Procedure For Qualifying Applicants For Employment As Peace Officers

POLICY NUMBER:

B-2

EFFECTIVE DATE:

09/01/04

RESCINDS / AMENDS:

II-74-2 .....11/01/01

A.

Thirty (30) semester college hours from an accredited college or university and one year of continuous employment as a police guard, dispatcher, telecommunications operator, or parking controller with a component institution within The University of Texas System;

B.

Thirty (30) semester college hours from an accredited college or university and two years of active military service. Military experience is defined as having received an honorable discharge from the Armed Forces of the United States after at least two years of active service.

C.

Thirty (30) semester college hours from an accredited college or university and two years experience as a law enforcement officer, correctional officer, or jailer.

1. Law Enforcement officer or jailer experience is defined as time spent as a full-time paid employee performing police or jailer duties in a position that requires a license as a Texas Peace Officer, Jailer, or the equivalent in another state.2. Correctional officer experience is defined as time spent as a full-time paid correctional officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, or the equivalent in another state.

 

D.

The term accredited college or university means an institution of higher education that is accredited or authorized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, the New England Association of Colleges and Schools, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Northwest Association of Colleges and Schools, or the Western Association of Colleges and Schools

A. VISION

1. VISUAL ACUITY - Maximum uncorrected visual acuity of 20/200 and corrected or correctable as follows:

a. 20/30 THROUGH 20/40 - Correctable to 20/30 in each eye and binocularly;

b. 20/40 THROUGH 20/100 – Must be corrected to 20/30 in each eye and binocularly by means of regular eyeglasses or contact lenses;

c. IN EXCESS OF 20/100 THROUGH 20/200 – Must be corrected to 20/30 in each eye and binocularly by means of regular eyeglasses or contact lenses. Applicant must obtain a statement from an ophthalmologist that no ocular disease exists.

2. FIELD OF VISION – Horizontal 60-85 degrees in both eyes temporarily from a central fixation point.

3. MUSCULAR IMBALANCE – Zero vertical deviation. Horizontal – 5 prism diopters exophoria at 20 feet, 10 prism diopters esophoria at 20 feet, 10 prism diopters exophoria at 20 feet.

4. OTHER VISUAL FACTORS – Applicants may be rejected for color deficiencies as determined by the Director of Police after examination by an approved ophthalmologist. Chronic inflammation of the eye or adnexa, or permanent abnormalities of either eye (including cataracts, corneal opacities, paralysis of ocular muscles, etc.) will be grounds for rejection. The loss of either eye will be grounds for rejection.

B.

HEARING - Applicant must be able to hear ordinary conversation from at least fifteen (15) feet with each ear.

C.

GENERAL HEALTH - Applicant must pass the physical agility/fitness test and be capable of performing all police duties specified in the current job description.

A.

Applicant will be investigated to determine that the following requirements of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement are satisfactorily met:

1. The applicant shall be fingerprinted and subjected to a search of local, state and national records and fingerprint files to disclose any criminal record;

2. The applicant must never have been or currently on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense above the grade of Class B misdemeanor or a Class B misdemeanor within the last ten years from the date of the court order;
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement may approve the application of a person who received probation or court ordered community supervision for a Class B misdemeanor at least five (5) years prior to application if an agency administrator sufficiently demonstrates in writing with supporting documentation that mitigating circumstances exist with the case and with the individual applying for licensure, and that public interest would be served by reducing the waiting period;

3. The applicant is not currently under indictment for any criminal offense.

4. The applicant must never have been convicted of an offense above the grade of a Class B misdemeanor or a Class B misdemeanor within the last ten years.
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement may approve the application of a person who was convicted for a Class B misdemeanor at least five (5) years prior to application if an agency administrator sufficiently demonstrates in writing with supporting documentation that mitigating circumstances exist with the case and with the individual applying for licensure, and that public interest would be served by reducing the waiting period;

5. The applicant must never have been convicted of any family violence offense.

6. The applicant is not prohibited by state or federal law from operating a motor vehicle.

7. The applicant is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition;

8. The applicant shall be subject to a thorough, comprehensive background investigation;

9.The applicant shall be examined by a physician, who is licensed by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners. The physician must be familiar with the duties appropriate to the license sought and appointment to be made. The applicant must be declared in writing by that professional within one hundred eighty (180) days before the date of appointment to be:

a. Physically sound and free from any defect which may adversely affect the applicant’s ability to perform the duties of peace officer; andb. Show no trace of drug dependency or illegal drug use after a physical examination, blood test, or other medical test.

