Why Solaren Risk Management Relies on Active Law Enforcement for Security Training
Private security companies face a persistent challenge: maintaining training quality while scaling operations across multiple locations and service lines. Many firms meet minimum state requirements without investing in deeper professional development. Solaren Risk Management takes a different approach, employing active law enforcement officers as training coordinators to elevate standards beyond regulatory baselines.
“We have our training coordinator, Darrell Webb, he’s phenomenal. He’s active law enforcement and he knows his stuff for sure,” says Bethany Gill, Solaren’s COO. “He does a lot of the training through the law enforcement agency, the department that he works in.”
The Training Gap Between Police and Security
Police officers complete substantially more training than private security personnel before beginning their careers. Law enforcement training typically spans six to eight months at police academies, covering criminal law, crisis management, defensive tactics, firearms proficiency, emergency response protocols, and legal use of force. This intensive preparation contrasts sharply with minimum requirements for private security guards.
Tennessee requires unarmed security officers to complete four hours of basic training covering orientation, legal powers and limitations, emergency procedures, and general duties. Armed guards must complete an additional eight hours of classroom instruction on firearms regulations plus four hours of marksmanship training. These modest requirements leave substantial room for companies to differentiate through enhanced education.
The distinction matters because security personnel increasingly face situations requiring judgment and expertise once limited to law enforcement. Concert venues need crowd management during emergencies. Retail properties require theft prevention and suspect detention protocols. Construction sites demand assessment of suspicious activity patterns. Hotels must balance guest service with security vigilance.
Active Duty Experience Advantages
Active law enforcement officers bring current knowledge that retired or former officers cannot match. Police departments continuously update their training in response to evolving threats, legal precedents, and tactical developments. An officer working patrol shifts encounters diverse scenarios weekly, building pattern recognition skills through repeated exposure to volatile situations.
“These officers regularly handle complex scenarios in their active-duty roles. A trained officer can spot suspicious behavior patterns, coordinate swift evacuations, and manage medical emergencies,” according to analysis of law enforcement capabilities in private security contexts. Active officers maintain skills through ongoing departmental training rather than letting expertise decay after leaving the profession.
Solaren’s approach reflects understanding that law enforcement training extends beyond technical skills. Police academies emphasize de-escalation techniques, conflict resolution through communication, and assessment of threat levels before applying force. These capabilities directly transfer to private security work where officers must maintain order without legal authority to arrest.
Officers with active law enforcement backgrounds also maintain professional networks providing real-time intelligence about local crime trends, emerging threats, and suspect patterns. When Solaren security personnel need to coordinate with Metro Nashville police, having trainers who work alongside those officers daily facilitates communication.
Practical Application Standards
Solaren conducts regular in-person training sessions beyond state-mandated minimums. “We regularly hold in-person courses. Anytime we hire a bunch of people for unarmed, for example, once we get to a certain amount of people that we’ve hired, we invite them all to come out to a class,” Gill explains. The company offers specialized courses including report writing, active shooter response, and tactical emergency casualty care.
Report writing receives particular emphasis because documentation quality affects legal proceedings and client liability. “We have regular report writing classes, because not everybody knows how to write a report. Not everybody knows what categories on their report mean,” Gill notes. Law enforcement officers write hundreds of reports during their careers, learning which details matter for investigations and court testimony.
The tactical emergency casualty care course demonstrates how law enforcement training translates to life-saving capability. “One of our guards, a guy ran up to him while he was working at one of the bars; he was on the street doing ID checks. A guy ran up to him, he had been stabbed in the arm. And this officer that we had applied a tourniquet, not everybody knows how to apply a tourniquet,” Gill recounts. The guard’s medical training, modeled on law enforcement protocols, prevented serious injury.
Security companies employing active law enforcement instructors eliminate training costs that burden competitors. “No Training Costs: Officers are fully trained and certified, eliminating the need for additional training investments,” according to comparative analysis of security personnel qualifications. Rather than developing curricula internally or hiring third-party trainers, firms can leverage the continuous professional education police departments provide their officers.
Credibility and Standards
Active law enforcement instructors bring authority that elevates training seriousness. Security guards recognize the difference between instruction from someone who handles dangerous situations routinely versus someone teaching theoretical concepts. Police officers command respect through demonstrated competence rather than claimed expertise.
“Police officers undergo rigorous training in law enforcement, crisis management, and de-escalation techniques. This training makes them well-equipped to handle high-pressure situations that may arise during security assignments,” notes assessment of law enforcement capabilities. When instructors share experiences from recent calls, students understand that training recommendations come from proven methods rather than abstract theory.
The credibility extends to client relationships. Companies can demonstrate training quality by highlighting active law enforcement instructors on staff. Clients seeking security for high-risk venues or valuable assets want assurance that personnel received education beyond minimum standards.
Solaren’s training program includes courses on restraint devices, Dallas Law requirements for establishments serving alcohol, and less-than-lethal weapons. Each area benefits from law enforcement perspective on legal constraints and practical application. Security officers must understand the specific steps required when using handcuffs, given their lack of arresting authority compared to police.
Current Industry Knowledge
Law enforcement training evolves in response to incidents nationwide. After high-profile active shooter events, police departments update response protocols incorporating lessons learned. New Supreme Court decisions on use of force create training requirements across departments. Emerging crime patterns, from organized retail theft to vehicle theft rings, require officers to recognize indicators.
