rules

TEXAS COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS STANDARDS AND EDUCATION

Enrollment Standards and Training Credit for the Texas Basic Peace Officer Sequence Program

Enrollment Standards and Training Credit for the Texas Basic Peace Officer Sequence Program, rule 215.15, prior to registering for CJLE 2522, Texas Peace Officer Skills, students MUST have their TCIC-NCIC background check on file before being cleared to register for this class.

You may use this link to print a copy of the form.
TCIC/NCIC Records Check Form

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These rules are set forth by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) and they must be complied with before enrolling in any ACC Basic Peace Officer Sequence Certificate courses (CJLE 2420, 2421, and 2522). We will no longer unblock any students to register for these sequence classes without having all proper documentation on file. You may view the complete rules on the TCLEOSE website: http://www.tcleose.state.tx.us/Commission_Rules/Comm%20Rules.htm

215.13 Risk Assesment

215.15 Enrollment Standards and Training Credit.

217.1. Minimum Standards for Initial Licensure.

§215.13. Risk Assessment.

(a) A law enforcement academy may be found at risk;

after January 1, 2003, if the passing rate on a licensing examination for first attempts for any state fiscal year is less than 70 percent of the students completing an academy;
if the passing rate on a licensing examination for all attempts for any state fiscal year is less than 70 percent of the students completing an academy;
after January 1, 2005, if the passing rate on a licensing examination for all attempts for any state fiscal year is less than 80 percent of the students completing an academy;
if commission required learning objectives are not taught;
if lesson plans for classes conducted are not on file;
if examination and other evaluative scoring documentation is not on file;
if the academy files false reports to the commission;
if the academy makes repeated errors in reporting;
if the academy does not respond to commission requests for information;
if the academy does not comply with commission rules or other applicable law;
if the academy does not achieve the goals identified in its application for a license;
if the academy does not meet the needs of the officers and law enforcement agencies served; or
if the commission has received sustained complaints or evaluations from students or the law enforcement community concerning the quality of training or failure to meet training needs for the service area.

(c) An academic provider may be found at risk:

for the same reasons in subsection (a)(1)-(3) for any 3-year period;
if courses are not conducted in compliance with Higher Education Program Guidelines accepted by the commission;
if the commission required learning objectives are not taught;
if the program files false reports to the commission;
if the program makes repeated errors in reporting;
if the program does not respond to commission requests for information;
if the program does not comply with commission rules or other applicable law;
if the program does not achieve the goals identified in its application for a license or contract;
if the program does not meet the needs of the students and law enforcement agencies served; or
if the commission has received sustained complaints or evaluations from students or the law enforcement community concerning the quality of education or failure to meet education needs for the service area.

(d) At risk training providers must follow commission directives.

(e) A training or educational program at risk must notify all students and potential students of their at risk status. The commission may take action to revoke their license or contract. The commission may choose not to renew a license or contract with a program that has been found to be at risk or the commission may renew the contract for a shorter period than stated in § 215.1 of this title.

(f) The effective date of this section is June 1, 2004.

§215.15 Enrollment Standards and Training Credit.

(a) In order for an individual to enroll in any basic licensing course which provides instruction in defensive tactics, arrest procedures, firearms, or use of a motor vehicle for law Enforcement purposes, the academy must have on file:

written documentation that the person is currently licensed by the commission; or
if the person is not licensed by the commission , documentation that the individual has been subjected to a search of local, state and national records to disclose any criminal record;

§217.1. Minimum Standards for Initial Licensure.

