Wyo. Code R. 015-0009-3
Peace Officers Standards & Training Commission
Chapter 3: Certification and Training Standards for Peace Officers
Effective Date: 12/04/2012 to 01/05/2018
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 015.0009.3.12042012
(a) To qualify for temporary certification peace officers shall meet the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1.
(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 unit.
(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.
(a) To qualify for basic certification an officer shall meet the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1.
(b) An officer shall be a permanent full-time employee of a law enforcement unit in the state of Wyoming.
(c) No person shall receive a basic certification unless such person has completed a Commission approved peace officer basic training program.
(d) 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.
(i) The full basic course curriculum and number of training hours shall be approved yearly by the Commission.
(ii) The mini basic course curriculum and number of training hours shall be approved yearly by the Commission.
(e) Basic certification of permanent employees shall be valid for two (2) years from date of issuance.
(f) Renewal of certification shall be subject to satisfactory completion of advanced certification training requirements.
(g) Failure of an officer to complete the requirements of this section shall result in the denial of basic certification by the Commission.
(a) Every person who holds a permanent appointment and holds a basic certification as a peace officer in any law enforcement unit in the State of Wyoming is required to complete additional training beyond the requirements of the basic certification.
(b) Upon satisfactory completion of an additional eighty (80) hours of Commission approved training, and following one (1) year of additional experience as a peace officer, the officer shall receive certification as an advanced officer.
(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.
(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 peace officer;
(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 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 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 officers awarded professional certification shall complete forty (40) hours of continuing training every two (2) years. 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.
(d) Failure of any officer to complete the requirements of professional training as provided by this section shall result in the denial of re-certification.
The Commission 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.
(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.
(iii) The employing agency shall submit an Additional Agency Employment Form to the Commission within fifteen (15) days of the appointment.
(a) Currently certified Wyoming officers
(i) Currently certified officers who do not meet the requirements of POST Rules Chapter 3, Section 7 may be employed provided the employing agency completes all the requirements set forth in Chapter 2, Section 1; and
(ii) The employing agency shall submit an Employment Form to the Commission within fifteen (15) days of appointment.
(b) Officers previously certified in Wyoming
(i) The employing agency shall submit an Employment Form to the Commission within fifteen (15) days of appointment.
(ii) 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.
(iii) 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:
(A) Passes a written challenge examination provided by the Commission (the examination may only be taken twice);
(B) Successfully completes the Wyoming Criminal Law and Procedures Course provided by the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy for peace officer basic;
(C) 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;
(D) Provides proof of current CPR certification; and
(E) Successfully completes a Commission approved domestic violence course.
(iv) Officers who have been out of law enforcement for five (5) years or more and have had less than five (5) continuous years 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.
(v) 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.
(c) Officers certified/trained in states other than Wyoming
(i) The employing agency shall submit an Employment Form to the Commission within fifteen (15) days of appointment.
(ii) Those applicant officers who have previously established certification or completed basic training in states other than Wyoming may petition the Commission for certification only upon the following conditions:
(A) The applicant officer has been out of law enforcement less than five (5) years;
(B) The applicant officer 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;
(C) The applicant officer satisfies the provisions of Chapter 2, Section 1;
(D) The applicant officer passes a written challenge examination provided by the Commission (the examination may only be taken twice);
(E) The applicant officer successfully completes the Wyoming Criminal Law and Procedures Course provided by the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy for peace officer basic;
(F) The applicant officer successfully completes a Commission approved domestic violence course;
(G) The applicant officer 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
(H) The applicant officer provides proof of current CPR certification.
(iii) Officers who have been out of law enforcement for five (5) continuous years 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.
(iv) Officers who have been out of law enforcement 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.
(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.
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.
(a) Job-related semester credits will be equivalent to ten (10) Commission training hours.
(b) If a college is using the quarter system, the quarter hours are equivalent to seven (7) Commission training hours.