Section 61. Certified training academies

A. To become a certified academy, a state or local unit of government must demonstrate a need which contains the following elements:

1. The inability to obtain adequate training from existing academies or a sufficient hardship which renders the use of other existing academies impractical.

2. Based upon a training needs assessment, a sufficient number of officers to warrant the establishment of a full-time training function for a minimum of five years.

B. In addition, the state or local unit of government must make the following commitments:

1. The provision of a full range of training to include entry-level training, in-service training, recertification training, specialized training and instructor certification.

2. The assignment of one position with primary responsibility as academy director and one clerical position to support training and training-related functions.

3. The maintenance of a training facility adequate to conduct training in accordance with academy certification standards.

4. The commitment of sufficient funding to adequately support the training function.

C. Process.

1. The state or local governmental unit shall submit a justification to the Committee on Training as described in subsection B of this section. The Committee on Training shall review the justification and make a recommendation to the department as to whether the establishment of an academy is warranted.

2. If the Committee on Training recommends the establishment of the proposed academy, the department shall make a determination as to whether the establishment of the academy is warranted.

3. If the establishment of the academy is approved by the department, the proposed academy must successfully complete the academy certification process.

D. The certified training academy shall submit to the department its curriculum and other information as designated within time limitations established by the department.

E. Each academy director shall maintain a file of all current lesson plans and supporting material for training objectives and shall provide this information to the director upon request.

F. A certified training academy is subject to inspection and review by the director or his staff.

G. The department may suspend or revoke the certification of any certified training academy upon written notice, which shall contain the reason or reasons upon which the suspension or revocation is based, to the academy's director. The academy's director may request a hearing before the director. The request shall be in writing and shall be received by the department within 15 days of the date of the notice of the suspension or revocation. The academy's director may appeal the director's decision to the board.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 14, Issue 08, eff. February 4, 1998.

Statutory Authority

§ 9.1-102 of the Code of Virginia.