                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

CERTIFICATION THROUGH TRAINING REQUIRED FOR ALL LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS; WAIVER
OF REQUIREMENTS (§ 15.2-1706)

A. All law-enforcement officers as defined in &#xA7; 9.1-101 and all jail
officers as defined in &#xA7; 53.1-1 must be certified through the successful
completion of training at an approved criminal justice training academy in order
to remain eligible for appointment or employment. In order to obtain such
certification, all entry level law-enforcement officers seeking certification on
or after July 1, 2003, shall successfully complete statewide certification
examinations developed and administered by the Department of Criminal Justice
Services. The Department may delegate administration of the examinations to an
approved criminal justice training academy and may revoke such delegation at its
discretion. The appointee&#8217;s or employee&#8217;s hiring agency must provide
the Department of Criminal Justice Services with verification that
law-enforcement or jail officers first hired after July 1, 1994, have met the
minimum standards set forth in &#xA7; 15.2-1705.

B. The requirement for the successful completion of the law-enforcement
certification examination may be waived by the Department of Criminal Justice
Services based upon previous law-enforcement experience and training. To be
eligible for such waiver, the individual must have applied for and been granted
an exemption or partial exemption in accordance with &#xA7; 9.1-116.

HISTORY: 1994, cc. 850, 905, § 15.1-131.8:1; 1995, c. 112; 1997, c. 587; 1999,
c. 635; 2002, c. 345; 2004, c. 477.