MONTANA CODE TITLE 37

1. 37-60-301. License required. (1) Except as provided in 37-60-105 and 37-60-315, it is unlawful for any person to act as or perform the duties, as defined in 37-60-101, of a contract security company or proprietary security organization, a private investigator, or a private security guard without having first obtained a license from the board. Those personse licensed on April 18, 1983, shall retain their current licensure status and shall renew their licenses on the renewal date as prescribed by the department.

(2) It is unlawful for any unlicensed person to act as, pretend to be, or represent to the public that the person is licensed as a private investigator, a contract security company, a proprietary security organization, or a private security guard.

(3) A person appointed by the court as a confidential intermediary under 42-6-104 is not required to be licensed under this chapter. A person who is licensed under this chapter is not authorized to act as a confidential intermediary, as defined in 42-1-103, without meeting the requirements of 42-6-104.

(4) A person who knowingly engages an unlicensed private investigator, private security guard, or contract security company is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable under 37-60-411.

37-60-101. Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(1) "Alarm response runner" means any individual employed by a contract security company or a proprietary security organization to respond to security alarm system signals.

(2)  "Armed carrier service" means any person who transports or offers to transport under armed private security guard from one place to another any currency, documents, papers, maps, stocks, bonds, checks, or other items of value that require expeditious delivery.

(3)  "Armed private investigator" means a private investigator who at any time wears, carries, possesses, or has access to a firearm in the performance of the individual's duties.

(4)  "Armed private security guard" means an individual employed by a contract security company or a proprietary security organization whose duty or any portion of whose duty is that of a security guard, armored car service guard, carrier service guard, or alarm response runner and who at any time wears or carries a firearm in the performance of the individual's duties.

(5)  "Armored car service" means any person who transports or offers to transport under armed private security guard from one place to another any currency, jewels, stocks, bonds, paintings, or other valuables of any kind in a specially equipped motor vehicle that offers a high degree of security.

(6)  "Board" means the board of private security patrol officers and investigators provided for in 2-15-1781.

(7)  "Branch office" means any office of a licensee within the state, other than its principal place of business within the state.

(8)  "Contract security company" means any person who installs or maintains a security alarm system, undertakes to provide a private security guard, alarm response runner, armored car service, street patrol service, or armed carrier service on a contractual basis to another person who exercises no direction and control over the performance of the details of the services rendered.

(9)  "Department" means the department of labor and industry provided for in 2-15-1701.

(10)  "Insurance adjuster" means a person employed by an insurance company, other than a private investigator, who for any consideration whatsoever conducts investigations in the course of adjusting or otherwise participating in the disposal of any claims in connection with a policy of insurance but who does not perform surveillance activities or investigate crimes or wrongs committed or threatened against the United States or any state or territory of the United States.

(11)  "Licensee" means a person licensed under this chapter.

(12)  "Paralegal" or "legal assistant" means a person qualified through education, training, or work experience to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of legal concepts and that is customarily but not exclusively performed by a lawyer and who may be retained or employed by one or more lawyers, law offices, governmental agencies, or other entities or who may be authorized by administrative, statutory, or court authority to perform this work.

(13)  "Person" includes any individual, firm, company, association, organization, partnership, and corporation.

(14)  "Private investigator" means a person other than an insurance adjuster who for any consideration whatsoever makes or agrees to make any investigation with reference to:

(a)  crimes or wrongs done or threatened against the United States or any state or territory of the United States;

(b)  the identity, habits, conduct, business, occupation, honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, efficiency, loyalty, activity, movement, whereabouts, affiliations, associations, transactions, reputation, or character of any person;

(c)  the location, disposition, or recovery of lost or stolen property;

(d)  the cause or responsibility for fires, libels, losses, accidents, or injury to persons or property; or

(e)  securing evidence to be used before any court, board, officer, or investigating committee.

(15)  "Private security guard" means an individual employed or assigned duties to protect a person or property or both a person and property from criminal acts and whose duties or any portion of whose duties include but are not limited to the prevention of unlawful entry, theft, criminal mischief, arson, or trespass on private property or the direction of the movements of the public in public areas.

(16)  "Proprietary security organization" means any person who employs a private security guard, alarm response runner, armored car service, street patrol service, or armed carrier service on a routine basis solely for the purposes of that person and exerts direction and control over the performance of the details of the service rendered.

(17)  "Qualifying agent" means, in the case of a corporation, a corporate employee employed in a management capacity or, in the case of a partnership, a general or unlimited partner meeting the qualifications set forth in this chapter for the operation of a contract security company, proprietary security organization, or private investigator, whichever is applicable.

(18)  "Resident manager" means the person appointed to exercise direct supervision, control, charge, management, or operation of each branch office located in this state where the business of the licensee is conducted.

(19) (a)  "Security alarm system" means an assembly of equipment and devices or a single device, such as a solid state unit that plugs directly into a 110-volt AC line, designed to detect or signal or to both detect and signal unauthorized intrusion, movement, or criminal acts at a protected premises and to which signals police, private security guards, or alarm response runners are expected to respond.

(b) The term does not include alarm systems and alarm systems that monitor temperature, humidity, or any other atmospheric condition not directly related to the detection of an unauthorized intrusion or criminal act at a premises.

(20)  "Street patrol service" means any contract security company or proprietary security organization that uses foot patrols, motor vehicles, or any other means of transportation to maintain public order or detect criminal activities in public areas or thoroughfares.
 

(21)  "Unarmed private investigator" means a private investigator who does not wear, carry, possess, or have access to a firearm in the performance of the individual's duties.

(22)  "Unarmed private security guard" means an individual who is employed by a contract security company or a proprietary security organization, whose duty or any portion of whose duty is that of a private security guard, armored car service guard, or alarm response runner, and who does not wear or carry a firearm in the performance of those duties.