Defense of Persons

Deadly force or the threat of deadly force may never be used by a security officer except in self-defense or defense of another person to protect from imminent death or great bodily harm, or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony. Non-deadly force in defense of a person can be used by a security officer when and to the extent that he or she reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against a person’s imminent use of unlawful force. The use of deadly force to protect property or to prevent property loss is prohibited by law.

Defense of Property

Non-deadly force or the threat to use non-deadly force may be used by a security officer who reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to prevent or terminate another’s trespass or tortious or criminal interference with either real property other than a dwelling, or personal property that the security officer has a legal duty to protect.

Security officers in the employ of, or contracted with, retail establishments, who have probable cause to believe that retail theft has occurred, have specific statutory authority to detain shoplifting suspects in a reasonable manner for a reasonable length of time but must also immediately call law enforcement to the scene 

A security officer or security agency manager who is on duty, in uniform, and on the premises of a critical infrastructure facility, and who has probable cause to believe that a person has committed or is committing a crime against the client operating the premises or the client’s patron may temporarily detain the person to ascertain his or her identity and the circumstances of the person’s activity. The security officer or security agency manager must notify the appropriate law enforcement agency of the detention as soon as reasonably possible. A security officer or security agency manager may temporarily detain a person only until a law enforcement officer arrives at the premises of the client and is in the presence of the detainee.