About AFI Security Training Institute

AFI Security Training Institute’s instructors each have more than 10 years of experience in the field.  Our director and chief instructor has over 30 years in the industry.  This combined experience in the fields of law enforcement, corporate security, and in-service training guarantees that each of our instructors brings a high level of expertise in security and its related fields.

We aim to provide the following:

• highest quality of training to security officers and potential security officers
• comprehensive training at an affordable tuition fee
• an understanding of not only what security officers do, but why
• printed material and other resources that aide the security officer in his or her studies

AFI Security Training Institute's goal is to provide security officers and potential security officers the best possible training and resources to help them succeed in their industry.

AFI STAFF EXPERIENCE:
 
AFI’s Director:
Fern Abbott, licensed Private Detective and Certified Polygraphist, has been in the security field for over 30 years, working as an undercover investigator, background investigator, polygraphist, supervisor, manager, and assistant director.  In her management capacities, she has supervised both in-house and contract security officers. She has worked for such diverse and well known companies as Alpha Metals, Lerner Stores Corporation, Orhbach’s, A & S, Tiffany & Company, Pinkerton’s, First Security Services, White Westinghouse – Frigidaire, and CBS Broadcast Operations; has taught Security Administration at Interboro Institute, a 2 year college in NYC, and has for the past 6 years has been the Trade Show Co-ordinator for the NYC chapter of ASIS International.  
 
“Having been a supervisor, I know what makes supervisors crazy,” she says. “Just like you, I’ve smacked my head and muttered, “Why didn’t anyone ever teach these guys xxxx?’  Well now, we can teach security officers what they should know before they come to you.”
 
 
AFI’s Chief Instructor:
Tony Vega is a recently retired NYPD sergeant with more than 20 years’ experience in the private sector.  (While employed with NYPD,)  Tony has worked for such well known establishments as Sears, A&P, Waldbaum's, Shoprite, King Kullen, Western Beef, Gucci, Rolex, and Hard Rock Café, encompassing such areas as basic loss prevention, protection of high end valuables, scheduling & supervision of both in-house and contract security officers, armed security, and acting as liaison between client company & security agency.

 
AFI’s instructors are selected not just on the basis of their experience, but on their outlook.  Experience in the private sector is a prime qualification; after all, if someone has not worked in the private sector, how could he (or she) possibly know what challenges and issues your officers will face during the course of their assignments?