What Are the Two Types of Security Officers

If you’re looking for the quick test-style answer, the two types you’ll usually see are commissioned security officers and non-commissioned security officers. After that, the confusion often starts because some sources also talk about armed vs. unarmed roles and sometimes list off-duty police officers as a separate category. Same field, just different ways of grouping the job.

Here’s how to keep it straight—especially if you’re studying for a training or licensing test.

The two types of security officers

Most exam questions (and many training outlines) split “security officer” into two categories:

• Commissioned security officer
• Non-commissioned security officer

These terms describe how the role is authorized and what powers the person may have under local rules. The key point for studying is that when a question asks “what are the two types of security officers?” it’s usually pointing to commissioned vs non-commissioned, not armed vs unarmed.

Officer types vs job levels (why people get tripped up)

Some pages mix up three different ideas:

1. Officer type (commissioned vs non-commissioned)
2. Guard category (armed vs unarmed)
3. Guard level/rank (examples like Level II, Level III, Level IV)

They overlap, but they’re not the same thing.

Use this mental rule: officer type = “commissioned status,” and guard category/level = “what you’re allowed to do in that setup.”

What a commissioned security officer is

A commissioned security officer is described (in the material you’re working from) as someone who can enforce laws and carry firearms.

That’s a helpful way to remember it for the test, but you should keep one caveat in mind: authority and firearm rules depend on your jurisdiction and licensing rules. The description you saw reflects the typical meaning of “commissioned,” not a universal rule that applies the same way everywhere.

In plain terms, “commissioned” usually signals more formal authorization—and in the cited description, it includes law enforcement-style powers and firearm capability.

What a non-commissioned security officer is

A non-commissioned security officer is the other main category in the “two types” breakdown.

In the results you’re using, the two-category answer is paired as:

• commissioned
• non-commissioned

So if your question is multiple-choice and it only offers two answers, look for “non-commissioned” paired with “commissioned.” That pairing is what the search results are pointing to.

As with commissioned officers, whether someone can carry a weapon and what exact powers they have will depend on the rules where they’re licensed or employed. Still, the classification matters for exams because it matches how the question is structured.

Commissioned versus non-commissioned: key differences

Use this comparison without bringing in guard levels.

A good studying habit: if a question says “two types,” don’t bring armed/unarmed into your answer unless it explicitly asks about that.

Armed and unarmed security guard categories

Some search results also describe security guard categories using armed vs unarmed.

In that structure, you’ll see categories like:

• Unarmed security guard
• Armed security guard

And one result adds levels, for example:

• Level II as an unarmed security guard
• Level III as an armed security guard
• Level IV as a personal protection officer or bodyguard

That’s where the confusion happens. Armed/unarmed is about the job’s authorization and equipment, while commissioned/non-commissioned is about the officer category. Armed roles can show up inside different systems depending on local rules.

Quick example of how they can overlap

• A role can be described as unarmed because the person isn’t carrying a weapon.
• At the same time, the officer can still be placed into a commissioned vs non-commissioned classification depending on the system the question is testing.

So: armed/unarmed isn’t the same as “commissioned vs non-commissioned.”

How security guard levels and ranks fit into the classification

When you see Level II / Level III / Level IV, that’s a different way of organizing the job than “commissioned vs non-commissioned.”

Think of it like layers:

1. Officer type (commissioned vs non-commissioned)
2. Armed category (armed vs unarmed)
3. Level/rank (example: Level II, Level III, Level IV)

The material you’re studying mentions Level II (unarmed), Level III (armed), and Level IV (personal protection/bodyguard). That provides examples of how levels may map to job types.

What is the lowest rank in security guard?

Based on the information provided, there isn’t one universal “lowest rank” across every system. The snippet you saw includes Level II as an unarmed guard, but it doesn’t say whether Level I exists, or whether every state/company uses the same numbering.

So for exam purposes: answer the question using the system the prompt gives you. If it says Level II is unarmed, then Level II is the lowest *within that described system*, not necessarily the lowest everywhere.

Why some sources list three types of security officers

One result lists three types of security officers:

• commissioned officers
• non-commissioned officers
• off-duty police officers

That’s why you may see different answers depending on the source or the way the quiz is written.

Here’s the key point for studying: the number of “types” changes based on the classification system. Some lists use only commissioned/non-commissioned. Others expand the list to include off-duty police officers as a separate category.

How to reconcile the “two types” vs “three types” conflict

Use a test rule:

• If the question says “two types,” it’s usually commissioned + non-commissioned.
• If a question or worksheet lists three categories, it may be using the broader list that adds off-duty police officers.

That also explains why you’ll see sources that talk about police separately. They may not be “wrong”—they may just be grouping differently.

Common questions about security officer types

What are two types of security officers?

The two types identified in the search results are commissioned security officers and non-commissioned security officers.

What is a commissioned security officer?

A commissioned security officer is described as someone who can enforce laws and carry firearms (though the exact rules depend on where you live and what you’re licensed to do).

What are the two types of security officers (test-style)?

If you’re choosing between options like commissioned/non-commissioned vs other pairings, the expected answer based on the results is:

• commissioned + non-commissioned

What are the three types of security officers?

One result lists:

• commissioned officers
• non-commissioned officers
• off-duty police officers

Other sources stick to the two-category system (commissioned vs non-commissioned), so always match the “count” to how the question is set up.

What’s the lowest rank in security guard?

In the example levels given, Level II is listed as an unarmed security guard, but the information doesn’t prove a universal lowest rank across all places. If your test uses the Level II/III/IV scheme, then Level II is the lowest *in that scheme*.

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If you’re getting ready for a test or job screening, double-check the specific training or licensing rules in your jurisdiction. These categories help you study, but authority, weapons rules, and even what “levels” mean can change from place to place.