Security & Protective Services Jobs in Arlington, TX

Arlington protects some of the biggest crowds in Texas, from Cowboys games at AT&T Stadium to summer weekends at Six Flags Over Texas, and its police department pays recruits $83,665 in the academy. The guides below cover every security and protective services role in Arlington, who is hiring and what it pays.

Loss Prevention Specialist Jobs Police Officer Jobs Security Officer Jobs

Why Security & Protective Services Work Is Different in Arlington

Most cities of 400,000 people need police, fire and security staff for neighborhoods, stores and offices. Arlington needs all of that plus a sports and tourism district that draws stadium crowds all year. The Entertainment District along Collins Street, Nolan Ryan Expressway and I-30 holds AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field, Texas Live!, the Loews Arlington convention hotel and Six Flags Over Texas, and every event there needs screeners, event security officers, loss prevention agents and off-duty police. AT&T Stadium hosted nine FIFA World Cup matches in June and July 2026, and the regular football, baseball, concert and convention calendar keeps that event work going.

The rest of the city adds steady full-time demand. Texas Health Arlington Memorial on Randol Mill Road runs its own hospital security team, The Parks Mall at I-20 and Cooper Street and the big-box stores around it hire loss prevention staff, and the Great Southwest Industrial District along SH 360 needs security at warehouses and plants. On the public side, the Arlington Police Department runs its own 32-week academy, the Arlington Fire Department trains recruits who arrive with no certifications, and the city hires its own 911 call-takers and dispatchers. Arlington has no fixed-route bus, so almost everyone in this field drives to shifts that cover nights, weekends and holidays.

Top Security & Protective Services Employers in Arlington

These employers hire across Arlington's public safety and security jobs:

Security & Protective Services Career Paths in Arlington

  • Private security and loss prevention - Security Officer, Armed Security Officer, Loss Prevention Specialist, Surveillance Operator and Private Investigator. These are the fastest ways in, licensed by the Texas Department of Public Safety and concentrated at the venues, hospitals, stores and warehouses.
  • Law enforcement - Police Officer. The Arlington Police Department, UT Arlington Police, the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office and neighboring Grand Prairie all recruit here, with pay on published step plans.
  • Fire and emergency communications - Firefighter and Emergency Telecommunicator. The Arlington Fire Department and the city's 911 center hire and train their own staff, and both jobs come with state certification.

How to Start a Security & Protective Services Career in Arlington

  • Texas DPS Private Security license - Level II training for unarmed officers and Level III, at least 45 hours with firearm proficiency, for armed commissioned officers. Officers must be affiliated with a DPS-licensed company, and many Arlington employers sponsor the license after hire.
  • TCOLE peace officer license - earned after a basic academy and the state exam. Arlington recruits attend the city's 32-week academy, and independent cadets can attend the 22-week Tarrant County College Law Enforcement Academy at the Northwest Campus in Fort Worth.
  • TCOLE telecommunicator license - required for 911 call-takers, with at least 40 hours of training completed within the first year.
  • TCFP structure fire certification and EMT - the Texas Commission on Fire Protection certifies firefighters and the Texas Department of State Health Services certifies EMTs. The Tarrant County College Fire Academy at the Northwest Campus runs 14 weeks, and the Arlington Fire Department also hires and trains candidates with no certifications.
  • Arlington ISD pathways - the Law and Public Service pathway at the Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center on Browning Drive, and the AISD Fire Academy run with the Arlington Fire Department and Tarrant County College.

A DPS license is legally required for contract security officers, a TCOLE license for police officers and telecommunicators, and TCFP certification for firefighters; plainclothes in-house loss prevention work generally needs no license, and prior certification is an employer preference rather than a requirement at the Arlington Fire Department.

Security & Protective Services Salaries in Arlington

  • Entry - about $15 to $18 an hour for event security, unarmed officers and loss prevention associates.
  • Mid - about $21 to $27 an hour for fire trainees, 911 call-takers, detention officers and private security site leads.
  • Senior - about $76,000 to $139,000 a year for sworn firefighters and police officers, from an entry firefighter's $76,689 to an Arlington police lieutenant's $138,670.

These are estimates drawn from employers' own pay pages and current postings. Public employers pay the most and add public-sector benefits; Arlington's police benefits page lists a 20-year retirement and a 50% 401(k) match, plus pay for education, bilingual skills and shift work. Private security pay rises with a Level III commission, hospital posts and supervisory roles, while event work pays less but fits around school or another job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which security jobs in Arlington do not need a license?

Plainclothes loss prevention jobs where you work only for one retailer, such as asset protection at a big-box store, generally do not need a Texas DPS license. Contract security officers, anyone who carries a firearm on the job, and in-house staff who wear a security uniform or badge while guarding do need one.

How do I get hired by the Arlington Fire Department?

Applicants must be 18 to 45 with a high school diploma or GED, and no certifications are needed to apply. The process includes a civil service exam, a 1.5-mile run and the CPAT physical test. The department expects its 2026-2027 hiring process to start this fall or winter and takes job interest cards in the meantime.

How much do 911 dispatchers make in Arlington?

The City of Arlington starts full-time 911 call-takers and dispatchers at $26.44 an hour. Texas requires 911 telecommunicators to hold a TCOLE license, with at least 40 hours of training completed within the first year.

Is event security work still steady after the World Cup?

Yes. The World Cup matches at AT&T Stadium ended in July 2026, but Cowboys games, Rangers home dates, concerts, conventions and the Six Flags season keep event security hiring going. BEST Crowd Management is posting AT&T Stadium event security roles at $16 an hour.

What is the fastest way into protective services in Arlington?

Event security and loss prevention are the quickest starts. Six Flags Over Texas hires seasonal loss prevention field agents at 18, and BEST Crowd Management accepts event security applicants who are willing to get a Texas security license. Some people build experience there before applying to the police or fire department.

Ready to get started? Browse all current security and protective services job openings in Arlington, TX on LocalJobPage.