House Bill hb1641

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 1641

        By Representative Evers






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to criminal justice standards

  3         and training; amending s. 943.12, F.S.;

  4         requiring the Criminal Justice Standards and

  5         Training Commission to conduct inquiries of

  6         criminal justice training instructors; amending

  7         s. 943.13, F.S.; authorizing physician

  8         assistants to examine law enforcement officers

  9         as a condition of employment; amending s.

10         943.131, F.S.; revising provisions relating to

11         minimum basic training for temporary employees

12         and officers; amending s. 943.135, F.S.;

13         deleting requirement to provide a remediation

14         program for certain officers; amending s.

15         943.1395, F.S.; clarifying authority of

16         agencies to employ officers certified in

17         multiple disciplines; amending s. 943.14, F.S.;

18         revising provisions relating to

19         commission-certified criminal justice training

20         schools; authorizing employing agencies to

21         submit information regarding fingerprints and

22         criminal history checks; amending s. 943.17,

23         F.S.; revising provisions relating to basic

24         recruit, advanced, and career development

25         programs; providing for a specialized training

26         program; amending s. 943.173, F.S.; removing

27         requirement that certain examinations be

28         adopted by the commission; amending s. 943.175,

29         F.S.; removing provisions relating to

30         specialized training programs; amending s.

31         943.22, F.S.; clarifying authority for

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  1         accreditation; amending s. 943.25, F.S.;

  2         prohibiting the assessment of costs for

  3         advanced and specialized training under certain

  4         circumstances; conforming a cross reference;

  5         amending s. 316.640, F.S.; revising provisions

  6         relating to required instruction for certain

  7         traffic officers; providing an effective date.

  8

  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

10

11         Section 1.  Subsections (10) through (18) of section

12  943.12, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (9)

13  through (17), respectively, and subsections (1), (7), and (9)

14  of said section are amended to read:

15         943.12  Powers, duties, and functions of the

16  commission.--The commission shall:

17         (1)  Adopt Promulgate rules for the administration of

18  ss. 943.085-943.255 pursuant to chapter 120.

19         (7)  Conduct official inquiries or require Authorize

20  the issuance of certificates for criminal justice training

21  schools to conduct official inquiries of criminal justice

22  training instructors who are certified by the commission.

23         (9)  Authorize the issuance of certificates for

24  instructors.

25         Section 2.  Subsection (6) of section 943.13, Florida

26  Statutes, is amended to read:

27         943.13  Officers' minimum qualifications for employment

28  or appointment.--On or after October 1, 1984, any person

29  employed or appointed as a full-time, part-time, or auxiliary

30  law enforcement officer or correctional officer; on or after

31  October 1, 1986, any person employed as a full-time,

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  1  part-time, or auxiliary correctional probation officer; and on

  2  or after October 1, 1986, any person employed as a full-time,

  3  part-time, or auxiliary correctional officer by a private

  4  entity under contract to the Department of Corrections, to a

  5  county commission, or to the Correctional Privatization

  6  Commission shall:

  7         (6)  Have passed a physical examination by a licensed

  8  physician or physician assistant, based on specifications

  9  established by the commission.

10         Section 3.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and

11  subsection (2) of section 943.131, Florida Statutes, are

12  amended to read:

13         943.131  Temporary employment or appointment; minimum

14  basic recruit training exemption.--

15         (1)

16         (b)  In no case may the person be temporarily employed

17  or appointed for more than 180 consecutive days, and such

18  temporary employment or appointment is not renewable by the

19  employing agency or transferable to another employing agency.

20  However, a person who is temporarily employed or appointed and

21  is attending the first training program offered in the

22  geographic area, or has been assigned to a state training

23  program, may continue to be temporarily employed or appointed

24  until the person:

25         1.  Successfully completes the basic recruit training

26  program and achieves an acceptable score on the officer

27  certification examination;

28         2.  Fails or withdraws from a any course of the basic

29  recruit training program;

30         3.  Fails to achieve an acceptable score on the officer

31  certification examination within 180 consecutive days after

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  1  the successful completion of the basic recruit training

  2  program; or

  3         4.  Is separated from employment or appointment by the

  4  employing agency.

