Types of Certification

For purposes of certification of instructors, all approved law enforcement training will be designated as follows:

Professional

Professional subjects will be those subjects which are clearly law enforcement in nature.

Requirements

1. Law Enforcement Experience
   1. A minimum of three years of law enforcement experience is required for personnel instructing law enforcement subjects.

   2. The Commission may grant an individual with specialized skills or knowledge the authority to teach professional courses when the individual lacks law enforcement experience and the Commission believes the best interests of law enforcement will be served.
      
      

2. Education

   The minimum education background as recognized by the Commission will be required for personnel instructing law enforcement subjects. (See Regulation 1002 (3) (f) and Specification S-4).

3. Training
   1. New applicants for instructor certification must have completed an Instructor Development Training Course consisting of a minimum of 32 hours of Commission approved classroom instruction or the equivalent including, but not limited to, the following topics:

      Communications

      Psychology of Learning

      Techniques of Instruction

      Use of Instructional Aids

      Preparing and Using Lesson Plans

      Evaluation of Training

      Preparing and Administering Tests

      Teaching Resources

      Planning for Instruction and Learning

      Trainee Motivation and Counseling

      Practical Exercises in the Application of Instructional

      Principles Presented in the Course

   2. An Instructor's Certificate may be issued without completion of the required Instructor Development Course if an individual has documented expertise in the area of instruction. Documented expertise may include the completion of specialized and advanced education or training, acceptance as expert by court, association or society or other recognizing body, and/or experience in the subject area. The Commission retains the right to accept or reject submitted documentation as evidence of expertise. Any certificate issued shall only entitle the individual to teach the subject(s) specified in Commission approved courses.

   3. FIREARMS - Firearms training is a professional subject, therefore, a Firearm Instructor Certificate will be issued only to those officers who have successfully met requirements 1,2 and 3, of this specification and have successfully completed a Firearms Instructor Course approved by the Commission.

General

General subjects will be those subjects which are clearly NOT law enforcement in nature, i.e., Criminal Law, Human Relations, Management subjects, etc.

Requirements

1. At least three years of experience in the subject area to be instructed.

2. Recommendation of school director.

3. A baccalaureate degree with a major or concentration of courses in the discipline or an area to be taught or as required by the Commission; or

4. An associate degree with course work in the discipline or area to be taught or as required by the Commission and three (3) years experience in a criminal justice occupation or a related occupation; or

5. The equivalent of 3 and 4 above as determined by the Commission.

6. Usual formalities of certification may be waived by the Commission for those teaching general subjects.

Certification of Instructor

1. Applications for instructor certification, both professional and general, will be made on Commission Form F-8, Application for Instructor Certification. Once a person has been certified as an Instructor and has a Form F-8 on file with the Commission, Form F-8 need not to be completed and filed a second time except to report changes or requests for certification to instruct in additional subject areas.

2. Initial certification will be for five (5) years or sixty (60) consecutive months. At the expiration of the initial certificate and every sixty (60) months thereafter, the certificate shall be renewable subject to the following requirements.
   1. One-time successful completion of a Commission approved Instructor Development Training Course for criminal justice instructors or the equivalent.

   2. Endorsement by a school director under whose supervision the instructor served; and

   3. Endorsement by a department head whose personnel have been trained by the instructor.

Procedures

1. Applications for instructor certification will be made on Commission Form F-8, Application for Instructor Certification and endorsed by the applicant's department head or designee.

2. Education and training should be supported by copies of transcripts, diplomas, or other verifying documents which accompany the application.

3. Applications are forwarded to the Commission for consideration.

4. Commission action will be reported to the applicant's department head.