Rule 10 – Conditional Peace Officer Authority
and Basic Peace Officer Certification
Effective January 1, 2012

(a)	Conditional Peace Officer Authority

(I)	The P.O.S.T. Board is authorized to issue a letter of conditional peace officer authority to any applicant who meets the following requirements:

(A)	Possesses and submits a copy of his/her high school diploma, or high school equivalency certificate; and
	
(B)	Possesses and submits a copy of his/her current first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification, or equivalents; and

(C)	Truthfully completes and submits the P.O.S.T. Form 1A – Application for Conditional Peace Officer Authority; and

(D)	Successfully completes the fingerprint-based criminal history record check required under Rule 14 and has not been released or discharged  from the Armed Forces of the United States under dishonorable conditions, per § 24-31-301(5), C.R.S.; and

(E)	Successfully completes an approved basic training academy, including skills training, within the previous two years and submits a copy of his/her academy certificate of completion; and

(F)	Passes the certification examination pursuant to Rule 15.

(II)	A P.O.S.T. Letter of Conditional Peace Officer Authority qualifies the person to seek employment and serve as a fully authorized peace officer with any Colorado law enforcement agency recognized in Article 2.5 of Title 16, C.R.S and § 24-31-301(3.5), C.R.S.

(III)	Sections described in § 24-31-301(3.5) include: § 16-2.5-102, § 16-2.5-103(1), § 16-2.5-105 to 16-2.5-114, § 16-2.5-116(1), § 16-2.5-117(1), § 16-2.5-120, § 16-2.5-121, § 16-2.5-123 to 16-2.5-126, § 16-2.5-128 to 16-2.5-130, § 16-2.5-132 to 16-2.5-136, § 16-2.5-139 to 16-2.5-142, § 16-2.5-145 and § 16-2.5-146.

(IV)	A Letter of Conditional Peace Officer Authority is valid for one year from date of issuance, but may be extended for a continuing period of not more than six months.  Persons desiring an extension must petition the director, in writing, and demonstrate good cause why such additional time should be granted.

(V)	Upon full expiration of conditional peace officer authority (18-months), a person may renew the Letter of Conditional Peace Officer Authority through the successful completion of a P.O.S.T. approved refresher academy (academic and skills training) program.

(VI)	The P.O.S.T. Board may grant variances from the requirements of section (a)(II) through (IV) of this rule to any individual, including any individual called to active duty by the Armed Forces of the United States.

(b)	Basic Peace Officer Certification

(I)	The P.O.S.T. Board is authorized to issue P.O.S.T. Basic Peace Officer Certification to persons holding Conditional Peace Officer Authority and who have been employed for at least one year in good standing with the same law enforcement agency as specified in § 24-31-301(3.5), C.R.S.

(II)	Sections described in § 24-31-301(3.5) include: § 16-2.5-102, § 16-2.5-103(1), § 16-2.5-105 to 16-2.5-114, § 16-2.5-116(1), § 16-2.5-117(1), § 16-2.5-120, § 16-2.5-121, § 16-2.5-123 to 16-2.5-126, § 16-2.5-128 to 16-2.5-130, § 16-2.5-132 to 16-2.5-136, § 16-2.5-139 to 16-2.5-142, § 16-2.5-145 and § 16-2.5-146.

(III)	Applicants for full basic peace officer certification must complete a P.O.S.T. Form 1 – Application for Basic Peace Officer Certification, with verification from the employing agency.

(IV)	A basic certification shall expire automatically if the holder is not serving and has not served as a peace officer or reserve peace officer for at least six (6) months within the previous three (3) years.
(V)	A certified peace officer who has obtained basic certification may maintain current status as a certified peace officer while serving in a reserve peace officer position, recognized in § 16-2.5-110, C.R.S.

(VI)	A certified reserve peace officer seeking regular basic peace officer certification may apply his/her successfully completed skills training, obtained through the reserve peace officer certification program at a P.O.S.T. approved reserve academy, towards basic peace officer certification.  Acceptance of the skills training is at the option of the director of the basic peace officer training academy to which the applicant is seeking enrollment.

