12 NCAC 09A .0103 DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply throughout Subchapters 12 NCAC 09A through 12 NCAC 09F, except as modified in 12 NCAC 09A .0107 for the purpose of the Commission's rule-making and administrative hearing procedures:

(1) "Active Duty Military" means, for the purpose of determining eligibility for certification pursuant to 12 NCAC 09B .0401 and 12 NCAC 09B .0403, full-time duty in the active military service of the United States. Such term includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, and attendance while in the active military service at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary of the military department concerned. Such term does not include full-time National Guard duty.

(2) "Agency" or "Criminal Justice Agency" means those state and local agencies identified in G.S. 17C-2(2).

(3) "Alcohol Law Enforcement Agent" means a law enforcement officer appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Public Safety as authorized by G.S. 18B-500.

(4) "Chief Court Counselor" means the person responsible for administration and supervision of juvenile intake, probation, and post-release supervision in each judicial district, operating under the supervision of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice.

(5) "Commission of an offense" means a finding by the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission or equivalent regulating body from another state that a person performed the acts necessary to satisfy the elements of a specified criminal offense.

(6) "Convicted" or "Conviction" means the entry of:

(a) a plea of guilty;

(b) a verdict or finding of guilt by a jury, judge, magistrate, or other adjudicating body, tribunal, or official, either civilian or military; or

(7) "Criminal Justice Officer(s)" means those officers identified in G.S. 17C-2(3).

(8) "Criminal Justice System" means the whole of the State and local criminal justice agencies described in Item (2) of this Rule.

(9) "Agency Head" means the chief administrator of any criminal justice agency, and specifically includes any chief of police or agency director. "Agency Head" also includes a designee appointed in writing by the Agency Head.

(10) "Director" means the Director of the Criminal Justice Standards Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice.

(11) "Educational Points" means points earned toward the Professional Certificate Programs for studies completed, with passing scores achieved, for semester hour or quarter hour credit hours awarded from colleges or universities accredited by the Department of Education of the state in which the institution is located, from an accredited body recognized by either the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, or from the state university of the state in which the institution is located. Each semester hour of college credit equals one educational point and each quarter hour of college credit equals two-thirds of an educational point.

(12) "Enrolled" means that an individual is currently actively participating in an on-going presentation of a Commission-certified basic training course that has not concluded on the day probationary certification expires. The term "currently actively participating" as used in this definition means:

(a) for law enforcement officers, that the officer is attending an approved course presentation averaging a minimum of 12 hours of instruction each week; and

(b) for Department of Public Safety, Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice personnel, that the officer is attending the last or final phase of the approved training course necessary for satisfying the total course completion requirements.

(13) "High School" means an educational program that meets the compulsory attendance requirements in the jurisdiction in which the school is located.

(14) "In‑Service Training" means all training prescribed in 12 NCAC 09E .0105 that must be completed, with passing scores achieved, by all certified law enforcement officers during each full calendar year of certification.

(15) "In-Service Training Coordinator" means the person designated by a Criminal Justice Agency head to administer the agency's In-Service Training program.

(16) "Lateral Transfer" means the employment of a criminal justice officer by a Criminal Justice Agency based upon the officer's special qualifications or experience, without following the usual selection process established by the agency for basic officer positions.

(17) "Law Enforcement Code of Ethics" means the code adopted by the Commission on September 19, 1973, that reads as follows:

As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve the community; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the constitutional rights of all to liberty, equality, and justice.

I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all, and will behave in a manner that does not bring discredit to me or to my agency. I will maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed both in my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the law and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty.

I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, political beliefs, aspirations, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.

I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the police service. I will never engage in acts or corruption or bribery, nor will I condone such acts by other police officers. I will cooperate with all legally authorized agencies and their representatives in the pursuit of justice.

I know that I alone am responsible for my own standard of professional performance and will take every reasonable opportunity to enhance and improve my level of knowledge and competence.

I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God or by affirmation to my chosen profession law enforcement.

(18) "Juvenile Court Counselor" means a person responsible for intake services and court supervision services to juveniles under the supervision of the Chief Court Counselor.

(19) "Juvenile Justice Officer" means a person designated by the Secretary of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice to provide for the care and supervision of juveniles placed in the physical custody of the Department.

(20) "Law Enforcement Officer" means an appointee of a Criminal Justice Agency, an agency of the State, or of any political subdivision of the State who, by virtue of his or her office, is empowered to make arrests for violations of the laws of this State. Specifically excluded from the title "Law Enforcement Officer" are sheriffs and their sworn appointees with arrest authority who are governed by the provisions of G.S. 17E.

(21) "Law Enforcement Training Points" means points earned toward the Law Enforcement Officers' Professional Certificate Program by successful completion of Commission‑approved law enforcement training courses. Twenty classroom hours of Commission-approved law enforcement training equals one law enforcement training point.

(22) "LIDAR" is an acronym for "Light Detection and Ranging" and means a speed-measuring instrument that electronically computes, from transmitted infrared light pulses, the speed of a vehicle under observation.

(23) "Local Confinement Personnel" means any officer, supervisor, or administrator of a local confinement facility in North Carolina as defined in G.S. 153A-217; any officer, supervisor, or administrator of a county confinement facility in North Carolina as defined in G.S. 153A-218; or any officer, supervisor, or administrator of a district confinement facility in North Carolina as defined in G.S. 153A-219.

