Level-3 Commission Texas Security Officer Course

Hello, and thank you for taking our class.

Texas Certified Tactical Academy (TCTA) is a Texas Department of Public Safety-approved and licensed training academy. In addition to our brick-and-mortar location in Round Rock/Pflugerville, Texas, we are excited to offer an online version of the Texas DPS-RSD official Level 2 non-commissioned and Level-3 Commission training courses.

NOTE: TEXAS DPS HAS UPDATED THIS COURSE & CERTIFICATES EFFECTIVE APRIL 1ST, 2024 

Our Level-2 and Level-3 courses are authorized to be taken online as Texas DPS-RSD regulations no longer require that it “must be given in a classroom environment”; they removed that statement years ago which opens the door to an online class for the Level-2 non-Commission course and the Level-3 Commission course (something other schools have been doing for years). That said, you still must have certified instructors give the in-person part (Range, Weaponless Defense etc.), of the Level-3 Commission class and Level-3 requal, and you are required to attend.

Our class is broken down into two parts:

Part 1– Online course material to read and study at home using our site, and…

Part 2 – In-person instruction is required at our school with our staff. Part-2 instruction required at our school will consist of Weaponless Defense, Baton, Pepper Spray, Firearms with range qualification, and the final state exam. There is a short quiz on this site but that is not the state exam which will be given at our school in person. All students must attend the dates we have posted on our schedule (and on your invoice), for completion of Part-2 and not attempt to pick other days.

This course is not intended to be the only official training your employees/security officers should receive. Texas DPS-RSD did not create this course to be an “end-all-be-all” of security training; you need additional training and experience far beyond this course to perform adequate security for any client as this is a basic intro to security course. Yes, it fulfills the Texas DPS requirements but again you will need more training to operate correctly, and safely in this industry.

Upon successful completion of the course and passing the final exam (given at our school in person), including range qualification and all classroom activities, students will be given a certificate of completion from us (in the classroom) which is recognized and approved by Texas DPS-RSD and any licensed security company in Texas. The state exam given at our classroom is 67 questions whereas you must at least get a 75% to pass. What we provide at the end of the online course is a small quiz of 7 questions (that is not the final exam).

This is the official Level 3 Commission security course:

• Texas Rules & Laws
• Verbal & Written Communication
• Incident Scene Security
• Situational Awareness
• Use of Force
• Conflict Resolution
• Defensive Tactics
• Firearms & Qualification
• Intermediate Weapons (Baton & Pepper Spray)
• Handcuffing
• Quiz (state exam given only at our office) 67 questions (multiple choice & True/False)

Defensive Tactics (weaponless defense), and the Firearm chapters will have some basic course material to review here; however, there will be more additional and hands-on portions that will be done (required) in the classroom and/or the range once you arrive for Part-2. Handcuffing, Baton, Pepper Spray are covered here briefly- if you want those full classes and certificates, please sign up online for those as they are sold separately in expanded courses.

Note:
The new DPS Level III Commission Final Exam (which is given in our classroom only), is considerably more challenging than the previous version. It is not a simple or “giveaway” test, and it is also more difficult than the Level II or LTC exams. DPS has revised many of the questions, wording, and terminology, which now requires students to carefully read and understand the provided course material before testing.

Even students with prior law enforcement or extensive security experience have found themselves barely passing—or failing—because they chose to skip the reading and attempt to “wing it.” The updated exam focuses heavily on specific terminology and definitions used by DPS, rather than tactics, prior experience, or common sense. Paying close attention to the course content is essential for success.

Additionally, some students arrive expecting the in-person (Part 2) classroom session to re-cover or summarize the online (Part 1) material. That is not the case. Part 1 and Part 2 are separate sections with different focus areas. Students must complete Part 1 online, including the seven-question quiz, before attending the classroom session.

Students who do not complete the online portion may still attend class but will not receive a certificate until both sections are finished. Please do not wait until the night before or the morning of class to report technical issues. If you encounter any problems accessing the website, contact us immediately so we can resolve the issue ahead of time.