Active law enforcement instructors transfer this current knowledge to private security contexts. When Tennessee mandated active shooter training for armed guards beginning July 2023, Solaren already had instructors qualified to teach the material through their police department training. Dallas Law, effective January 2023, required new education for security working in alcohol-serving establishments. Active law enforcement instructors understood the regulatory intent and practical application immediately.
The currency advantage applies particularly to technology and surveillance systems. Police departments increasingly use body cameras, license plate readers, and digital evidence management. Officers familiar with these systems can train security personnel on similar private sector technology more effectively than instructors whose law enforcement experience ended years ago.
Implementation at Scale
Solaren manages approximately 300 contractors throughout Nashville, with operations extending to multiple southeastern states. Maintaining training consistency across this workforce requires systematic approaches. “We definitely try to give them the resources that they need to be able to solve their own issues,” Gill explains. The company provides security officers with accessible training materials and clear protocols rather than requiring constant supervision.
Online training supplements in-person instruction for personnel unable to attend scheduled sessions or working at distant locations. “We have those options for people. Armed security officers, we do training for them. We do active shooter training as well,” Gill notes. The combination allows Solaren to scale training delivery while maintaining quality through active law enforcement oversight of curriculum development.
Performance evaluations track training completion and application of learned skills. “At the end of the year, we have a Christmas party, a company Christmas party that we do. If somebody based on those performance evaluations throughout the year has just done an exceptional job, they’ll get an award, which usually correlates with some kind of pay boost,” Gill shares. Recognition incentivizes continuous professional development beyond completing minimum requirements.
Private security firms compete for qualified personnel in tight labor markets. “A lot of people are just, it’s not the most appealing industry anymore. It’s hard to find people who genuinely are just passionate about this kind of work,” Gill observes. Companies offering superior training attract candidates seeking professional growth rather than just employment. Security work becomes a career path rather than temporary position when firms invest in education.
The Broader Industry Context
The private security workforce in the United States exceeds 1.1 million personnel, substantially outnumbering the approximately 666,000 sworn law enforcement officers. This gap continues widening as businesses increasingly rely on private security for protection. The quality differential between well-trained and minimally-trained security personnel affects public safety across commercial, residential, and institutional settings.
Some security companies hire exclusively from law enforcement and military backgrounds, recognizing that prior training reduces onboarding costs while improving service quality. Firms employing this strategy position themselves in premium market segments serving clients willing to pay higher rates for enhanced capability.
Solaren’s model differs by using active law enforcement officers as trainers rather than exclusively hiring former law enforcement as security personnel. This approach allows the company to recruit candidates without prior security experience while ensuring they receive education comparable to more expensive alternatives. New hires gain access to law enforcement expertise through structured training rather than bringing it with them.
Research indicates that visible law enforcement presence can reduce criminal activity by up to 70% in protected areas. While private security officers lack police authority, training from active law enforcement creates similar deterrent effects through professional bearing, situational awareness, and confident response to incidents.
Security personnel trained by active law enforcement officers demonstrate capabilities clients notice. They communicate clearly during emergencies, maintain composure under pressure, and coordinate effectively with responding police. These behaviors stem from training emphasizing the same standards police departments require of their officers.
The investment in law enforcement-led training creates competitive advantages beyond immediate skill development. Companies build reputations for professionalism that generate client referrals and contract renewals. Security officers develop career progression opportunities rather than viewing positions as temporary stops. The industry elevates standards through example rather than regulatory mandate.
Solaren’s reliance on active law enforcement for training reflects calculated business strategy rather than mere preference. The approach delivers measurable benefits through reduced training costs, current industry knowledge, enhanced credibility with clients, and improved personnel performance. As private security assumes greater responsibility for public safety across commercial and residential settings, training quality determines whether companies meet those obligations effectively.
Jack K. Byrd III’s vision for Solaren emphasizes professional development as a competitive differentiator. His own law enforcement background—beginning as a paid intern at Davidson County Sheriff’s Office at 19, advancing to Corporal within one year, and later joining the United States Marshal Service—demonstrated the value of rigorous training and clear standards. That experience informs the company’s approach to building a security workforce capable of meeting evolving client needs.
Client feedback and contractor testimonials reflect how this training philosophy translates into operational results. Security officers who receive law enforcement-quality education demonstrate higher confidence, better judgment, and more professional demeanor than competitors offering minimal preparation. These differences matter when clients evaluate security providers during contract renewals or when considering expansion to additional properties.
Solaren’s social media presence showcases training initiatives and community engagement, reinforcing the company’s commitment to professional development. Videos demonstrate tactical training scenarios and officer preparation, providing transparency about education standards that distinguish Solaren from competitors.
The company’s approach reflects broader industry recognition that security services require more than warm bodies filling posts. Solaren’s growth trajectory from two-person startup to 300-contractor operation demonstrates how investing in training quality—particularly through active law enforcement instructors—creates sustainable competitive advantages in markets where many companies compete primarily on price.
Recognition from business publications and industry observers validates this training-focused strategy. As Byrd continues expanding operations across the southeastern United States, the company’s emphasis on active law enforcement training provides a replicable model for maintaining quality standards despite geographic dispersion and rapid growth.
