Attorney General

Peace Officers Standards & Training Commission

Chapter 10: Minimum Standards for Schools and Training Programs

Effective Date: 12/04/2012 to 01/05/2018

Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations

Reference Number: 015.0009.10.12042012

CHAPTER 10

MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR SCHOOLS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS

Section 1. Certification of Schools. With the approval of the Commission, the director may, pursuant to W.S. 9-1-703(b)(ii), certify those schools or academies deemed adequate to effectively teach one or more of the prescribed courses identified by the Commission. The identity of each school so certified shall be periodically published and distributed by the Commission.

1. (a) Approval of a school may be made on the basis of an on-site inspection conducted by the director or representative of the Commission, with or without advance notice to the school.
2. (b) A request for approval of a school shall be made in writing to the Commission by the school or academy director.
3. (c) Any inspection of a school or academy shall be conducted within thirty (30) days of receipt of the request by the director.
4. (d) Approval of a school offering a one-time law enforcement special training course shall be issued for a period of time not to exceed one (1) year.
5. (e) Certification may be revoked by the Commission, pursuant to W.S. 9-1-703(b)(ii), whenever a school is deemed inadequate or no longer presents certified courses. In such event, the sponsoring school and the head of each department whose trainees participate in the school shall be notified by the Commission. The school may be recertified when the Commission deems that the deficiencies have been corrected.

Section 2. Submission of Training Plans.

1. (a) The supervisor of each law enforcement unit may submit to the Commission a proposed plan setting forth recommended changes in the basic training curriculum. The proposed plan may be used by the Commission in drafting or revising certification and accreditation requirements. The decision of the Commission to adopt or reject any proposed plan shall be final and shall not be subject to review.
2. (b) Any college, state, or local law enforcement unit desiring to establish a Commission-mandated training program shall make written application to the director.

Section 3. Certification of Commission-Mandated Training Programs.

1. (a) Training programs shall be certified by the director. There shall be four general areas to be considered by the director before certifying any program:
2. (i) Curricula. A training curricula for a mandated course with an approved number of hours of scheduled classroom instruction is required. All training programs offering law enforcement training shall satisfy the qualifications and standards promulgated by the Commission:

(ii) Instructor(s). Instructors in approved law enforcement training shall meet the minimum qualifications as to training and experience provided by Chapter 11 of these rules;

(iii) Training Aids. Training aids for law enforcement training should be provided to supplement classroom instruction; and

(iv) Facilities. The general requirements for training facilities include, where applicable, adequate space for offices, storage, classrooms, and dormitories; adequate lighting for training areas; adequate classroom acoustics; adequate restrooms; compliance with local and state fire and safety regulations; adequate space for training in defensive tactics; firearms range availability; and emergency vehicle operation training equipment and facilities.

(b) Copies of the approved course curriculum of Commission-mandated courses may be obtained from the director.

(c) Certification of training programs in the state of Wyoming shall be made on the basis of on-site inspections conducted by the director, unless effective certification can be accomplished without on-site inspection.

(d) The director shall annually certify, as appropriate, the training programs of schools, colleges, or academies providing a basic course of law enforcement training similar to the currently approved basic provided by the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy.

(e) Approval or disapproval of a Commission-mandated training program will be furnished in writing by the director to the administrator of the unit requesting certification within thirty (30) days of receipt of the request by the director. Any disapproval shall include reasonable explanations of deficiency.

Section 4. Accreditation of In-Service Training Programs.

(a) A request for accreditation of in-service training courses shall be completed and submitted to the director not less than twenty (20) days prior to the start of the scheduled training. The director shall act on the request within five (5) working days after receipt of the request.

(b) Requirements of the in-service training programs, which shall be included in the request for accreditation, are:

(i) Subject matter shall be related to the duties of the peace officer, detention officer, correctional officer, dispatcher, coroner or deputy coroner;

(ii) Accreditation requests for training shall include an outline of the course, which includes a breakdown of hours of instruction for the course;

(iii) Accreditation requests for training shall provide courses which meet or exceed one (1) hour of training; and

(iv) Instructors shall be identified pursuant to these Rules.

(c) Accreditation will not be granted for roll-call training, field training programs, or exclusive use of tapes, video tapes, and training films unless prior approval is granted by the director.

(d) The program shall provide for a written attendance record. Students enrolled in the training course shall attend a minimum of ninety percent (90%) of the course in order to receive accreditation.

(e) A Notice of Course Completion Form, provided by the director, shall be completed for each class, signed by the course coordinator, and mailed to the director within five (5) working days of completion of the course. Training hours cannot be validated until the Notice of Course completion has been received.

(f) Firearms Training. Firearms training shall be provided by a person who possesses credentials as a firearms instructor. Firearm contests, competition and weapons testing shall not be accredited training. One hour of training shall be granted for departmental qualification training, not to exceed four hours annually.

(g) LETN, video training, internet training, law enforcement teleconferencing, and correspondence courses

(i) All training via this media must be tested;

(ii) Certification of the different training programs will be left to the discretion of the director;

(iii) Training via this media shall be reported to the commission on a monthly basis;

(iv) Peace officers can acquire up to one half of the mandated training hours;

(v) Detention officers can acquire up to one half of the mandated training hours;

(vi) Dispatchers can acquire up to one half of the mandated training hours;

(vii) Correctional officers can acquire up to one half of the mandated training hours;

(h) This section is subject to the provisions of these Rules which govern certification of training programs.

Section 5. Lateral Transfer. Credit for training hours received in other states may be granted by the director, provided:

(a) Certificates of successful completion showing the number of training hours received are sent to the director. If certificates do not show hours attended, a course outline showing training hours shall be sent with the certificate before credit will be granted.