Many security firms already provide refresher or orientation training for their personnel, and online courses make it easy for teams to complete training on their own schedules, but firms still need to decide which topics deserve the most focus.
Our recommended guard training priorities for 2026 are shaped by client expectations, updated regulations, and common challenges the security industry faces. If you’re planning to roll out online courses or launch a new training program, starting with these areas helps ensure your team is prepared and ready to handle the situations they’re most likely to encounter on duty.
1. Managing High-Stress Public Interactions
With political tension, general pessimism, financial strain, and declining trust in institutions, members of the public are becoming harder to deal with, especially when interacting with visible authority figures like security guards.
In many day-to-day encounters, trained guards are able to keep situations under control and maintain calm, such as diffusing rising tension or gently reminding someone of posted rules or venue policies.
That said, stress levels are climbing. Nearly half of Americans report feeling more stressed heading into 2026 than they did at the start of 2025, and a majority say life feels worse today than it did decades ago. In that environment, people may be less willing to comply with rules, particularly in settings where alcohol or drugs are involved. Small interactions can escalate faster, and resistance can feel more personal or emotional than it once did.
As a result, de-escalation skills have become a baseline expectation from clients.
This shift is reflected across the industry. Throughout 2024 and 2025, the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) increased its focus on safety by expanding scenario-based training aimed at strengthening venue security, reinforcing a more proactive and controlled approach to public interactions. These changes highlight how handling difficult people has become a core part of modern security work.
Some individuals may also be dealing with mental or behavioral health challenges, and although mental health is more openly discussed in recent years, misunderstandings remain common, especially in high-stress public settings. That makes this a growing priority for security teams. Guards are increasingly expected to recognize when a situation is causing distress rather than defiance, and to adjust their approach as needed.
Recommended Training
While managing difficult interactions often improves with experience, guards at every level benefit from targeted training focused on handling challenging individuals. Real encounters can be nuanced and can shift quickly, and having a framework to rely on helps guards respond with consistency rather than instinct alone.
At Guard Training, the Handling Difficult People course focuses on how and why public interactions break down, then walks through practical ways to recognize early warning signs and respond with control. The course places strong emphasis on communication choices, behavioral awareness, and measured responses in situations involving crisis, behavioral health concerns, homelessness, disabilities, and substance use, giving guards a clearer context for what they are seeing and tools for slowing situations down.
2. Self-Protection and Risk Awareness
Similar to managing difficult situations, security guards must adapt to their surroundings to protect their own safety while on duty. Security work comes with inherent danger, but with proper training and awareness, guards can reduce the risks they face.
They should be able to recognize situations with potential for violence by monitoring actions and behaviors. While experience helps, targeted training gives guards practical strategies to rely on when they face unpredictable encounters.
Threats don’t only come from volatile individuals. They can also arise from environmental hazards such as bloodborne pathogens, chemical spills, or other workplace dangers. These hazards can occur during routine duties, crowd management, or when responding to accidents, and guards need to know how to protect themselves through proper protocols and precautions.
When guards understand how to safeguard themselves and prevent incidents, whether in public-facing positions or when working alone, they protect their own well-being while strengthening the security firm’s ability to operate safely and responsibly. Awareness and refreshed knowledge of potential risks reduces the likelihood of injury or escalation, limiting liability and helping maintain trust with clients.
Recommended Training
We recommend our Officer Safety course to give guards a clear refresher on the risks they may encounter on duty. The training covers threat assessment, managing subject contact, proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), OSHA guidelines, and handling hazardous materials through SDS sheets.
Completing this course helps security guards feel more confident in recognizing potential dangers, making quick but informed decisions, and taking the right precautions to protect themselves, the public, and the client’s property.
3. Legal Compliance
Liability doesn’t just affect individual guards in terms of their personal safety, but also extends across all their decisions, duties, responsibilities, and interactions.
In many states, guards are required to complete mandatory training to obtain or maintain their licenses, which often includes instruction on legal authority, appropriate use of force, and other liability-related topics, such as California’s Power to Arrest and Use of Force courses. But liability goes far beyond completing an initial class, and particularly as laws across states are changing in 2026, guards need ongoing guidance to ensure their decisions and actions remain within legal boundaries and adhere to the newest regulations.
