CHAPTER 3

 

CERTIFICATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND TRAINING STANDARDS

FOR PEACE OFFICERS

 

Section 1.Temporary Certification.To qualify for temporary certification peace officers shall meet the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1.

 

Section 2.Reserve Certification.

 

(a) To qualify for reserve certification an officer shall meet the provisions of Chapter 2 Section 1.

 

(b) No person shall receive a reserve certification unless within two (2) years from the date of employment such person has completed a Commission approved peace officer basic training program and holds an appointment as a peace officer by a Wyoming law enforcement agency.

 

(c)        A reserve officer certification awarded to an individual complying with this section shall be valid for a period of two (2) years from date of issuance.

 

(d) Officers awarded reserve certification shall meet continuing training requirements of twenty (20) hours every two (2) years to maintain their reserve certification. Verification of the required training shall be provided to the Commission within two (2) years of the date of reserve certification, and every two (2) years thereafter.

 

(e) Failure of a reserve officer to complete the requirements of this section shall result in the denial of recertification by the Commission.

 

Section 3.Basic Peace Officer Certification.

 

(a)To qualify for basic certification an officer shall:

 

(i)Meet the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1;

 

(ii)Be a permanent full-time employee of a law enforcement agency in the State of Wyoming; and

 

(iii)Have completed a Commission approved peace officer basic training program.

 

(b)All full-time Wyoming peace officers shall have one (1) year from the date of employment to complete a Commission approved peace officer basic training program.

 

(c)Basic certification of permanent employees shall be valid for two (2) years from date of issuance.

 

(d)Failure of an officer to complete the requirements of this section shall result in the denial of basic certification by the Commission.

 

Section 4.Advanced Peace Officer Certification.

 

(a)Advanced certification shall be awarded to an officer who meets the following requirements:

 

(i)Holds a permanent appointment and a basic certification as a peace officer in any law enforcement agency in the State of Wyoming;

 

(ii)Has completed (1) year of additional experience as a peace officer; and

 

(iii)Has satisfactorily completed an additional eighty (80) hours of Commission approved training;

 

(b)All peace officers below the middle management position and assigned to patrol, traffic, or investigation, who routinely effect the physical arrest of criminal suspects are required to complete 10 hours, of 80 hours listed in (a)(iii), in the perishable skills area of Custody and Control, Firearms, Use of Force, Search and Seizure, Emergency Vehicle Operations, CPR/First Aid; and Crisis Intervention Training or other training the Director determines to meet the definition of perishable skills.

 

(c)The advanced training requirements in this section shall be completed within two (2) years following the date of basic certification.

 

(d)Failure of any peace officer to complete advanced training as provided by this section shall result in the denial of recertification.

 

Section 5.Professional Peace Officer Certification.

 

(a)Professional certification shall be awarded to an officer who meets any of the following requirements:

 

(i)Has been awarded advanced certification, has completed an additional eighty (80) hours of Commission approved training, and has acquired three (3) additional years of experience as a full-time peace officer; or

 

(ii)Has been awarded an associate's degree, has been awarded advanced certification, has completed an additional forty (40) hours of Commission approved training, and has two (2) additional years of experience as a full-time peace officer; or

 

(iii)Has been awarded a baccalaureate degree or beyond, has been awarded advanced certification, and has completed one (1) year additional experience as a full-time peace officer.

 

(b)The professional training requirements of this section shall be completed no later than three (3) years following the date of advanced certification.

 

(c)A peace officer awarded professional certification shall complete forty (40) hours of continuing training every two (2) years.

 

(d)All peace officers below the middle management position and assigned to patrol, traffic, or investigation, who routinely effect the physical arrest of criminal suspects are required to complete 10 hours, of the prescribed hours of additional training listed in subsection (c), in the perishable skills areas of Custody and Control, Firearms, Use of Force, Search and Seizure, Emergency Vehicle Operations, CPR/First Aid, Crisis Intervention Training or any other training the Director determines to meet the definition of perishable skills.

 

(e)Verification of required training shall be provided to the Commission within two (2) years following the date of professional certification, and every two (2) years thereafter.

 

(f)Failure of any officer to complete the requirements of professional training as provided by this section shall result in the denial of re-certification.

 

Section 6.Extension of Time Requirements for Training.   The director may grant an extension of time for completion of continuing training required by these rules upon a presentation of evidence by the department that an officer is unable to complete the required training within the time prescribed because of illness, injury, military service, special duty assigned or required in the public interest of the concerned jurisdiction, or because of restriction on the availability of required training.

 

Section 7.   Waiver of basic training program.

 

(a)The director may, upon recommendation of the employing agency, waive the basic, or mini basic, peace officer training program and certify those applicants who can pass a written examination provided by the Commission and an oral interview attesting to the applicant's ability and core competencies.

 

(b)The applicant shall prove that he satisfactorily completed a basic peace officer training program which in the Commission's opinion is comparable to that required by this section before waiver is granted.

 

(c)The applicant must complete the Wyoming Criminal Law and Procedure course as outlined by WLEA.

Section 8.  Employment with an Additional Wyoming Law Enforcement Agency.

 

(a)An agency may appoint an applicant to a certified position without further investigation if:

 

(i)The agency has received certification from the Wyoming Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission that the applicant holds current certification for the position; and

 

(ii)The agency has verified the applicant is employed in good standing by another law enforcement unit in Wyoming.

 

(b)The agency shall submit an Additional Agency Employment Form to the Commission within fifteen (15) days of the appointment in writing or by electronic filing.

