CHAPTER 3
CERTIFICATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
[Appeared as Ch 1 prior to 4/10/85]
[Prior to 3/11/87, Law Enforcement Academy[550] Ch 3]
501—3.1(80B) Certification through training required for all law enforcement officers.
	3.1(1) All law enforcement officers must be certified through the successful completion of training at an approved law enforcement training facility in order to remain eligible for employment. As a condition precedent to enrollment in a certifying training program, the Iowa law enforcement academy must be provided with verification by the enrollee’s hiring agency that the minimum standards for Iowa law enforcement officers have been met as provided in rule 501—2.1(80B), except for a person elected or appointed as sheriff who may choose to be exempted from the requirement of 501—subrule 2.1(6), and may determine not to participate in physical training and who shall then be eligible only for certification as provided in subrule 3.1(2). Officers must be certified within one year of their employment, except sheriffs who must be certified within one year of taking office. (See rule 501—3.8(80B) for certification by testing requirements.)
	3.1(2) A person elected or appointed sheriff who otherwise successfully completes a basic training course except for the physical training requirements, as provided by Iowa Code section 331.651(1), shall be granted certification limited to and valid only for the position of sheriff of the county in which the person was elected or appointed.
	3.1(3) The academy council may, at the council’s discretion, extend the one-year time period in which an officer must become certified for up to 180 days after a showing of “undue hardship” by the officer or the officer’s hiring agency. To be considered for an extension of the one-year certification period, the person or agency requesting the extension must initiate the request in writing, not less than 10 days prior to the council meeting at which it is to be discussed, and then make a presentation to the council at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the council. Extensions shall not be liberally granted and shall only be granted after a showing that all other alternatives to an extension have been considered and rejected.
501—3.2(80B) Law enforcement status forms furnished to academy. Within ten days of any of the following occurrences, the academy will be so advised by use of prescribed forms:
	1.	Any hiring or termination of personnel.
	2.	Change of status of existing personnel (e.g., promotions).
	3.	Satisfactory completion of all law enforcement training not sponsored by the academy.
	4.	Accrual of college credits.
501—3.3(80B) Standard certifying courses for approved law enforcement facilities. The standard certifying courses of study at an approved law enforcement training facility are:
	1.	The long course, consisting of 417 hours to be completed within a 20-week period; and
	2.	The short course, consisting of 326 hours to be completed within a 16-week period.
501—3.4(80B) Qualifications for attendance at short course. In order to be eligible for enrollment in the certification through the short course, the individual officer must possess at least one of the following qualifications:
	3.4(1) Have satisfactorily completed a two-year or four-year police science or criminal justice program at an accredited educational institution and documentation furnished to the academy.
	3.4(2) Have satisfactorily completed law enforcement training in another state commensurate with basic training required in Iowa, and be able to provide verification of same.
This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 80B.11.
501—3.5(80B) Curriculum for long course.
	3.5(1)  Program administration 22 hours
	a. 	Registration.
	b. 	Orientation.
	c. 	Counselor meetings.
	d. 	Tests and review.
	e. 	Moot court.
	f. 	Graduation.
	3.5(2)  Patrol and traffic 65 hours
	a. 	Techniques of patrol and beat assignments.
	b. 	Observation and perception.
	c. 	Radio communications.
	d. 	Vehicle stops (of which 2 hours must be night vehicle stops).
	e. 	Building searches.
	f. 	Traffic direction.
	g. 	Accident investigation.
	h. 	Traffic law enforcement.
	i. 	Radar.
	j. 	OWI (enforcement techniques).
	k. 	Standardized field sobriety testing (horizontal gaze nystagmus).
	l. 	Chemical testing.
	m. 	Intoxilyzer.
	n. 	Hazardous materials.
	3.5(3)  Officer survival 141 hours
	a. 	Firearms/use of force (a minimum of 6 hours must be night fire).
	b. 	Defensive tactics/baton.
	c. 	Vehicle operations.
	d. 	Physical training.
	e. 	Chemical agents.
	f. 	Risk assessment in officer survival.
	g. 	Risk management in calls for service (felony calls).
	3.5(4)  Skills 69 hours
	a. 	Crash injury management.
	b. 	Fingerprints.
	c. 	Interviews and interrogations.
	d. 	Crime scene, searching and recording.
	e. 	Notetaking.
	f. 	Report writing.
	3.5(5)  Investigation of specific crimes 25 hours
	a. 	Street intoxication.
	b. 	Narcotics investigation.
	c. 	Vehicle theft.
	d. 	Hate crimes.
	e. 	Domestic abuse.
	f. 	Death investigation.
	g. 	Sex abuse.
	h. 	Burglary.
	i. 	Gangs.