Rule 11 – Provisional Certification
Effective January 1, 2012

(a)	The Board is authorized to issue a provisional certification letter to any applicant who has been authorized to act as a peace officer in another state or federal jurisdiction, excluding the armed forces, for at least the preceding three years and has served as a certified law enforcement officer in good standing in such other state or federal jurisdiction for more than one year;
The applicant must additionally meet the following requirements:

	(I)	Possesses and submits a copy of his/her high school diploma, or high school equivalency certificate; and

	(II)	Possesses and submits a copy of his/her current first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification, or equivalents; and

	(III)	Truthfully completes and submits the P.O.S.T. Form 3 – Application for Provisional Certification; and

	(IV)	Successfully completes the fingerprint-based criminal history record check required under Rule 14; and

	(V)	passes the certification examination pursuant to Rule 15 or, if leaving active out-of-state (the state in which the individual is certified) or federal peace officer employment, within six (6) months from the date of issuance of the provisional certification.

(b)	A provisional certification letter authorizes the holder to serve as a certified Colorado peace officer for not more than six (6) months.

(c)	The Board shall issue a basic certificate to the holder of a provisional certification letter if such person satisfies any combination of the following skills proficiency requirements, or, if leaving active out-of-state (the state in which the individual is certified) or recognized federal peace officer employment, within six (6) months from the date of issuance of the provisional certification:

	(I)	Successfully completes skills training at a P.O.S.T. approved basic peace officer training academy; or

	(II)	Successfully completes a p.o.s.t. approved refresher academy, including the law enforcement driving and firearms skills training and later submits documentation from the employing agency that the applicant is proficient in the agency’s arrest control component; or

	(III)	Passes a skills examination pursuant to Rule 16 in each of the three (3) skills disciplines at a p.o.s.t. test-out site, or passes all portions of the three (3) skills examinations at a regional test-out site, as documented by an approved skills instructor. Approved skills instructors include: sme committee members or P.O.S.T. approved designees who are not a member of the applicant’s employing agency; or,

	(IV)	Passes only some portions of the examinations referred to in (III) and the applicant elects to complete prescribed remedial training with respect to those portions not passed and successfully passes the skills test-out examination following the remedial training; or

	(V)	Passes a P.O.S.T. approved lateral training academy that includes agency-specific academic courses and skills training in arrest control, law enforcement driving and firearms.

(d)	The P.O.S.T. approved skills instructor must submit the completed p.o.s.t. Skills Testing Grade Sheet to P.O.S.T.

(e)	Persons desiring additional time to complete the basic certification requirements 	beyond the initial six (6) months provided by the provisional certification letter must 	petition the Director and demonstrate good cause why such additional time should be granted.

Rule 12 – Reserve Certification
Effective January 1, 2012

(a)	The Board is authorized to issue a reserve certificate to any applicant who meets the following requirements:

(I)	Possesses and submits a copy of his/her high school diploma, or high school equivalency certificate; and

(II)	Possesses and submits a copy of his/her current first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification, or equivalents; and

(III)	Truthfully completes and submits the P.O.S.T. Form 2 – Application for Reserve Certification; and

(IV)	Successfully completes the fingerprint-based criminal history record check required under Rule 14; and has not been released or discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States under dishonorable conditions, per § 24-31-301(5), C.R.S.; and

(V)	Successfully completes an approved reserve academy within the previous two (2) years and submits a copy of his/her certificate of completion.

(b)	Any law enforcement agency assigning duties to a reserve peace officer beyond those included in the approved reserve training shall assume the responsibility for ensuring that such reserve peace officer is adequately trained for such duties.

(c)	A reserve certification shall expire automatically if the certificate holder is not serving and has not served as a reserve peace officer for at least six (6) months within the previous three (3) years.

(d)	Reserve certificates may not be renewed.

(e)	A certified peace officer may maintain current status as a certified peace officer while serving in a reserve peace officer position, recognized in § 16-2.5-110, C.R.S.