Public distrust in institutions is also growing, and incidents in public spaces are receiving more attention, which means the security industry and firms operating within it are facing increasing legal scrutiny. Even minor legal missteps from their teams can lead to long-term reputational damage and legal disputes.
Recommended Training
Our Liability and Legal Aspects course focuses on California’s legal framework and covers criminal and civil law, common crimes, vicarious liability, workplace violence, and the Private Security Services Act, all of which can help guards see how their actions and decisions can have legal consequences, while equipping them to operate within the law at all times.
Laws can change or be interpreted differently depending on the situation, which is why regular refresher training is crucial. Even experienced guards can face new challenges or legal nuances, and ongoing education ensures they can confidently comply in all interactions.
4. Active Shooter Safety and Response
In 2025, there were 425 mass shootings in the United States, resulting in 420 deaths and nearly 2,000 injuries. While this is slightly lower than the previous year, active shooter events remain a significant threat, and guards need to know exactly what actions to take to protect themselves and the people on their client’s property.
In our recent whitepaper, we examined a criticized active shooter response by a security guard, which, according to experts, could have saved at least one life if handled more efficiently. Any security guards who rely on outdated active shooter protocols put themselves and those they are meant to protect at risk.
Training helps guards recognize potential active shooter situations and understand early warning signs, which may evolve as threats and tactics change. Guards also need to know key response protocols, including evacuation procedures, lockdown procedures, communication with law enforcement, and personal defensive strategies. As our case study revealed, even when a guard was familiar with a standard protocol, they were accused of failing to act appropriately and faced legal repercussions.
The mindset of an active shooter is focused and urgent, as they seek maximum harm in the shortest time, often without fear for their own survival. Guards must quickly assess the situation, make decisions under extreme stress, and act decisively. A survival mindset, developed through repeated training, helps guards replace any hesitation with controlled, purposeful action, whether that means evacuating people, calming down those around them, denying access, or, if necessary, using force.
Recommended Training
Our Active Shooter Safety and Protocols course prepares guards to respond as needed during active shooting situations. The course covers recognizing early warning signs, understanding a shooter’s mindset, and following proven response protocols such as Run/Hide/Fight and A.L.I.V.E.
The course also emphasizes communication with emergency services and law enforcement, coordination with civilians, and proper post-incident documentation.
5. Communication and Coordination Skills
Guards who can communicate effectively with the public, their teams, and emergency responders will be better at managing incidents and de-escalating conflicts. Although many competent guards can communicate instructions or relay information to teams, regularly practicing their communication skills and learning new techniques helps them prevent misunderstandings, keep people calm, and ensure critical instructions are followed quickly during high-stress situations.
In 2026, public spaces, venues, and workplaces will likely see higher foot traffic and larger crowds, and over half of U.S. event organizers reported increased attendance in 2025, creating busier, complex environments where guards must make quick decisions and communicate well to protect individuals, themselves, and the property they protect.
Effective communication also involves observing and interpreting verbal and nonverbal cues. Guards who can spot agitation, confusion, or unusual behavior early can intervene before situations get worse. In emergencies, they also need to know how to provide accurate information to law enforcement or medical responders, such as the number of people in danger, the location of the threat, or changes in the environment.
Recommended Training
Our Communication and Its Significance course provides security personnel with strategies for interacting with the public, coordinating with team members, and relaying information to emergency responders.
The course also covers recognizing potential conflicts, delivering clear instructions under pressure, and properly using communication systems, including radios, intercoms, and public address systems, as well as providing an overview of professional interactions with staff, visitors, and media.
Equip Your Guards to Handle Any Situation in 2026
Your security firm’s goals in 2026 may include expanding your team, securing more contracts, or increasing client satisfaction. Achieving these goals often comes down to how well-trained and confident your guards are.
If your firm dedicates time to focus on the training priorities discussed, you can build a team of skilled guards who are updated with the latest knowledge and best practices to perform in both standard duties and high-pressure situations.
Looking to expand your guard training even further? Explore our full course catalog to build a program that supports your team throughout the next year and beyond.