	3.5(6)  The law and the courts 65 hours
	a. 	Criminal law.
	b. 	Procedural due process.
	c. 	Law of arrest.
	d. 	Court organization.
	e. 	Search and seizure.
	f. 	Juvenile law.
	g. 	Rules of evidence.
	h. 	OWI law.
	i. 	Motor vehicle law.
	j. 	Narcotics law.
	k. 	Confessions and admissions.
	l. 	Civil liability.
	m. 	Testifying in court.
	3.5(7) Human behavior 30 hours
	a. 	Self-understanding and handling stress.
	b. 	Community relations/crime prevention.
	c. 	Ethics and professionalism.
	d. 	Discretion.
	e. 	Minority groups.
	f. 	Special needs population.
	g. 	Crisis intervention.
	h. 	Moral aspects of the use of force.
	i. 	Death notification.
	j. 	Mandatory reporting of dependent adult and child abuse.
	k. 	Blood-borne pathogens.
TOTAL HOURS: 417
501—3.6(80B) Curriculum for short course.
	3.6(1) Skills—traffic and patrol 64 hours
	a. 	Vehicle operations.
	b. 	Accident investigation.
	c. 	Radar.
	d. 	Traffic direction.
	e. 	Hazardous materials.
	f. 	Vehicle stops (of which 2 hours must be night vehicle stops).
	g. 	OWI enforcement.
	(1)	Implied consent.
	(2)	Chemical testing.
	(3)	Intoxilyzer certification.
	h. 	Felony calls.
	3.6(2) Skills—investigative 16 hours
	a. 	Crime scene search and recording.
	b. 	Fingerprinting.
	c. 	Interviewing and interrogations.
	d. 	Photography.
	3.6(3) Skills—general 140 hours
	a. 	Firearms/use of force (of which 6 hours must be night fire).
	b. 	Defensive tactics.
	c. 	First responder.
	d. 	Physical fitness.
	3.6(4) Legal and investigative 66 hours
	a. 	Criminal law.
	b. 	Search and seizure.
	c. 	Law of arrest.
	d. 	Rules of evidence.
	e. 	Confessions and admissions.
	f. 	Motor vehicle law.
	g. 	Juvenile law.
	h. 	OWI (legal).
	i. 	Narcotics law.
	j. 	Death investigation.
	k. 	Narcotics investigation.
	l. 	Vice investigation.
	m. 	Sexual abuse investigation.
	3.6(5) Human relations and communications 24 hours
	a. 	Report writing.
	b. 	Crisis intervention (including domestic abuse).
	c. 	Minority relations.
	d. 	Mandatory reporting (dependent adult and child).
	e. 	AIDS.
	f. 	Testifying in court.
	3.6(6) Program administration 16 hours
	a. 	Registration and orientation.
	b. 	Testing.
	c. 	Graduation.
	d. 	Miscellaneous.
TOTAL HOURS: 326
501—3.7(80B) Special certification. The director of the academy, subject to the approval of the council may develop special certifying training courses in consideration of the varying factors and special requirements of certain law enforcement agencies.
501—3.8(80B) Certification through examination. Law enforcement officers who have been certified in another state may, upon application to the director with council approval, take a competency test or tests to gain Iowa law enforcement officer certification. Successful completion of the required test or tests will result in certification by the council. The test or tests will be prepared and administered by the academy or its designee, and the passing score will be determined by the academy. The required test or tests will be based upon the officer’s prior law enforcement training and experience as follows:
	3.8(1)  Five or more years of law enforcement experience. Officers with more than five years of full-time law enforcement experience will be required to pass a test or tests which will primarily measure the officer’s knowledge of Iowa laws. The test or tests will include, but need not be limited to, such topics as criminal law, motor vehicle law, juvenile law, law of arrest, law of search and seizure, and law regarding the use of force.
	3.8(2)  Less than five years of law enforcement experience. Officers with less than five years of full-time law enforcement experience will be required to pass a comprehensive test or tests which will focus on all phases of law enforcement. The test or tests will include, but need not to be limited to, such topics as criminal law, juvenile law, motor vehicle law, law of arrest, law of search and seizure, law regarding the use of force, confessions and admissions, crime prevention, community relations, minority relations, crime scene investigation, vehicle stops, and rules of evidence.
	3.8(3)  Tabulating previous law enforcement experience. In tabulating whether an officer has met the law enforcement experience requirement, no credit will be given for experience received from the officer’s current employment.
	3.8(4)  Criteria to be eligible to certify through examination. The following will be prerequisites for certification through examination:
	a. 	Successful completion of a minimum 160-hour certifying basic law enforcement training school in another state, which certification has not been withdrawn by the certifying state.
	b. 	Firing a verified score of 80 percent or greater with the officer’s service handgun since the individual’s appointment as an Iowa law enforcement officer, and which course of fire was prescribed by the academy and administered by the Iowa law enforcement academy or its designee.
	c. 	Possession of a current crash injury management card, first responder, or another appropriate certification recognized by the Iowa law enforcement academy.
