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12 CAR § 1-131. Certification of civil traffic wardens
12 CAR § 1-131. Certification of civil traffic wardens.
(a) The Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training shall certify individuals deemed qualified to be civil traffic wardens for the purpose of:
(1) Issuing citations for parking violations occurring within the corporate limits of a municipality of the first class; and
(2) Preparing traffic accident reports and, in connection with any such reporting, issue any necessary traffic citations.
(b) Persons employed as civil traffic wardens shall not carry firearms or take any other official law enforcement action except as prescribed by this part.
(c) No person shall serve as, be employed, or otherwise function as a civil traffic warden unless or until they have met the following minimum standards as set forth in this part:
(1) Be a citizen of the United States;
(2) Be at least twenty-one (21) years of age;
(3) Be fingerprinted and a search initiated of state and national fingerprint files to disclose any criminal record;
(4)(A) Be free of a felony record.
(B) A felony record shall mean having entered a plea of guilty, been found guilty, or otherwise having been convicted of an offense, the punishment for which could have been imprisonment in a federal penitentiary or a state penitentiary.
(C) The fact that an individual has received a pardon or their record has been expunged shall not release the individual from having a felony record for the purposes of this section;
(5) Be of good character as determined by a thorough background investigation;
(6)(A) Be a high school graduate or have passed the General Educational Development (GED) test indicating high school graduation level.
(B) Homeschool diplomas will not substitute for the above unless approved by the commission;
(7) Be examined by a licensed physician and meet the physical requirements;
(8) Be interviewed personally prior to employment by the department head or their representative or representatives to determine such things as the applicant's:
(A) Motivation;
(B) Appearance;
(C) Demeanor;
(D) Attitude; and
(E) Ability to communicate;
(9) Be examined by an individual licensed to practice psychiatry or psychology and qualified to perform such evaluations in the State of Arkansas, who after examination finds the law enforcement officer to be competent and recommends the law enforcement agency hire the individual; and
(10) Possess a valid driver's license.
(d)(1) Prior to assuming the duties listed above, law enforcement individuals must successfully complete a basic course developed by the employing agency.
(2) The basic training course shall be known as the at-scene traffic accident investigation course and contain a minimum of the following instructions:
(A) Two (2) hours regarding the principles of accident scene management;
(B) Six (6) hours regarding the Accident Report Form;
(C) Eight (8) hours regarding Arkansas traffic laws;
(D) Four (4) hours regarding evidence collection;
(E) Four (4) hours regarding measurements and diagramming;
(F) Six (6) hours regarding practical exercise involving a mock traffic accident; and
(G) A two-hour final examination.
(3) Candidates must be tested on each aspect of the at-scene traffic accident investigation course and obtain a minimum score of seventy-five percent (75%) prior to assuming the duties of a civil traffic warden.
(e) In addition to meeting these minimum standards for employment, the law enforcement agency may mandate local requirements such as written testing or other precursors to employment as desired for their jurisdiction.