80B.11D  Training.
  1.  An individual who is not a certified law enforcement officer may apply for attendance at a short course of study at an approved law enforcement training program if such individual is sponsored by a law enforcement agency. Such individual may be sponsored by a law enforcement agency that either intends to hire or has hired the individual as a law enforcement officer.
  2.  An individual who submits an application pursuant to subsection 1 shall, at a minimum, meet all minimum hiring standards as established by academy rules, including the successful completion of certain psychological and physical testing examinations. In addition, such individual shall be of good moral character as determined by a thorough background investigation by the hiring law enforcement agency. The academy shall conduct the requisite testing and background investigation for a fee if the law enforcement agency does not do so, and for such purposes, the academy shall be defined as a law enforcement agency and shall have the authority to conduct a background investigation including a fingerprint search of local, state, and national fingerprint files.
  3.  An individual who submits an application pursuant to subsection 1 shall, at a minimum, submit proof of successful completion of a two-year or four-year police science or criminal justice program at an accredited educational institution in this state approved by the academy.
  4.  An individual shall not be granted permission to attend an approved law enforcement training program pursuant to subsection 1 if such acceptance would result in the nonacceptance of another qualifying applicant who is a law enforcement officer.
  5.  This section applies only to individuals who apply for certification through a short course of study as established by rule.
  6.  An individual who has not been hired by a law enforcement agency must be hired by a law enforcement agency within eighteen months of completing the short course of study in order to obtain certification pursuant to this section.
2003 Acts, ch 67, §1