	3.8(5)  Application and testing periods. Application for certification through examination shall be made within 120 days of the applicant’s hiring date, unless a determination is made by the academy council that this time period should be extended for “good cause.” Failure to make timely application for certification through examination may result in the applicant’s being required to attend an academy certifying school.
	3.8(6)  Retesting requirements. Failure to successfully complete this examination will require retesting within 60 days in the areas failed. If any area is failed a second time, it will be necessary for the individual to attend and satisfactorily complete training at the academy covering those areas of deficiency. Successful completion of the training will result in law enforcement officer certification by the academy council.
	3.8(7)  One year’s absence from law enforcement shall require training. An officer who has not served as a regular law enforcement officer during the 12-month period preceding the officer’s hiring date will be required to attend a certifying school.
501—3.9(80B) Special certification through examination. This rule is promulgated by the academy in compliance with 1996 Iowa Acts, chapter 1201. Persons having successfully completed the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, having corrected Snellen vision in both eyes of 20/20 or better, and having been employed on or before January 1, 1996, as chief of police of a city in the state of Iowa with a population of 20,000 or more may, upon application to the director with council approval, take a competency test or tests to gain Iowa law enforcement officer certification. Successful completion of the required test or tests will result in certification by the council. The test or tests will be prepared and administered by the academy and the passing score will be determined by the academy. Persons eligible under this rule who successfully complete the long form examination shall be granted certification limited to and valid only for the position for which the person was hired.
	3.9(1) Criteria. The following will be prerequisites for special certification through examination under this rule:
	a. 	Firing a verified score of 80 percent or greater with the officer’s service handgun which course of fire was prescribed and administered by the Iowa law enforcement academy.
	b. 	The applicant must possess or obtain current first responder or more advanced certification recognized by the Iowa department of public health and approved by the academy, and current cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification from the American Heart Association, Module “C,” or American Red Cross Professional Rescuer Level, with documentation furnished to the academy.
	3.9(2) Application and testing periods. Application shall be made within 120 days of the effective date of this rule. Failure to make timely application will result in the applicant’s being required to attend an academy certifying school.
	3.9(3) Retesting requirements. Failure to successfully complete the examination will require retesting within 60 days in the areas failed. If any area is failed a second time, the applicant will be required to attend and satisfactorily complete training at the academy covering those areas of deficiency. Successful completion of the training will result in law enforcement officer certification by the academy council.
501—3.10(80B) More extensive certifying course curricula not prohibited. While no law enforcement training facility will be approved by the Iowa law enforcement academy council which does not meet the minimum requirements of these certifying course curricula, this in no way limits or restricts any law enforcement training facility in instituting a certifying course curriculum that surpasses the curriculum established pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 80B.
This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 80B.
501—3.11(80B) Time frame—tolled. The time frame requirements for completion of any mandatory training are tolled during the period a law enforcement officer is called to active military service.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 80B.
[Filed 7/22/69]
[Filed 2/5/81, Notice 10/l/80—published 3/4/81, effective 7/l/81]
[Filed emergency after Notice 5/18/84, Notice 2/l/84—published 6/6/84, effective 6/l/84]
[Filed 3/18/85, Notice 1/2/85—published 4/10/85, effective 5/15/85]
[Filed 2/20/87, Notice 10/22/86—published 3/11/87, effective 4/21/87]
[Filed 1/5/89, Notice 11/16/88—published 1/25/89, effective 3/l/89]1
[Filed 5/12/89, Notice 12/14/88—published 5/31/89, effective 7/5/89]
[Filed 7/13/90, Notice 5/2/90—published 8/8/90, effective 9/12/90]
[Filed emergency 3/5/91—published 4/3/91, effective 3/5/91]
[Filed 9/13/91, Notice 8/7/91—published 10/2/91, effective 11/6/91]
[Filed 3/18/93, Notice 12/9/92—published 4/14/93, effective 5/19/93]
[Filed 3/18/93, Notice 1/20/93—published 4/14/93, effective 6/30/93]2
[Filed emergency 9/22/93—published 10/13/93, effective 9/22/93]
[Filed 6/15/95, Notice 4/12/95—published 7/5/95, effective 8/9/95]
[Filed emergency 6/20/95—published 7/5/95, effective 6/20/95]
Filed emergency 1/10/97 after Notice 12/4/96—published 1/29/97, effective 1/10/97]
1	Effective date of 3/l/89 for rescission of 3.4(1) delayed 70 days by the Administrative Rules Review Committee.
2	Effective date delayed until the adjournment of the 1994 Session of the General Assembly pursuant to Iowa Code section 17A.8(9) by the Administrative Rules Review Committee at its meeting held May 12, 1993.