The commission shall issue a peace officer, jailer, temporary jailer, or public security officer license to an applicant who meets the following standards:
1. minimum educational requirements:
2. for peace officers and armed public security officers, is 21 years of age, or 18 years of age if the applicant has received an associate’s degree or 60 semester hours of credit from an accredited college or university or has received an honorable discharge from the armed forces of the United States after at least two years of active service; for jailers is 18 years of age;
3. is fingerprinted and is subjected to a search of local, state, and U.S. national records and fingerprint files to disclose any criminal record
4. community supervision history:
  1. has not ever have been on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense above the grade of a Class B misdemeanor or a Class B misdemeanor within the last ten years from the date of the court order; but
  2. the commission may approve the application of a person who received probation or court-ordered community supervision for a Class B misdemeanor at least five (5) years prior to application if an agency administrator sufficiently demonstrates in writing with supporting documentation that mitigating circumstances exist with the case and with the individual applying for licensure, and that the public interest would be served by reducing the waiting period;
5. is not currently under indictment for any criminal offense;
6. conviction history:
  1. has never been convicted of an offense above the grade of a Class B misdemeanor or a Class B misdemeanor within the last ten years; but
  2. the commission may approve the application of a person who was convicted for a Class B misdemeanor at least five (5) years prior to application if an agency administrator sufficiently demonstrates in writing with supporting documentation that mitigating circumstances exist with the case and with the individual applying for licensure, and that the public interest would be served by reducing the waiting period;
7. has never been convicted of any family violence offense;
8. is not prohibited by state or federal law from operating a motor vehicle;
9. is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition;
10. has been subjected to a background investigation and has been interviewed prior to appointment by representatives of the appointing authority;
11. has been examined by a physician, selected by the appointing or employing agency, who is licensed by the Texas Medical Board. The physician must be familiar with the duties appropriate to the type of license sought and appointment to be made. The appointee must be declared in writing by that professional within 180 days before the date of appointment by the agency to be:
  1. physically sound and free from any defect which may adversely affect the performance of duty appropriate to the type of license sought; and
  2. show no trace of drug dependency or illegal drug use after a physical examination, blood test, or other medical test;
12. has been examined by a psychologist, selected by the appointing or employing agency, who is licensed by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. The psychologist must be familiar with the duties appropriate to the type of license sought and appointment to be made. This examination may also be conducted by a psychiatrist. The appointee must be declared in writing by that professional to be in satisfactory psychological and emotional health to serve as the type of officer for which the license is sought within 180 days before the date of appointment by the agency. The examination must be conducted pursuant to professionally recognized standards and methods:
  1. the commission may allow for exceptional circumstances where a licensed physician performs the evaluation of psychological and emotional health. This requires the appointing agency to request in writing and receive approval from the commission, prior to the evaluation being completed; and
  2. the examination may be conducted by a qualified psychologist exempt from licensure by the Psychologist Certification and Licensing Act, Section 22, who is recognized under exceptional circumstances;
13. has not been discharged from any military service under less than honorable conditions including, specifically;
14. has not had a commission license denied by final order or revoked;
15. is not currently on suspension, or does not have a voluntary surrender of license currently in effect;
16. meets the minimum training standards and passes the commission licensing examination for each license sought;
17. has not violated any commission rule or provision of Occupants Code, Chapter 1701; and
18. is a U.S. citizen.+
A person who fails to comply with the standards set forth in this section shall not accept the issuance of a license and shall not accept any appointment. If an application for licensure is found to be false or untrue, it is subject to cancellation or recall.
For the purpose of this section, the commission will construe any court-ordered community supervision, probation or conviction for a criminal offense to be its closest equivalent under the Texas Penal Code classification of offenses if the offense arose from:
1. another penal provision of Texas law; or
2. a penal provision of any other state, federal, military or foreign jurisdiction.
A classification of an offense as a felony at the time of conviction will never be changed because Texas law has changed or because the offense would not be a felony under current Texas laws.
An agency must retain records required under this section for a minimum of five years after the licensee’s termination date with that agency. These records must be maintained in a format readily accessible to the commission.
An agency must report to the commission any failure to appoint an individual in the reported capacity within 30 days of the reported date of appointment. Such report must be made in the currently prescribed commission format for termination.
A person must successfully complete the minimum training required for the license sought:

training for the peace officer license consists of:

the current basic peace officer course; or
successful completion of a commission recognized, POST developed, basic law enforcement training course, to include:

out of state licensure or certification; and
submission of the current eligibility application and fee; or

as an alternative to the current basic peace officer course taken at a licensed academy, the commission may approve an academic alternative program that is part of a degree plan program and consists of the commission approved transfer curriculum, the commission approved peace officer sequence courses, and after September 1, 2003, at least an associates degree;

training for the jailer license consists of the current basic county corrections course(s);
training for the public security officer license consist of the current basic peace officer course;
passing any examination required for the license sought, within two years of commission receipt of the licensing application; and
the licensing application must be submitted to the commission by a law enforcement or other appointing agency in the completed application format currently prescribed by the commission for the license sought.

The commission shall issue a peace officer or jailer license to any person who is otherwise qualified for that license, even if that person is not subject to the licensing law or rules by virtue of election or appointment to office under the Texas Constitution.

This is a condensed version of the TCLEOSE rules, though; no wording has been changed or deleted. You may view the complete rules on the TCLEOSE website: http://www.tcleose.state.tx.us/Commission_Rules/Comm%20Rules.htm