Certification Profile: Maurice Hicks, CPP

Maurice Hicks, CPP, grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, during a period of high violent crime rates, and the city felt like it was under siege. Hicks had always loved learning and dreamed of escaping the crime and poverty he grew up around by becoming the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Fate led him in a different direction, and Hicks got into the law enforcement profession, where he eventually became the leader of an FBI Homicide Task Force. Hicks also obtained a master's degree in management and a certificate in police executive leadership from Johns Hopkins University.

For the final six years of his law enforcement career, Hicks served as a lieutenant and worked as an investigations commander. After 20 years of service in law enforcement, Hicks retired. He recently wrote a book, Looking for Trouble, which is a memoir detailing his journey from a young boy in inner city Baltimore to a lieutenant in the police department.  

After retiring from the force, Hicks kept trying to find a second career that could provide him with some of the excitement and comradery he had experienced in law enforcement, but he struggled to find something that fit.

Then, Hicks spoke with a friend who owned a security company. The security industry piqued Hicks’ interest, and his friend advised him to join ASIS International if he wanted to learn more about private security. Hicks began attending local ASIS chapter meetings and the annual conferences (now Global Security Exchange or GSX).

“Joining ASIS opened my mind to a host of information that I was previously unaware of,” Hicks says. “The experience was instrumental in making a smooth transition from the law enforcement field into the security field.”

Seeing the success of other industry professionals inspired Hicks to start a private detective agency and a private security company, which now operates in two U.S. states. To increase his credibility within the security industry, Hicks decided to pursue the Certified Protection Professional (CPPⓇ) certification. 

“My certification has been instrumental in obtaining high clients for over the past 15 years,” Hicks says. “My clients value the credibility that comes with my CPP certification.” 

In addition to improving his credibility with clients, his CPP certification helped Hicks become more established in academia. Prior to receiving the certification, Hicks taught criminal justice classes at the University of Maryland, Global Campus. After sharing his Certified Protection Professional letter with his academic director, Hicks was promoted to a course chair position in the security management department. Hicks now serves as an adjunct associate professor. 

In addition to the value of certification, Hicks also appreciates the networking opportunities provided by ASIS membership.  

“My membership has allowed me to gain a wider customer base and expand my services to customers worldwide,” Hicks says. “Being a member of ASIS gives me the ability to tap into talent that my clients need by connecting with ASIS members from around the world.” 

Hicks also notes that being a member of ASIS International helped smooth the transition between his law enforcement and private security careers and made it easier to navigate the security profession. The resources and courses provided by ASIS allow him to both improve his craft and make more informed business decisions. 

Emily Callahan is a communications specialist for ASIS International. Connect with her on LinkedIn here.