Non-Certified Cops

[BadStang]

Afternoon folks!

Everyone on the boards have always been a great help to me in the past with an excellent amount of information. I am currently writing a paper for college on the minimum standards and qualifications of hiring and recruiting. According to my professor there are several states that DO NOT require certification for an individual to be a police officer. Do any of you happen to know of any states that do not require certification for their officers? I have searched several states and to my knowledge all require an officer to have certification in order to have arrest authority

I appreciate any help on this subject matter.

Jim

[TANKMGA8]

New Mexico allows you to work for up to 12 months as a police officer without being certified. If after that 12 months is gone you are not certified, you can no longer work in the state as a police officer.

The main reason for this is to allow the smaller agencies to hire someone and start the FTO training and then send them to the academy when they can get them in, usually as soon as there is an opening. Due to the limited number of academy slots and the number of people needing to be certified, sometimes it can be almost a full year that you work before you go to the academy.

Hope this helps,

[BadStang]

Thanks for the help guys, I appreciate it.

[MattyMatt]

NJ law is similar to that of New Mexico...Technically, you can work as a sworn police officer for up to approx. 12 months before having to attend the police academy. You have full powers, etc...The only requirement to be able to carry prior to attending the academy is that you attend a 40 hour firearms course...I only know of one agency in NJ that still does things that way...

[mikemac64]

In Massachusetts, there are several levels of certification. There are Reserve Officers (reserve, permanent intermittent, special, seasonal). These people have a significantly lesser degree of training )120 hours or so).

If hired as a full time officer, you can work "on the waiver" for up to 270 days (about 9 months) until an academy slot opens up. The full time municipal academy is around 800 hours/5 months.

These is standarda are approximate, and usually only used by smaller communities.

[nclawdawg2001]

In NC you can be a Deputy for 1 year without being certifed, but within that year you have to enroll in BLET.

[Kegan30317]

I believe GA has the 12 month rule as well, but you are not granted powers of arrest.

[JarHead]

Louisiana has that same 12 month deal.

[BadStang]

I appreciate the advice everyone. It has been a big help.

[Bill M]

Just a curiosity/terminology question...

I'll be sworn in as a seasonal police officer in the state of Delaware in 2 weeks. I will have powers of arrest for misdemeanors/felonies and will be enforcing local and state laws/ordinances. I believe there's apporximately 100 hours of training (laws of arrest, search and seizure, self defense, courtroom testimony, etc). However, I obviously will not be attending the full Delaware academy. Does this fall under the terminology of "uncertified officer"? Are "sworn" and "certified" treated as different terms in this case?

[JarHead]

BILL M,

I believe certified just means that you have
gone though the academy for that state .