OAR 259-008-0025: Minimum Standards for Training

(1) Basic Training. (a) The prescribed basic training course and field training manual must be completed by all corrections officers no later than 12 months from the date of employment in a certifiable position. (b) The prescribed basic training course and field training manual must be completed by all police officers, parole and probation officers, telecommunicators, emergency medical dispatchers and regulatory specialists no later than 18 months from the date of employment in a certifiable position. (c) Corrections and police officers who have not completed the prescribed basic course must begin training within 90 days of their initial date of employment as a law enforcement officer. (d) All prescribed field training will be conducted under the supervision of the employing agency. The employing agency must provide proof of completion prior to the award of basic certification. (e) Regulatory specialists employed by OLCC prior to July 1, 2015 who have previously completed OLCC basic training may be exempted from completion of the basic regulatory specialist course. (f) Law enforcement officers employed in a limited duration, administrative position, as described in OAR 259-008-0078, are exempted from these minimum training requirements. (2) Additional Training Requirements. (a) Law enforcement officers who have previously completed the prescribed basic course but have not been employed full-time as a law enforcement officer for over one year but less than five years must complete a minimum of eight hours of Firearms or Use of Force training within 30 days of the law enforcement officer's return to work and prior to reactivation of certification. (b) Law enforcement officers who have previously completed the prescribed basic course but have not been employed full-time as a law enforcement officer within the past five years will be required to satisfactorily complete the prescribed basic course and field training manual in its entirety prior to reactivation of certification. (c) Law enforcement officers who have previously completed the prescribed basic course but have not been employed full-time as a law enforcement officer for over two and one-half years but less than five years must complete the prescribed career officer development course and field training manual prior to reactivation of certification. (d) Telecommunicators and emergency medical dispatchers (EMD) who have previously completed the prescribed basic course but have not been employed as a telecommunicator or EMD within the past two and one-half years will be required to satisfactorily complete the prescribed basic course and field training manual in its entirety prior to reactivation of certification. (e) Training timelines for career officer development courses will be established by the Department. (3) Waivers of the Minimum Training Standards for Law Enforcement Officers. (a) The Department may waive any portion of the minimum training standards upon finding that a law enforcement officer has the current knowledge, skills and abilities to perform as a law enforcement officer in Oregon. For the purposes of this standard, demonstration of current knowledge, skills and abilities as an Oregon law enforcement officer must include full-time employment within the past five years which demonstrates the individual has maintained a level of knowledge, skills and abilities comparable to those of an active law enforcement officer in Oregon, including the authorization to provide law enforcement services or the responsibility of enforcing criminal law. (b) Reciprocity. Law enforcement officers who have been employed by a public or private safety agency in another state and have previously completed a basic training course deemed by the Department to meet or exceed Oregon’s minimum training standards may be granted a waiver of the basic training course. These officers will be required to complete the prescribed career officer development course and field training manual. (c) Waiver requests must be made in writing by the employing agency and must include any supporting documentation, to include a written request for a waiver from the officer’s employing agency, a copy of any previously completed course including documentation of course content with hour and subject breakdown of the training, and the officer’s employment history. (d) The Department may request additional information. Any expenses associated with providing waiver documentation will be the responsibility of the requesting agency. (e) Notwithstanding section (4), waivers are not available for the basic telecommunications course or basic emergency medical dispatcher course. (4) Challenge of the Minimum Training Standards for Telecommunicators. When a telecommunicator is required to complete the basic telecommunicator course pursuant to subsection (2)(d) of this rule, they may challenge the basic telecommunicator course under the following circumstances: (a) The telecommunicator must have completed the basic course after April 1, 2019; (b) The telecommunicator must not have been separated from a certifiable telecommunicator position for more than five years; and (c) The telecommunicator’s employing agency must submit a written request for the telecommunicator to challenge the basic telecommunicator course to the Department. (5) Armed Parole and Probation Officer Training. Armed parole and probation officers must complete the Department’s Armed Parole and Probation Course, Department-approved equivalent training or be approved for a waiver of the armed parole and probation officer training. This training requirement applies to parole and probation officers who are hired as or changed to an armed parole and probation officer on or after July 1, 2020. (a) The required training must be completed no later than 18 months from the date of the parole and probation officer’s designation as an armed parole and probation officer. (b) A public safety agency may request approval to provide equivalent training. In order for the training to be recognized as satisfying the armed parole and probation officer training requirement, the training must be approved by the Department prior to delivery of the training to the armed parole and probation officer. (c) To be eligible for a waiver of the armed parole and probation officer training, the employing agency must submit a written request for waiver to the Department and the parole and probation officer must: (A) Have held certification in Oregon as a police officer or a corrections officer within the five years prior to designation as an armed parole and probation officer; or (B) Have completed either the Armed Parole and Probation Course (APP) or the Parole and Probation Firearms Course (PPFA) within the past five years. (6) Supervision Course. Public safety officers who are promoted, appointed or transferred to a first-level supervisory position must satisfactorily complete the Supervision course or equivalent training that complies with the requirements outlined in the DPSST Form F-21. (a) The required training must be completed no later than 12 months after the promotion, appointment or transfer. (b) Applicable training that occurred within five years prior to the promotion, appointment or transfer may be accepted by the Department as satisfying the Supervision training requirement. (7) Middle Management Course. Public safety officers who are promoted, appointed or transferred to a middle management position must satisfactorily complete the Middle Management course or equivalent training that complies with the requirements outlined in the DPSST Form F-22. (a) The required training must be completed no later than 12 months after the promotion, appointment or transfer. (b) Applicable training that occurred within five years prior to the promotion, appointment or transfer may be accepted by the Department as satisfying the Middle Management training requirement. (8) Time Extensions. The Department may grant a time extension upon presentation of evidence by a public or private safety agency that a public safety officer is unable to meet the timelines prescribed in sections (1), (2)(a), (5), (6) and (7) due to an authorized leave of absence or any other reasonable cause as determined by the Department. (a) Time extensions of the requirements found in sections (1)(a), (1)(b), (5), (6) and (7) will not exceed one year. (b) Time extensions of the requirements found in subsection (1)(c) will not exceed 30 days. (c) Time extensions of the requirements found in subsection (2)(a) will not exceed 90 days. (d) Any delays caused by the inability of the Department to provide basic training for any reason will not be counted towards the time requirements found in subsections (1)(a), (b) or (c). (9) Notwithstanding this rule, the Department may prescribe additional training for Basic certification, up to and including completion of the full Basic course, in situations in which previous periods of employment have been limited.