Smart Horizons and the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) have launched launched the Certified Protection Officer (CPO) 8th edition course and exam. The CPO 8th edition provides protection officers with up-to-date training in security technology, laws, trends, and techniques in a self-paced, online course that can be accessed at any time.

This interactive course includes twelve units covering forty chapters. The two organizations say that each chapter provides interactive activities, knowledge checks, and an end-of-chapter test. The system tracks student achievements.

The aim of the course is to prepare candidates for the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) exam and certification. Candidates who successfully complete the CPO 8th edition final exam are awarded an IFPO certification.

The two organizations note that one advantage of the program is the ease with which an employer can implement the training for employees or potential employees. Online training eliminates travel, per-diem, and instructor costs that drive up prices for on-the-ground training. Courses can be accessed anytime it is convenient for the learner and anywhere there is an internet connection. The program is housed on a secure learning management system, the NexPort Extended Classroom, which allows training coordinators to track and report on student progress, while maintaining student records in real time.