Section 60. Approved training schools

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

1. The inability to obtain adequate training from existing academies or a sufficient hardship that 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. Provide a full range of training to include entry-level training, in-service training, instructor certification and recertification training and specialized training.

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

3. Maintain a training facility adequate to conduct training in accordance with academy certification standards.

4. Commitment of sufficient funding to adequately support the training function.

C. Process.

1. The state or local governmental unit shall submit a justification, as outlined in subsection B of this section, to the Committee on Training, which 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 and be in compliance with § 15.2-1747 of the Code of Virginia.

D. Each certified academy director shall maintain a file of all current lesson plans and supporting material for each subject contained in the compulsory minimum training standards. The certified training academy shall submit to the department its curriculum and other information as designated within time limits established by the department.

E. Certified academies that are approved shall be subject to inspection and review by the director.

F. The department may suspend or revoke the approval of a certified training school academy upon written notice to the academy's director. The notice shall contain the reason(s) upon which the suspension or revocation is based. The academy's director may request a hearing before the director or his designee. The request shall be in writing and must be received by the department within 15 days of the date of the notice of suspension/revocation. The school's director may appeal the decision of the director or his designee to the board. Such request shall be in writing and must be received by the board within 15 days of the date of the decision of the director or his designee.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR240-01-4 § 6, eff. July 1, 1987; amended, Volume 06, Issue 16, eff. July 1, 1990; Volume 23, Issue 09, eff. July 1, 2007.

Statutory Authority

§ 9.1-102 of the Code of Virginia.