  5         (2)  If an applicant seeks an exemption from completing

  6  a commission-approved basic recruit training program, the

  7  employing agency must verify that the applicant has

  8  successfully completed a comparable basic recruit training

  9  program for the discipline in which the applicant is seeking

10  certification in another state or for the Federal Government.

11  Further, the employing agency must verify that the applicant

12  has served as a full-time sworn officer in another state or

13  for the Federal Government for at least one year. When the

14  employing agency obtains written documentation regarding the

15  applicant's criminal justice experience, the documentation

16  must be submitted to the commission. The commission shall

17  adopt rules that establish criteria and procedures to

18  determine if the applicant is exempt from completing the

19  commission-approved basic recruit training program and, upon

20  making a determination, shall notify the employing agency. An

21  If the applicant who is exempt from completing the

22  commission-approved basic recruit training program must

23  demonstrate proficiency in the high-liability areas, as

24  defined by commission rule, and must complete the requirements

25  of s. 943.13(10) within 180 days after receiving an exemption.

26  If the proficiencies and requirements of s. 943.13(10) are not

27  met within the 180 days, the applicant must complete a

28  commission-approved basic recruit training program, as

29  required by the commission by rule, in areas which include,

30  but are not limited to, defensive driving, defensive tactics,

31  firearms training, and first responder training. Except as

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  1  provided in subsection (1), before the employing agency may

  2  employ or appoint the applicant as an officer, the applicant

  3  must meet the minimum qualifications described in s.

  4  943.13(1)-(8), and must fulfill the requirements of s.

  5  943.13(10).

  6         Section 4.  Subsection (1) of section 943.135, Florida

  7  Statutes, is amended to read:

  8         943.135  Requirements for continued employment.--

  9         (1)  The commission shall, by rule, adopt a program

10  that requires all officers, as a condition of continued

11  employment or appointment as officers, to receive periodic

12  commission-approved continuing training or education. Such

13  continuing training or education shall be required at the rate

14  of 40 hours every 4 years. No officer shall be denied a

15  reasonable opportunity by the employing agency to comply with

16  this section. The employing agency must document that the

17  continuing training or education is job-related and consistent

18  with the needs of the employing agency. The employing agency

19  must maintain and submit, or electronically transmit, the

20  documentation to the commission, in a format approved by the

21  commission. The rule shall also provide:

22         (a)  Assistance to an employing agency in identifying

23  each affected officer, the date of his or her employment or

24  appointment, and his or her most recent date for successful

25  completion of continuing training or education; and

26         (b)  A procedure for reactivation of the certification

27  of an officer who is not in compliance with this section.; and

28         (c)  A remediation program supervised by the training

29  center director within the geographic area for any officer who

30  is attempting to comply with the provisions of this subsection

31  and in whom learning disabilities are identified. The officer

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  1  shall be assigned nonofficer duties, without loss of employee

  2  benefits, and the program shall not exceed 90 days.

  3         Section 5.  Subsection (2) of section 943.1395, Florida

  4  Statutes, is amended to read:

  5         943.1395  Certification for employment or appointment;

  6  concurrent certification; reemployment or reappointment;

  7  inactive status; revocation; suspension; investigation.--

  8         (2)  An officer who is certified in one discipline and

  9  who complies with s. 943.13 in another discipline shall hold

10  concurrent certification and may be assigned in either

11  discipline within his or her employing agency. However, the

12  officer may be registered and hold concurrent certification

13  only if the employing agency has the authority to employ

14  officers who are certified in more than one discipline.

15         Section 6.  Section 943.14, Florida Statutes, is

16  amended to read:

17         943.14  Commission-certified criminal justice training

18  schools; certificates and diplomas; exemptions; injunctive

19  relief; fines.--

20         (1)  Each criminal justice training school approved by

21  the commission shall obtain from the commission a certificate

22  of compliance, with rules of the commission, signed by the

23  chair of the commission. Any training or educational courses

24  which are taught in any criminal justice training school must

25  first be approved in writing by the commission.

26         (2)  Any certificate or diploma issued by any criminal

27  justice training school which relates to completion,

28  graduation, or attendance in criminal justice training or

29  educational subjects, or related matters, must be approved by

30  the commission staff in the department's Criminal Justice

31  Professionalism Program.

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  1         (3)  The commission shall establish, by rule,

  2  procedures for the certification and discipline of all

  3  instructors in any criminal justice training school.