Rule 15 – Certification Examination – Conditional, Provisional, Renewal
Effective January 1, 2012

(a)	To be eligible to take the certification examination, an applicant must complete and submit to P.O.S.T., as applicable, either:

(I)	Form 1A – Application for Conditional Peace Officer Certification; or
Form 3 – Application for Provisional Certification; or
Form 4 – Application for Renewal of Basic Certification; and

(II)	A copy of his/her approved basic training academy diploma; and

(III)	A copy of his/her high school diploma, or high school equivalency certificate; and

(IV)	A copy of his/her current first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification, or equivalents; and

(V)	A law enforcement agency check, purchase order, certified check, or money order, or by electronic payment in the prescribed amount.

(b)	Certification examinations will be conducted by P.O.S.T. staff or P.O.S.T. approved designated proctor at academy locations.  However, if the number of students sitting for the examination is four (4) or fewer, the students shall be required to take the examination at a location designated by P.O.S.T.

(c)	Refunds of certification examination fees shall not be provided unless the examination is postponed or canceled or under such other exceptional circumstances as determined by the Director.  Otherwise, non-refunded fees may be credited to allow the applicant to take the next administration of the certification examination.  Further credits or extensions shall not be permitted.

(d)	An applicant has a maximum of three attempts to pass the P.O.S.T. certification examination.  The three attempts must be completed within two (2) years after completion of the academy.  Applicants taking the examination for a second or third time must pay the fee for the additional examination, and such examination shall not be comprised of the same questions that comprised the prior examinations.  If an applicant cannot pass the certification examination after three attempts, he or she must retake and successfully complete basic training in accordance with Rule 10(a)(I)(e).

(e)	Any protest or challenge to an examination or its administration must be made in writing within ten (10) days of the examination.  The Director shall issue his decision in writing within twenty (20) working days.  The decisions of the Director shall be final, unless appealed to the Board in accordance with Rule 3(b).

(f) 	An applicant must provide a valid photo ID prior to taking exam.

Rule 17 – Certification Records
Effective January 1, 2012

(a)	Every P.O.S.T. certificate holder shall submit a completed P.O.S.T. Form 5, Change of Name, Address or Telephone, to the Board within thirty (30) days of any change of his or her name, home address, mailing address, or home telephone number, or cell phone number.

(b)	Any P.O.S.T. certificate holder convicted in any jurisdiction of a felony or any misdemeanor contained in § 24-31-305(1.5)(a) thru (h), c.r.s., shall notify the P.O.S.T. Board in writing of such conviction within 5 business days.

(c)	When any person is appointed or separated as a certified peace officer, identified in § 16-2.5-102 and 16-2.5-110, C.R.S., such agency shall submit a completed Form 6 - Notice of Peace Officer Appointment/Separation to the Board within fifteen (15) days of such appointment or separation.  All other agencies listed who by state statute are not obligated to appoint certified peace officers as recognized  in Title 16, Article 2.5, Part 1 may submit a completed Form 6, if they want their certified peace officers’ certification to continue in effect.

(d)	During the month of January of each year, the P.O.S.T. Board will provide every law enforcement agency with an electronic report in pdf format of those certified peace officers, identified in Title 16, Article 2.5, Part 1, C.R.S., and currently listed in the P.O.S.T. electronic records as appointed by such agency.  Every law enforcement agency will verify within fifteen (15) days the continuing appointment or separation of the certified peace officers associated with the law enforcement agency.

Rule 23 – Academy Skills Instructors
Effective January 1, 2012

(a)	Recognition of academy skills instructors.

(I)	A skills instructor may be recognized to teach at an approved academy as either an assistant skills instructor or a full skills instructor in each of the three (3) required skills training programs:  arrest control, law enforcement driving, and firearms.

(II)	All skills instructors who teach any portion of a skills training program at a P.O.S.T. approved basic or reserve training academy shall be qualified and approved as required by this Rule. 

(III)	Each academy shall maintain 	the applicable certificates of completion and/or documentation for all skills instructors.

(IV)	New academies requesting P.O.S.T. approval and P.O.S.T. approved academies that have not conducted an academy within the previous three (3) years shall submit the appropriate documentation to P.O.S.T. and obtain approval for all assistant skills instructors and all full skills instructors.

(b)	Assistant skills instructors.

