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12 CAR § 1-113. Requirements to obtain law enforcement certification
12 CAR § 1-113. Requirements to obtain law enforcement certification.
(a) General provisions.
(1) To be eligible for the award of a certificate, each applicant must be a law enforcement officer employed or appointed by a law enforcement agency located within the State of Arkansas.
(2)(A) Each applicant shall meet the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training’s prescribed minimum standards for employment established pursuant to this part, except those full-time law enforcement officers who were employed before January 1, 1978.
(B) Those persons are grandfathered and exempt from meeting any selection or training requirements, provided they have been continually employed by the same agency since December 31, 1977.
(3) Each applicant will attest that they subscribe to the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics, 12 CAR § 1-124.
(4) All applications for the basic, general, intermediate, advanced, or senior certificates shall be completed in a manner adopted by the Division of Law Enforcement Training and Standards.
(5) In addition to the requirements set forth above for the award of a general, intermediate, advanced, or senior certificate, each applicant shall complete the designated education and training combined with the prescribed law enforcement experience.
(6)(A) Education and training must be supported by copies of transcripts, certificates, diplomas, or other verifying documents attached to the application.
(B) Each training document must verify the number of classroom hours claimed.
(b) Education points.
(1) Each college credit is equivalent to one (1) education point.
(2) Each quarter college credit is equivalent to three-fourths of one (.75) education point.
(c) Training points.
(1) Twenty (20) classroom hours of law enforcement training approved by the division equals one (1) training point.
(2) Basic, refresher, supervisory, middle management, executive, or specialized courses certified, sponsored, or presented by the division will be acceptable for training credit.
(3)(A) The division may approve law enforcement agency or other in-service training that is recorded and documented in the law enforcement officer's personnel files.
(B) These records must confirm successful completion and must include the:
(i) Date completed;
(ii) Course or subject title;
(iii) Sponsoring agency;
(iv) Classroom training hours; and/or
(v) College credit hours.
(4) Training completed in other states, federal agencies, military police training, or other specialized training, if properly documented and approved by the division as being required and/or useful to the law enforcement agency, may be counted as training points.
(5) Certified instructors may claim course completion credit for the first time the law enforcement class is instructed.
(6) College credits earned in law enforcement-related subjects may be counted for either training points or education points, whichever is to the advantage of the applicant.
(d) College credit.
(1) College credits will not be accepted in lieu of the basic law enforcement training course described in this part.
(2)(A) College credits may be combined with experience and training in determining eligibility for law enforcement officer certification as prescribed by this part.
(B) The commission shall only recognize those college credits awarded from an accredited institution.
(C) College credits shall be applicable in determining eligibility for general, intermediate, advanced, and senior certificates.
(3)(A) Individuals claiming college credits toward certificates shall furnish to the division copies of transcripts or other verifying documents.
(B) College credits will be recognized by the commission only upon receipt of an official transcript bearing a certifying signature with the official college seal superimposed or a notarized copy of an original.
(4) Law enforcement experience.
(A)(i) Experience acquired as a law enforcement officer employed full-time and having statutory authority to enforce state or federal criminal, traffic, or highway laws may be approved.
(ii) Experience acquired with a law enforcement agency whose standards are lower than minimum standards established by the commission will not count as experience to obtain a certificate.
(B) Law enforcement experience claimed is subject to evaluation and final approval of the division.
(5) Eligibility questions. Any person approved for certification will be required to meet the:
(A) Minimum standards for employment or appointment as defined in this part; and
(B) Training requirements established or approved by the commission.
(6) The basic certificate. In addition to the requirements set forth in this section, the following are required for the award of a basic certificate:
(A) Shall have completed a probationary period of not less than twelve (12) months with their present employing law enforcement agency; and
(B) Shall have successfully completed the required basic law enforcement training course or the equivalent as determined by the division.
(7) The general certificate. In addition to the requirements set forth in this section, the following are required for the award of a general certificate:
(A) Shall possess the basic certificate; and
(B) Shall have:
(i) Satisfactorily completed the basic law enforcement training course approved by the commission; and
(ii) Acquired the following combinations of education and training points combined with the prescribed years of law enforcement experience.