  4         (4)  Prior to the issuance of a certificate of

  5  compliance, or as a condition of continuing certification, all

  6  records of any criminal justice training school that relate to

  7  training and all financial and personnel records of the school

  8  shall be made available to the commission upon request.

  9         (5)  No private criminal justice training school may

10  include within its name the word "commission," "bureau," or

11  "division" together with the word "Florida" or "state," the

12  name of any county or municipality, or any misleading

13  derivative thereof which might be construed to represent a

14  government agency or an entity authorized by a government

15  agency.

16         (6)  Criminal justice training schools and courses

17  which are licensed and operated in accordance with the rules

18  of the State Board of Education and the rules of the

19  commission are exempt from the requirements of subsections

20  (1)-(5). However, any school which instructs approved

21  commission courses must meet the requirements of subsections

22  (1)-(5).

23         (6)(7)(a)  Commission-approved correctional probation

24  courses and subjects which are taught by Florida 4-year

25  accredited colleges and universities are exempt from

26  subsections (1)-(5) except for such documentation which may be

27  required by the commission. The commission retains control

28  over the content of courses and subjects covered by this

29  subsection as specified in s. 943.17(1)(a). Florida 4-year

30  accredited colleges and universities must obtain approval from

31  the commission prior to offering correctional probation

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  1  courses. Florida 4-year accredited colleges and universities

  2  offering the Correctional Probation Training Program shall

  3  teach the learning objectives specified by the commission. The

  4  administration of the commission's Correctional Probation

  5  Training Program within a Florida 4-year accredited college or

  6  university shall fall within the institution's established

  7  guidelines for course delivery and student attendance. The

  8  Florida 4-year accredited college or university shall provide

  9  to the commission and to the student proof of successful

10  completion of all the approved objectives required by the

11  commission for the academic courses approved for the

12  Correctional Probation Training Program. The

13  commission-certified training school administering the

14  commission-required correctional probation high-liability

15  training shall provide to the commission and to the student

16  proof of successful completion of all approved objectives.

17         (b)  All other criminal justice sciences or

18  administration courses or subjects which are a part of the

19  curriculum of any accredited college, university, community

20  college, or vocational-technical center of this state, and all

21  full-time instructors of such institutions, are exempt from

22  the provisions of subsections (1)-(5).

23         (7)(8)  Each criminal justice training school that

24  offers law enforcement, correctional, or correctional

25  probation officer basic recruit training, or selection center

26  that provides applicant screening for criminal justice

27  training schools, shall conduct a criminal history background

28  check of an applicant prior to entrance into the basic recruit

29  class. A complete set of fingerprints must be taken by an

30  authorized criminal justice agency or by an employee of the

31  criminal justice training school or selection center who is

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  1  trained to take fingerprints. If the employing agency has

  2  previously taken a set of fingerprints from the applicant and

  3  has obtained a criminal history check of the applicant using

  4  the fingerprints, the requirements of this subsection shall be

  5  met when the employing agency submits to the criminal justice

  6  training school or selection center a letter stating the date

  7  on which the agency took the fingerprints of the applicant, a

  8  summary of the criminal history check based on the

  9  fingerprints, and a certification that the applicant is

10  qualified to enroll in the basic recruit training program

11  pursuant to s. 943.13. If the criminal justice training school

12  or selection center takes the fingerprints, it shall submit

13  the fingerprints to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement

14  for a statewide criminal history check, and forward the

15  fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a

16  national criminal history check. Applicants found through

17  fingerprint processing to have pled guilty to or been

18  convicted of a crime which would render the applicant unable

19  to meet the minimum qualifications for employment as an

20  officer as specified in s. 943.13(4) shall be removed from the

21  pool of qualified candidates by the criminal justice training

22  school or selection center.

23         (8)(9)(a)  If a criminal justice training school or

24  person violates this section, or any rule adopted pursuant

25  hereto, the Department of Legal Affairs, at the request of the

26  chair of the commission, shall apply to the circuit court in

27  the county in which the violation or violations occurred for

28  injunctive relief prohibiting the criminal justice training

29  school or person from operating contrary to this section.

