All criminal justice officers (law enforcement, jail, court security, civil process, DOC correctional officers are required to complete the compulsory minimum training standards within 12 months of the date of hire or appointment. (6VAC20-20-40)
Your agency and/or academy policy will determine whether or not you can repeat failed training if it can be completed within the 12 months.
There are no training extensions available for class failures.
Yes. General instructors who are also field training officers may count field training hours toward the required general instructor hours. Documentation must be submitted to the academy of record.
Instructor certification expires when the certified instructor is no longer employed by the agency that requested the certification.
Upon reemployment with a Virginia criminal justice agency or certified academy, the agency or academy may request the instructorship be reinstated by submitting an Instructor Reinstatement Form (IC-2) with the agency administrator’s signature and the academy director’s signature to DCJS for approval.
If the instructorship has been expired less than 12 months, the agency or academy may request the instructorship be reinstated by submitting an Instructor Reinstatement Form (IC-2) with the agency administrator’s signature and the academy director’s signature to DCJS form approval.
The expired instructor must complete an approved instructor recertification course through a certified academy and complete a subsequent apprenticeship.
No. All DCJS certifications require employment with a criminal justice agency. In-service training is only recorded for those employed with the function associated with the training.
Yes. Background investigations including fingerprint-based criminal history records inquiries to both the Central Criminal Records Exchange and the FBI are required for all new hires of law enforcement officers, deputy sheriffs and jail officers. (§ 15.2-1705)
No, in-service training is required to be completed within the 2 year period following your last in-service completion. Certifications expire on the due date.
Officers who fail to comply with in-service training within the 2 years shall forfeit his office, upon receipt of notice. Such forfeiture shall create a vacancy in the office and all pay and allowances shall cease. (§ 9.1-115)
Certified criminal justice academies may allow individual to attend mandated entry level training programs who are not currently employed by a Virginia criminal justice agency as defined in §9.1-101. Details to include tuition must be obtained by contacting the individual academy. This training is solely based upon a private contract between the academy and the individual seeking the training.
This training does not guarantee an offer of employment by a Virginia criminal justice agency.
Be employed as an officer with a Virginia criminal justice agency under DCJS purview that has authority/ability to perform duties associated with the function. (The agency is required to report to DCJS all officers assigned to specific functions through the records management system)
Complete the Virginia compulsory minimum training standards in basic training through a DCJS certified criminal justice academy
The academy director must verify each instructor has taught a minimum of 8 hours per instructorship from initial certification or last recertification date to be eligible for recertification. If the hours have not been met, the instructorship will not be recertified without going through the instructorship reinstatement process.