(I)	An assistant skills instructor may instruct under the direction and in the presence of a full skills instructor and assist in evaluating and coaching trainees.

(II)	Minimum qualifications for an assistant skills instructor:

(A)	In order to begin serving or to serve as an assistant skills instructor, a person must have successfully completed the relevant approved skills instructor training program (See Rule 1, Definitions.); and

(B)	For arrest control skills instructors, the relevant approved skills instructor training program shall be the same recognized discipline for arrest control training in which the person will be instructing.

(III)	Approval of assistant skills instructors.

(A)	Effective March 1, 2011, assistant skills instructors for firearms, arrest control and driving do not need to have certificates of completion reviewed by P.O.S.T. if the academy director or new assistant skills instructor is certain that the instructor has completed the relevant approved skills instructor training program.

(B)	P.O.S.T. will review certificates of completion and/or documentation for assistant firearms, arrest control, and driving assistant skills instructors if an academy director or new assistant skills instructor applicant is not certain that a particular instructor training program qualifies as the relevant approved skills instructor training program.

(C)	Either the academy director or the assistant skills instructor applicant may submit the certificates of completion and/or documentation to P.O.S.T. for review.

(c)	Full skills instructors.

(I)	A full skills instructor may develop, implement, and evaluate a skills training program.  In order to begin serving or to serve as a full skills instructor, a person must have satisfied the three (3) minimum qualifications listed in the following paragraph (II).

(II)	Minimum qualifications for a full skills instructor.

(A)	Successful completion of the relevant approved skills instructor training program (See Rule 1, Definitions.); and

(B)	Successful completion of an approved forty (40) hour instruction methodology training program; and

(C)	Completion of a minimum of eighty (80) hours of instructional experience as an assistant skills instructor at a Colorado P.O.S.T. approved academy in the corresponding skills training program:  arrest control, law enforcement driving, or firearms.  For arrest control training, the eighty (80) hours may be completed in any recognized discipline(s) for arrest control training in which the instructor has completed the relevant approved skills instructor training program.  For firearms training, the eighty (80) hours as an assistant skills instructor shall be completed within the previous five (5) years prior to application.

(III)	Approval of full skills instructors.

(A)	All new full skills instructors must be approved by the Board in consultation with the corresponding subject matter expert committee(s) for arrest control, law enforcement driving or firearms prior to serving as a full skills instructor.

(B)	To apply for approval as a full skills instructor, either the academy director or the full skills instructor applicant, if the applicant has no current academy affiliation, may submit the appropriate documentation to P.O.S.T. to substantiate that the minimum qualifications have been satisfied.

(C)	A written statement from the director of the academy where the applicant served as an assistant skills instructor is acceptable documentation as it applies to the eighty (80) hour requirement.  The statement must include the applicant’s full name, the dates that the applicant instructed and number of hours on each of those dates showing the applicant’s instructional experience.

(D)	Instructional experience completed at other than a Colorado P.O.S.T. approved academy may be considered as part of the eighty (80) hour requirement.  However, the full skills instructor applicant must request a variance in accordance with P.O.S.T. Rule 7, Variances, and the applicant may be required to appear in person before the appropriate subject matter expert committee to demonstrate skills instructional proficiency.

(E)	The completed documents received at P.O.S.T. will be reviewed by P.O.S.T. in consultation with the appropriate subject matter expert committee during the committee’s next regularly scheduled meeting.

(F)	P.O.S.T. will provide written notification to the academy director or the full skills instructor applicant who submitted the documents as to whether the applicant was approved or denied approval as a full skills instructor.

(d)	Lead skills instructors.

(I)	A lead skills instructor is a full skills instructor who may be designated by the academy director to oversee or coordinate the administration of a specific skills program of a particular academy class.

(II)	Lead skills instructors require no additional approval by P.O.S.T. beyond approval as a full skills instructor.

(III)	P.O.S.T. will review certificates of completion and/or documentation for lead skills instructors only as such documentation pertains to approval as a full skills instructor.

(e)	Any applicant denied approval under section (b) or (c) of this Rule may appeal such denial in writing to the Director within ten days of notification of denial.