12 NCAC 09D .0102         GENERAL PROVISIONS

(a)  In order to be eligible for one or more of the professional awards, an officer shall first meet the following preliminary qualifications:

(1)           The officer shall presently hold general law enforcement officer certification. A person serving under a probationary certification is not eligible for consideration. An officer subject to suspension or revocation proceedings or under investigation for possible decertification action by the Commission, the Company and Campus Police Program, or the North Carolina Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission shall not be eligible for professional awards for the pendency of the proceeding;

(2)           The officer shall be familiar with and subscribe to the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics;

(3)           The officer shall be a full-time, sworn, paid member of a law enforcement agency within the state;

(4)           Applicants shall be given credit for the satisfactory completion of all in-service law enforcement training which is not mandated by the Commission pursuant to 12 NCAC 09E .0105;

(5)           Applicants shall not be given credit for the satisfactory completion of Commission-mandated Basic Law Enforcement Training courses; and

(6)           Full-time, paid employees of a law enforcement agency within the State who have successfully completed a Commission-accredited law enforcement officer basic training program and have previously held general law enforcement officer certification as specified in Subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph, but are presently, by virtue of promotion or transfer, serving in non-sworn positions not subject to certification are eligible to participate in the professional certificate program. Eligibility for this exception requires continuous employment with the law enforcement agency from the date of promotion or transfer from a sworn, certified position to the date of application for a professional certificate.

(b)  Awards are based upon a formula which combines formal education, law enforcement training, and actual experience as a law enforcement officer. Points are computed in the following manner:

(1)           Each semester hour of college credit shall equal one point and each quarter hour shall equal two-thirds of a point;

(2)           Twenty classroom hours of Commission-approved law enforcement training shall equal one point; and

(3)           Only experience as a full-time, sworn, paid member of a law enforcement agency or equivalent experience shall be acceptable for consideration.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 17C-6;

Eff. January 1, 1981;

Amended Eff. June 1, 2012; August 1, 2002; August 1, 1995; May 1, 1986; April 1, 1984; January 1, 1983;

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