30         (b)1.  In addition to any injunctive relief available

31  under paragraph (a), the commission may impose a civil fine

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  1  upon any criminal justice training school or person who

  2  violates subsection (1) or subsection (5), or any rule adopted

  3  pursuant thereto, of up to $10,000 for each violation, which

  4  fine shall be paid into the Criminal Justice Standards and

  5  Training Trust Fund. The commission may impose a civil fine

  6  upon any criminal justice training school or person who

  7  violates subsection (2), subsection (3), or subsection (4), or

  8  any rule adopted pursuant thereto, of up to $1,000 for each

  9  violation, which fine shall be paid into the Criminal Justice

10  Standards and Training Trust Fund.

11         2.  A proceeding under this paragraph shall comply with

12  the provisions of chapter 120, and the final order of the

13  commission constitutes final agency action for the purposes of

14  chapter 120. When the commission imposes a civil fine and the

15  fine is not paid within a reasonable time, the Department of

16  Legal Affairs, at the request of the chair of the commission,

17  shall bring a civil action under the provisions of s. 120.69

18  to recover the fine. The commission and the Department of

19  Legal Affairs are not required to post any bond in any

20  proceeding herein.

21         Section 7.  Section 943.17, Florida Statutes, is

22  amended to read:

23         943.17  Basic recruit, advanced, and career development

24  training programs; participation; cost; evaluation.--The

25  commission shall, by rule, design, implement, maintain,

26  evaluate, and revise entry requirements and job-related

27  curricula and performance standards for basic recruit,

28  advanced, and career development training programs and

29  courses. The rules shall include, but are not limited to, a

30  methodology to assess relevance of the subject matter to the

31  job, student performance, and instructor competency.

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  1         (1)  The commission shall:

  2         (a)  Design, implement, maintain, evaluate, and revise,

  3  or adopt a basic recruit training program for the purpose of

  4  providing minimum employment training qualifications for all

  5  officers to be employed or appointed in each discipline.

  6         (b)  Design, implement, maintain, evaluate, and revise,

  7  or adopt an advanced training program which is limited to

  8  those courses enhancing an officer's knowledge, skills, and

  9  abilities for the job he or she performs.

10         (c)  Design, implement, maintain, evaluate, and revise,

11  or adopt a career development training program which is

12  limited to those courses related to promotion to a higher rank

13  or position. Career development courses will not be eligible

14  for funding as provided in s. 943.25(9).

15         (d)  Design, implement, maintain, evaluate, revise, or

16  adopt a specialized training program consisting of identified

17  goals and objectives that enhance an officer's ability to

18  perform his or her duties. For any existing or newly

19  established course, adopt an examination and assessment

20  instrument that is job-related and measures an officer's

21  acquisition of knowledge, skills, and abilities. An acceptable

22  level of measurable student performance shall also be

23  developed for each course.

24         (e)  Implement, administer, maintain, and revise a

25  job-related officer certification examination for each

26  discipline.

27         (f)  Acknowledge any specialized training course

28  approved by the commission prior to October 1, 1984, as an

29  inservice training course under s. 943.175, except that the

30  radar training course developed under former s. 943.14(14),

31

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  1  Florida Statutes 1983, shall be considered an approved

  2  advanced training program course.

  3         (g)  Assure that entrance into the basic recruit

  4  training program for law enforcement, correctional, and

  5  correctional probation officers be limited to those who have

  6  passed a basic skills examination and assessment instrument,

  7  based on a job task analysis in each discipline and adopted by

  8  the commission.

  9         (2)  The commission is encouraged to design, implement,

10  maintain, evaluate, and revise criminal justice training

11  courses, or to enter into contracts for such training courses,

12  that are intended to provide for the safety and well-being of

13  the citizens of and visitors to this state.

14         (3)  The program shall be responsible for the accuracy

15  of curriculum content through the identification and revision

16  of typographical or grammatical errors, incorrect statutory

17  citations, or information which can be identified as

18  inaccurate by superior references. The commission shall be

19  advised of any revision, and a copy of revised curricula shall

20  be provided to all criminal justice training schools.

21         (4)  The commission may, by rule, establish a

22  sponsorship program for prospective officers. The rule shall

23  specify the provisions of s. 943.13 that must be satisfied

24  prior to the prospective officer's enrollment in a basic

25  recruit training course. However, the rule shall not conflict

26  with any laws or rules of the Department of Education relating

27  to student enrollment.