 

Section 9.   Employment of a Currently Certified Peace Officer.   Currently certified Wyoming peace officers may be employed subject to the following conditions:

 

(a)Currently certified officers who are not currently employed, may be employed provided the employing agency completes all the requirements set forth in Chapter 2, Section 1 (c)(vii); and

 

(b)The employing agency shall submit an Employment Form to the Commission within fifteen (15) days of appointment in writing or by electronic filing.

 

Section 10.   Certification of peace officers previously, but not currently certified in Wyoming.              Peace officers previously, but not currently, certified in Wyoming may be certified subject to the following conditions:

 

(a)The employing agency shall submit an Employment Form to the Commission within fifteen (15) days of appointment in writing or by electronic filing.

 

(b)Those officers who do not have current certification and have been out of law enforcement less than three (3) years may be certified provided the applicant satisfies the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1.

 

(c)Those officers who have been out of law enforcement for more than three (3) years but less than five (5) years may be certified provided the applicant satisfies the provision of Chapter 2, Section 1, and:

 

(i)Passes a written challenge examination provided by the Commission (the examination may only be taken twice);

 

(ii)Successfully completes the Wyoming Criminal Law and Procedures Course provided by the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy for peace officer basic;

 

(iii)Proves firearms proficiency by passing the WLEA firearms qualification course required for the peace officer basic. The POST firearms proficiency challenge test shall be conducted by a POST certified firearms instructor from another agency, who is qualified as a WLEA firearms instructor, and the test will be fired on WLEA qualification targets;

 

(iv)Provides proof of current CPR certification; and

 

(v)Successfully completes a Commission approved domestic violence course.

 

(d)Officers who have been out of law enforcement for five (5) years or more and have had less than five (5) continuous years of service as a full time peace officer shall satisfy the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1, and successfully complete a full peace officer basic course to become certified.

 

(e)Officers who have been out of law enforcement five (5) years, but less than ten (10) years, and had been employed for five (5) or more continuous years as a full-time peace officer may attend the POST approved mini peace officer basic in lieu of the full peace officer basic course. Upon successful completion of the mini peace officer basic, the peace officer challenge process, and compliance with provision of Chapter 2, Section 1, the officer will be granted peace officer certification. Approval to attend the mini peace officer basic shall only be granted by the Commission.

 

(f)An officer who has not been employed as a full time peace officer for ten (10) years or more shall satisfy the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1, and successfully complete a full peace officer basic course to become certified.

 

Section 11.Certification of peace officers certified/trained in states other than Wyoming.              Officers certified/trained in states other than Wyoming may be certified as long as the individual meets the following criteria:

 

(a)The employing agency shall submit an Initial Employment Form to the Commission within fifteen (15) days of appointment in writing or by electronic filing.

 

(b)Those applicants who have previously established certification or completed basic training in states other than Wyoming may petition the Commission for certification only when the applicant has met the following conditions:

 

(i)Has been out of law enforcement less than five (5) years;

 

(ii)Can provide documentation of successful completion of a peace officer basic program that is, in the Commission's opinion, comparable to the Wyoming peace officer basic offered during the same period;

 

(iii)Satisfies the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1;

 

(iv)Passes a written challenge examination provided by the Commission (the examination may only be taken twice);

 

(v)Successfully completes the Wyoming Criminal Law and Procedures Course provided by the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy for peace officer basic;

 

(vi)Successfully completes a Commission approved domestic violence course;

 

(vii)Proves firearms proficiency by passing the WLEA firearms qualification course required for the peace officer basic. The POST firearms proficiency challenge test shall be conducted by a POST certified firearms instructor from another agency, qualified as a WLEA firearms instructor, and fired on WLEA qualification targets; and

 

(viii)Provides proof of current CPR certification.

 

(c)The applicant  who has not been employed as a full time peace officer for five (5) continuous years shall satisfy the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1, and successfully complete a full peace officer basic course to become certified.

 

(d)The applicant who has not been employed as a full time peace officer for five (5) years, but less than ten (10) years, and had been employed for five (5) continuous years or more as a full-time peace officer may attend the POST approved mini peace officer basic in lieu of the full peace officer basic course. Upon successful completion of the mini peace officer basic, the peace officer challenge process, and compliance with the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1, the officer shall be granted peace officer certification. Approval to attend the mini peace officer basic shall be granted by the Commission.

 

(e)The applicant who has not been employed as a full time peace officer for ten (10) years or more shall satisfy the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1, and successfully complete a full peace officer basic course to become certified.

 

Section 12.Pre-service Graduate Requirements for Peace Officer Certification.

 

(a)A pre-service graduate who meets the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1 may be employed and certified if employed by a Wyoming law enforcement agency within two (2) years from date of graduation.

 

(b)A pre-service graduate who meets the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1 may be employed and certified if employed by a Wyoming law enforcement agency more than two (2) years but less than five (5) years from the date of graduation upon successful completion of the peace officer challenge process.

 

(c)A pre-service graduate whose fifth anniversary since graduation has passed shall successfully complete the current peace officer basic course.

 

Section 13.Credit for Wyoming Highway Patrol Academy.   Graduates of the Wyoming Highway Patrol Academy shall be granted a number of hours toward advanced and professional certification which shall be determined by the Commission.

 

Section 14.Credit for Accredited College Semester Hours. Peace officers may receive training hours for accredited college credits as follows:

 

(a)Job-related semester credits will be equivalent to ten (10) Commission training hours per credit hour earned.

 

(b)If a college is using the quarter system, the quarter hours are equivalent to seven (7) Commission training hours per hour earned.

 

(c)College hours can only be applied to continuing training requirements.