GENERAL
Education Points and/or Training Points | 25 | 33 | 40 | 48 |
AND | & | & | & | & |
Years of Experience | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
(8) The intermediate certificate. In addition to the requirements set forth in this section, the following are required for the award of an intermediate certificate:
(A) Shall possess or be eligible to possess a general certificate;
(B) Shall have satisfactorily completed six (6) semester hours of college English or its equivalent from an accredited institution, approved in accordance with this part, with at least a 2.0 grade average on a 4.0 point scale;
(C) Equivalency will be determined in writing from the head of the English department of the accredited institution granting credit for the course; and
(D) Shall have acquired the following combinations of education and training points combined with the prescribed years of law enforcement experience.
Education Points (must include 6 hours of college English) And/or Training Points |
40 |
55 |
70 |
85 | Associate Degree |
AND |
& |
& |
& |
& |
& |
Years of Experience |
8 |
7 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
(9) The advanced certificate. In addition to the requirements set forth in this section, the following are required for the award of an advanced certificate:
(A) Shall possess or be eligible to possess the intermediate certificate; and
(B) Shall have:
(i) Acquired the following combinations of education and training points combined with the prescribed years of law enforcement experience; and
(ii) Attained the college credits indicated with an overall grade average of at least 2.0.
Semester Hours |
6 |
15 |
30 |
45 | Associate Degree | Bachelor's Degree |
Training Hours | 620 | 560 | 500 | 440 | 410 | 410 |
Years of Experience |
16 |
14 |
12 |
10 |
8 |
6 |
(10) The senior certificate. In addition to the requirements set forth in this part, the following are required for the award of a senior certificate:
(A) Shall possess or be eligible to possess the advanced certificate; and
(B) Shall have:
(i) Acquired the following combinations of education and training points combined with the prescribed years of law enforcement experience; and
(ii) Attained the college credits indicated with an overall grade average of at least 2.0.
Semester Hours |
30 |
45 |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor's Degree |
Master's Degree |
Training Hours | 920 | 800 | 680 | 560 | 440 |
Years of Experience |
18 |
15 |
12 |
9 |
6 |
(11) Certificates remain the property of the commission. Certificates remain the property of the commission, and the commission shall have the power to recall or revoke any certificate as provided in Arkansas Code § 12-1-901 et seq., and this part.
(12) Department head certificate (nonmandatory). In accordance with Arkansas Code § 12-9-104, the following are selection and training requirements and nonmandatory basic and advanced levels of certification for department heads:
(A) Level one certificate. In addition to the requirements set forth in this section, a department head seeking the award of a level one certificate shall:
(i) Hold intermediate law enforcement officer certification or higher;
(ii) Complete a minimum of forty (40) hours of law enforcement supervision/management training; and
(iii) Possess a minimum of two (2) years of law enforcement supervisory or management experience;
(B) Level two certificate. In addition to the requirements set forth in this section, a department head seeking the award of a level two certificate shall:
(i) Hold advanced law enforcement officer certification or higher;
(ii) Successfully complete law enforcement supervision and/or management course of instruction of four (4) weeks or more duration, such as:
(a) The Federal Bureau of Investigation Academy;
(b) The School of Police Supervision offered by the Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute; or
(c) A comparable course, such as those offered by:
(1) Southwestern Legal Foundation;
(2) Southern Police Institute; or
(3) Northwestern University; and
(iii) Possess a minimum of five (5) years' experience as a department head or upper-level managing law enforcement/management position; and
(C) Senior certificate. In addition to the requirements set forth in this section, a department head seeking the award of a senior certificate should:
(i) Hold the senior law enforcement officer certification;
(ii) Successfully complete law enforcement supervision and/or management course of instruction of four (4) weeks or more duration, such as:
(a) The Federal Bureau of Investigation Academy;
(b) The School of Police Supervision offered by the Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute; or
(c) A comparable course, such as those offered by:
(1) Southwestern Legal Foundation;
(2) Southern Police Institute; or
(3) Northwestern University; and
(iii) Possess a minimum of five (5) years' experience as a department head.
(13) Procedure. Applications for department head certification shall be made in a manner adopted by the division.