28         (5)  The commission, in consultation with the Florida

29  Violent Crime and Drug Control Council, shall establish

30  standards for basic and advanced training programs for law

31  enforcement officers in the subjects of investigating and

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  1  preventing violent crime. After January 1, 1995, every basic

  2  skills course required in order for law enforcement officers

  3  to obtain initial certification must include training on

  4  violent crime prevention and investigations.

  5         Section 8.  Subsection (2) of section 943.173, Florida

  6  Statutes, is amended to read:

  7         943.173  Examinations; administration; materials not

  8  public records; disposal of materials.--

  9         (2)  Each advanced and career development course

10  examination adopted by the commission shall be administered at

11  a certified criminal justice training school under the

12  supervision of the training center director.

13         Section 9.  Section 943.175, Florida Statutes, is

14  amended to read:

15         943.175  Inservice and specialized training.--

16         (1)  Inservice training programs, consisting of courses

17  established, implemented, and evaluated by an employing

18  agency, are the responsibility of the employing agency.

19  Inservice Specialized training programs, consisting of courses

20  established, implemented, and evaluated by a criminal justice

21  training school, are the responsibility of the criminal

22  justice training school. Inservice and specialized training

23  programs or courses need not be approved by the commission.

24         (2)  The commission shall, by rule, establish

25  procedures and criteria whereby an employing agency or

26  criminal justice training school seeking commission approval

27  of a specialized training program or course must submit the

28  program or course to the commission for evaluation. The

29  procedures and criteria shall include, but are not limited to,

30  a demonstration of job relevance and quality of instruction.

31

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  1         (2)(3)  Inservice or specialized training courses or

  2  programs shall not be part of the programs or courses

  3  established by the commission pursuant to s. 943.17, nor shall

  4  they be used to qualify an officer for salary incentive

  5  payment provided under s. 943.22.

  6         Section 10.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section

  7  943.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  8         943.22  Salary incentive program for full-time

  9  officers.--

10         (1)  For the purpose of this section, the term:

11         (a)  "Accredited college, university, or community

12  college" means a college, university, or community college

13  which has been accredited by the Southern Association of

14  Colleges and Schools, another regional accrediting agency, or

15  the Accrediting Commission for Independent Colleges and

16  Schools American Association of Collegiate Registrars and

17  Admissions Officers.

18         Section 11.  Subsections (2) and (6) of section 943.25,

19  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

20         943.25  Criminal justice trust funds; source of funds;

21  use of funds.--

22         (2)  There is created, within the Department of Law

23  Enforcement, the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Trust

24  Fund for the purpose of providing for the payment of necessary

25  and proper expenses incurred by the operation of the

26  commission and the Criminal Justice Professionalism Program

27  and providing commission-approved criminal justice advanced

28  and specialized training and criminal justice training school

29  enhancements and of establishing the provisions of s. 943.17

30  and developing the specific tests provided under s.

31  943.12(9)(10). The program shall administer the Criminal

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  1  Justice Standards and Training Trust Fund and shall report the

  2  status of the fund at each regularly scheduled commission

  3  meeting.

  4         (6)  No Training, room, or board cost may not be

  5  assessed against any officer or employing agency for any

  6  advanced and specialized training course funded from the

  7  Criminal Justice Standards and Training Trust Fund and offered

  8  through a criminal justice training school certified by the

  9  commission. Such expenses shall be paid from the trust fund

10  and are not reimbursable by the officer. Travel costs to and

11  from the training site are the responsibility of the trainee

12  or employing agency. Any compensation, including, but not

13  limited to, salaries and benefits, paid to any person during

14  the period of training shall be fixed and determined by the

15  employing agency; and such compensation shall be paid directly

16  to the person.

17         (a)  The commission shall develop a policy of

18  reciprocal payment for training officers from regions other

19  than the region providing the training.

20         (b)  An officer who is not employed or appointed by an

21  employing agency of this state may attend a course funded by

22  the trust fund, provided the officer is required to pay to the

23  criminal justice training school all training costs incurred

24  for her or his attendance.