10. The applicant shall be examined by a psychologist who is licensed by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. The psychologist must be familiar with the duties appropriate to the license sought and appointment to be made. This examination may also be conducted by a psychiatrist. The applicant must be declared in writing by that professional to be in satisfactory psychological and emotional health to serve as the type of officer for which the license is sought within one hundred eighty (180) days before the date of appointment. The examination must be conducted pursuant to professionally recognized standards and methods:

a. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement may allow for exceptional circumstances where a licensed physician performs the evaluation of psychological and emotional health. This requires the appointing agency to request in writing and receive approval from the commission, prior to the evaluation being completed; and

b. The examination may be conducted by a qualified psychologist exempt from licensure by the Psychologist Certification and Licensing Act, Section 22, who is recognized under exceptional circumstances.

11. The applicant must not have been discharged from any military service under less than honorable conditions including, specifically:
a. under other than honorable conditions;
b. bad conduct;
c. dishonorable; or
d. any other characterization of service indicating bad character.

12. The applicant must not have had a commission license denied by final order or revoked, or have a voluntary surrender of license currently in effect.

13. The applicant shall meet the minimum training standards and pass the commission licensing examination.

14. The applicant shall not violate any commission rule or statutory provision of Occupations Code, Chapter 1701.

15. The applicant shall be a U.S. citizen.

B.

In addition to the above requirements, the following requirements will be met:

1. The applicant must have a satisfactory prior employment record;

2. The applicant’s reputation must be good;

3. The applicant must agree to swear to the best of his/her ability to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of Texas;

4. The applicant must have a valid driver's license issued by the State where the employee permanently resides, not in jeopardy of suspension and must provide proof of financial responsibility pursuant to the Safety Responsibility Act of the Texas Motor Vehicle Laws;

5.The applicant must not be nor have been a habitual violator of traffic laws and must be eligible to drive a University vehicle in accordance with the University of Texas System Business Procedure Memorandum No. 16-05-02.

A.

The Chief of Police, or designee, at the employing Police Department will interview each applicant and select those for final consideration by an Appointment Interview Board.

B.

An Appointment Interview Board is comprised of the Chief of Police at the employing police department, and four other individuals appointed by the Chief of Police of the employing department. It is mandatory that this Board consists of five (5) persons. The individual who conducted the background investigation should be available for questions at the time of the Appointment Interview Board. If requested, a summary of the background investigation should be made available to each member of the Board. This summary should include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. APPLICANT'S NAME, AGE, HEIGHT, WEIGHT, AND ADDRESS;

2. DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH;

3. RESULTS OF CRIMINAL HISTORY AND DRIVING RECORD INQUIRIES;

4. BRIEF GEOGRAPHICAL HISTORY;5. FAMILY INFORMATION – NAME OF FATHER, MOTHER, BROTHERS, AND SISTERS;

6. EDUCATIONAL RECORD – BRIEF SUMMATION OF EDUCATION;

7. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY – BRIEF SUMMATION OF CURRENT AND PAST EMPLOYMENT;

8. WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS – RESULTS OF ALL TESTS ADMINISTERED AS A PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS;

9. MILITARY SERVICE RECORD – IF APPLICABLE;

10. ECONOMIC STATUS – SHOULD INCLUDE PRESENT INCOME AND INDEBTEDNESS;

11. A BRIEF HANDWRITTEN STATEMENT CONTAINING REASONS FOR MAKING APPLICATION (COMPLETED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATOR);

12. MEDICAL HISTORY – A BRIEF HISTORY OF ANY SERIOUS ILLNESS OR INJURY;

13. SPECIAL TRAINING AND/OR SKILLS APPLICABLE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.