12 ncac 10b .1602          GENERAL PROVISIONS

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

(1)           be a full-time telecommunicator who holds valid general or grandfather certification under the North Carolina Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission. A telecommunicator serving under a probationary certification is not eligible for consideration;

(2)           be familiar with and subscribe to the Telecommunicator Code of Ethics as published by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials and the National Emergency Number Association including any subsequent editions or modifications thereto. A copy of the Code of Ethics may be obtained at no cost from the Sheriffs' Standards Division, North Carolina Department of Justice, Post Office Box 629, Raleigh, North Carolina 27602-0629.

(b)  employees of a North Carolina Sheriff's Office or other agency who have previously held general or grandfather telecommunicator certification under the North Carolina Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission but are presently, by virtue of promotion or transfer, serving in positions not subject to certification are eligible to participate in the Professional Certificate Program. Eligibility for this exception requires continuous employment with the sheriff's office or agency from the date of promotion or transfer from a certified position to the date of application for a professional certificate.

(c)  Only training and experience gained in a telecommunicator's area of expertise will be eligible for application to this program.

(d)  Certificates shall be awarded based upon a formula which combines formal education, training, and actual experience as a telecommunicator. 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 training shall equal one point; and

(3)           only experience as a full-time telecommunicator certified through the Commission shall be acceptable for consideration.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 17E-4;

Eff. April 1, 2001;

Amended Eff. January 1, 2013;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. March 6, 2018.