(24) "Misdemeanor" means those criminal offenses not classified under the laws, statutes, or ordinances as felonies. Misdemeanor offenses are classified by the Commission as follows:

(a) "Class A Misdemeanor" means a misdemeanor committed or omitted in violation of any common law, duly-enacted ordinance, or criminal statute of this State that is not classified as a Class B Misdemeanor pursuant to Sub-item (24)(b) of this Rule. Class A Misdemeanor also includes any act committed or omitted in violation of any common law, duly enacted ordinance, criminal statute, or criminal traffic code of any jurisdiction other than North Carolina, either civil or military, for which the maximum punishment allowable for the designated offense under the laws, statutes, or ordinances of the jurisdiction in which the offense occurred includes imprisonment for a term of not more than six months. Excluded from "Class A Misdemeanor" criminal offenses for jurisdictions other than North Carolina are motor vehicle or traffic offenses designated as misdemeanors under the laws of other jurisdictions or duly enacted ordinances of an authorized governmental entity, with the exception of the offense of impaired driving that is included herein as a Class A Misdemeanor if the offender could have been sentenced for a term of not more than six months. Also included herein as a Class A Misdemeanor is the offense of impaired driving, if the offender was sentenced under punishment level three G.S. 20-179(i), level four G.S. 20‑179(j), or level five G.S. 20‑179(k). Class A Misdemeanor shall also include acts committed or omitted in North Carolina prior to October 1, 1994, in violation of any common law, duly enacted ordinance, or criminal statute of this State for which the maximum punishment allowable for the designated offense included imprisonment for a term of not more than six months.

(b) "Class B Misdemeanor" means an act committed or omitted in violation of any common law, criminal statute, or criminal traffic code of this State that is classified as a Class B Misdemeanor as set forth in the Class B Misdemeanor Manual as published by the North Carolina Department of Justice, incorporated herein by reference, and shall include any later amendments and editions of the incorporated material as provided by G.S. 150B-21.6. The publication is available from the Commission's website: http://www.ncdoj.gov/getdoc/60bb12ca-47c0-48cb-a0e3-6095183c4c2a/Class-B-Misdemeanor-Manual-2005.aspx. Class B Misdemeanor also includes any act committed or omitted in violation of any common law, duly enacted ordinance, criminal statute, or criminal traffic code of any jurisdiction other than North Carolina, either civil or military, for which the maximum punishment allowable for the designated offense under the laws, statutes, or ordinances of the jurisdiction in which the offense occurred includes imprisonment for a term of more than six months but not more than two years. Excluded from this grouping of "Class B Misdemeanor" criminal offenses for jurisdictions other than North Carolina, are motor vehicle or traffic offenses designated as being misdemeanors under the laws of other jurisdictions with the following exceptions: Class B Misdemeanor includes the following:

(i) either first or subsequent offenses of driving while impaired if the maximum allowable punishment is for a term of more than six months but not more than two years;

(ii) driving while license permanently revoked or permanently suspended;

(iii) those traffic offenses occurring in other jurisdictions which are comparable to the traffic offenses specifically listed in the Class B Misdemeanor Manual; and

(iv) an act committed or omitted in North Carolina prior to October 1, 1994, in violation of any common law, duly enacted ordinance, criminal statute, or criminal traffic code of this State for which the maximum punishment allowable for the designated offense included imprisonment for a term of more than six months but not more than two years.

(25) "Qualified Assistant" means an additional staff person designated by the School Director to assist in the administration of a course when an institution or agency assigns additional responsibilities to the certified School Director during the planning, development, and implementation of a certified course.

(26) "Radar" means a speed-measuring instrument that transmits microwave energy in the 10,500 to 10,550 MHZ frequency (X) band, the 24,050 to 24,250 MHZ frequency (K) band, or the 33,400 to 36,000 MHZ (Ka) band and operates in either the stationary or moving mode.

(27) "Resident" means any youth committed to a facility operated by the Department of Public Safety, Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice.

(28) "School" or "criminal justice school" means an institution, college, university, academy, or agency that offers criminal justice, law enforcement, or traffic control and enforcement training for criminal justice officers or law enforcement officers. "School" includes the criminal justice training course curriculum, instructors, and facilities.

(29) "School Director" means the person designated by the sponsoring institution or agency to administer the criminal justice school.

(30) "Speed-Measuring Instruments" (SMI) means those devices or systems, including RADAR, Time-Distance, and LIDAR, approved under authority of G.S. 17C-6(a)(13) for use in North Carolina in determining the speed of a vehicle under observation and particularly includes all devices or systems described or referenced in 12 NCAC 09C .0601.

(31) "Standards Division" means the Criminal Justice Standards Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice.

(32) "Time-Distance" means a speed-measuring instrument that electronically computes, from measurements of time and distance, the average speed of a vehicle under observation.

History Note: Authority G.S. 17C‑2; 17C‑6; 17C‑10; 153A‑217;

Eff. January 1, 1981;

Amended Eff. November 1, 1981; August 15, 1981;

Readopted Eff. July 1, 1982;

Temporary Amendment Eff. December 14, 1983 for a period of 120 days to expire on April 12, 1984;

Amended Eff. November 1, 1993; March 1, 1990; July 1, 1989;

Temporary Amendment Eff. October 1, 1994 for a period of 180 days to expire on April 1, 1995;

Amended Eff. August 1, 2000; April 1, 1999; August 1, 1998; January 1, 1995;

Temporary Amendment Eff. January 1, 2001;

Amended Eff. August 1, 2002; April 1, 2001;

Temporary Amendment Eff. April 15, 2003;

Amended Eff. January 1, 2017; February 1, 2016; January 1, 2015; January 1, 2006; June 1, 2005; April 1, 2004;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. May 25, 2019;

Amended Eff. October 1, 2022.