Jack Byrd's Security Training Programs at Solaren: An Industry Assessment

Int'l Business Times

23-05-2025

Jack K. Byrd III , CEO of Solaren Risk Management, has developed the company from a small startup to a security provider with operations across the southeastern United States since its founding in 2017 with Curtis E. Dodson. Previously employed at the Davidson County Sheriff's Office, Byrd has implemented rigorous training programs for the company's personnel.
"One of the most important aspects of any industry is the level of expertise required to be successful," explains Bethany Gill, Solaren's Chief Operations Officer. "In the security field, training courses aren't just mandatory by state law—they're essential for learning how to effectively secure people, places, and assets." Training Program Structure
Solaren's training regimen includes both state-mandated certification courses and additional specialized training. These programs are designed to address both compliance requirements and practical field skills.
" Solaren Risk Management has been a private security provider for seven years, and we've proven ourselves by consistently supplying professional and qualified security personnel, thanks to the rigorous training we put them through," Gill notes.
"We continue this commitment to education by requiring regular training each year to renew licenses and refresh our officers on the latest advances in safety technology and tactics."
Solaren's training is conducted by a combination of in-house staff and external instructors.
"Our training coordinator, Darrell Webb, is phenomenal," says Gill. "He's active law enforcement and he knows his stuff for sure. He does a lot of the training through the law enforcement agency, the department that he works in."
Gill notes that Jack Byrd also maintains active involvement in the training program: "Jack himself is qualified to be a trainer in a lot of capacities and he's a nut about the training classes. He's always interested in learning new stuff, trying new things." Training Content Areas
Solaren's curriculum includes standard security certifications as well as specialized training modules. One focus area is documentation procedures, which the company describes as crucial for effective security operations.
"We have regular report writing classes because not everybody knows how to write a report. Not everybody knows what categories on their report mean," explains Gill.
The company also provides tactical medical training, specifically the Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) course, a three-day course that covers topics like how to use tourniquets and how to do CPR.
Gill recounts an incident where this training was applied: "Somebody ran up on one of our guards while he was working as security at a bar; he was on the street doing ID checks. A guy ran up to him and had been stabbed in the arm. And this officer that we had applied a tourniquet—not everybody knows how to apply a tourniquet. The fact that he had that know-how, and he was trained in that capacity, and he actually used that knowledge in the field ultimately helped save a life."
Solaren's other training components include armed and unarmed security certification, active shooter response, de-escalation techniques, and Dallas Law certification for bar security in Nashville. Employee Recognition System
Solaren has implemented performance recognition programs that acknowledge excellence in adhering to the company's training standards.
"At the end of the year, we have a Christmas party, a company Christmas party that we do," Gill explains. "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."
"They could receive an extra week's worth of pay, or if they get a major award, it's two weeks of pay or maybe something like that added onto their next check," she notes. "There's a lot of incentive that we give them to do a good job."
In the case of the security officer who applied a tourniquet, additional recognition was provided.
"We also took him to Bridgestone. We took him to see a show, whatever show he wanted, he picked it out. Everything that night was covered," shares Gill. Internal Advancement Opportunities
Solaren maintains an internal promotion pathway, which the company describes as an important element of their personnel development strategy, with positions ranging from field personnel to operations coordinators.
"Nine times out of 10, coordinators are people who have worked for us out in the field and have really done a good job," explains Gill. "We've got plenty of people that we've pulled in from out in the field to become field operations coordinators, people who work in the office and supervise multiple people because they've just proven themselves out in the field."
"They are always on time, they always do a good job. They know what to do in situations." Technological Training Components
As with many security firms, Solaren reports incorporating technology training into its professional development programming. This includes instruction on communication systems and surveillance equipment.
"We try to cover as many bases as possible. When it comes to the training aspect, it's very important," Gill emphasizes.
For large-scale security operations, the company describes an extended preparation process: "We spend months in advance preparing for an event. We make sure that everybody knows where they're going to be, knows what equipment they're going to be issued." Field Decision-Making Approach
According to company materials, the training philosophy at Solaren emphasizes independent problem-solving capabilities, an approach that enhances the efficiency of their service delivery, which often requires split-second decisions.
"We do our best to make sure that our team can do things mainly by themselves and solve their own problems, rather than a 'teach a man to fish' kind of situation," explains Gill.
While personnel have a level of independence supported by training, the company also utilizes mobile technology to support field personnel: "The app that we use to organize everybody, it's got forms, it's got documents on there. If we need a document from you, we're going to put it on there so you can easily just do it from your phone," notes Gill. Performance Measurement Methods
Solaren implements regular performance evaluations to assess security personnel. "We do those both quarterly and annually," Gill shares. These evaluations consider multiple factors, including punctuality, client feedback, and incident response effectiveness.
Client feedback appears to be weighted heavily in these assessments: "If the clients themselves say a really good thing about this specific guard, then that resounds with us very deeply," explains Gill. Industry Context and Challenges
Since its founding with two employees in 2017, Solaren has grown significantly, with company sources claiming over 1,200 personnel as of 2025 and operations in five U.S. states. The company has expanded to provide services including armed and unarmed security, off-duty police services, and investigation services for commercial and government clients.
But Solaren's training approach exists within an industry facing significant workforce challenges.
Gill acknowledges these challenges: "It's hard to find people who genuinely are just passionate about this kind of industry."
The company has expanded its training to address emerging security concerns, including cybersecurity, deepfakes, and infrastructure protection, according to company news publications, and it continues to provide services for major events and has been involved in disaster response operations as well.