security guard company on a proprietary basis for its own use when such
company presents adequate documentation that such training is not
directly relevant to the applicant's job responsibilities and such
applicant does not, in the course of their employment duties:

(a) wear a uniform or other readily apparent indicia of authority; or

(b) as a requisite of employment, carry a gun, and

(c) have interactions with the public or expend a majority of the time
spent in their employment duties in contract with the public; and

13. in consultation with the council, adopt and promulgate any rules
and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this section
and sections eight hundred forty-one-a and eight hundred forty-one-b of
this article and or article seven-A of the general business law.

The Council meets as necessary, but at least once a year. Meetings occur at the Alfred E. Smith State Office Building, 80 South Swan St., Albany, and are live-streamed.

Upcoming Meeting

10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023

Meeting dates for 2024 will be posted once they are scheduled.

View MEETING materials and live-stream information

Members are not compensated for their service. The Division of Criminal Justice Services pays travel expenses for members to attend meetings.

FY23: $0

FY24: $2,781 (as of 10-15-2023)

FY25: $5,500 (projected)

Matt Griffin

Office of Public Safety Security Guard Program

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services

80 South Swan St., Albany, NY 12210

518-402-2776

Media inquiries should be directed to [email protected] or 518-457-8828.