25         Section 12.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (1), paragraph

26  (b) of subsection (2), paragraph (b) of subsection (3), and

27  paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section 316.640, Florida

28  Statutes, are amended to read:

29         316.640  Enforcement.--The enforcement of the traffic

30  laws of this state is vested as follows:

31         (1)  STATE.--

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  1         (a)1.a.  The Division of Florida Highway Patrol of the

  2  Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Division

  3  of Law Enforcement of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation

  4  Commission, the Division of Law Enforcement of the Department

  5  of Environmental Protection, and law enforcement officers of

  6  the Department of Transportation each have authority to

  7  enforce all of the traffic laws of this state on all the

  8  streets and highways thereof and elsewhere throughout the

  9  state wherever the public has a right to travel by motor

10  vehicle. The Division of the Florida Highway Patrol may employ

11  as a traffic accident investigation officer any individual who

12  successfully completes at least 200 hours of instruction in

13  traffic accident investigation and court presentation through

14  the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program as approved by the

15  Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission and funded

16  through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or

17  a similar program approved by the commission, but who does not

18  necessarily meet the uniform minimum standards established by

19  the commission for law enforcement officers or auxiliary law

20  enforcement officers under chapter 943. Any such traffic

21  accident investigation officer who makes an investigation at

22  the scene of a traffic accident may issue traffic citations,

23  based upon personal investigation, when he or she has

24  reasonable and probable grounds to believe that a person who

25  was involved in the accident committed an offense under this

26  chapter, chapter 319, chapter 320, or chapter 322 in

27  connection with the accident. This paragraph does not permit

28  the carrying of firearms or other weapons, nor do such

29  officers have arrest authority other than for the issuance of

30  a traffic citation as authorized in this paragraph.

31

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  1         b.  University police officers shall have authority to

  2  enforce all of the traffic laws of this state when such

  3  violations occur on or about any property or facilities that

  4  are under the guidance, supervision, regulation, or control of

  5  the State University System, except that traffic laws may be

  6  enforced off-campus when hot pursuit originates on-campus.

  7         c.  Community college police officers shall have the

  8  authority to enforce all the traffic laws of this state only

  9  when such violations occur on any property or facilities that

10  are under the guidance, supervision, regulation, or control of

11  the community college system.

12         d.  Police officers employed by an airport authority

13  shall have the authority to enforce all of the traffic laws of

14  this state only when such violations occur on any property or

15  facilities that are owned or operated by an airport authority.

16         (I)  An airport authority may employ as a parking

17  enforcement specialist any individual who successfully

18  completes a training program established and approved by the

19  Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission for parking

20  enforcement specialists but who does not otherwise meet the

21  uniform minimum standards established by the commission for

22  law enforcement officers or auxiliary or part-time officers

23  under s. 943.12. Nothing in this sub-sub-subparagraph shall be

24  construed to permit the carrying of firearms or other weapons,

25  nor shall such parking enforcement specialist have arrest

26  authority.

27         (II)  A parking enforcement specialist employed by an

28  airport authority is authorized to enforce all state, county,

29  and municipal laws and ordinances governing parking only when

30  such violations are on property or facilities owned or

31

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  1  operated by the airport authority employing the specialist, by

  2  appropriate state, county, or municipal traffic citation.

  3         e.  The Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement of the

  4  Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall have the

  5  authority to enforce traffic laws of this state only as

  6  authorized by the provisions of chapter 570. However, nothing

  7  in this section shall expand the authority of the Office of

  8  Agricultural Law Enforcement at its agricultural inspection

  9  stations to issue any traffic tickets except those traffic

10  tickets for vehicles illegally passing the inspection station.

11         f.  School safety officers shall have the authority to

12  enforce all of the traffic laws of this state when such

13  violations occur on or about any property or facilities which

14  are under the guidance, supervision, regulation, or control of

15  the district school board.

16         2.  An agency of the state as described in subparagraph

17  1. is prohibited from establishing a traffic citation quota. A

18  violation of this subparagraph is not subject to the penalties

19  provided in chapter 318.

20         3.  Any disciplinary action taken or performance

21  evaluation conducted by an agency of the state as described in

22  subparagraph 1. of a law enforcement officer's traffic

23  enforcement activity must be in accordance with written

24  work-performance standards. Such standards must be approved by

25  the agency and any collective bargaining unit representing

26  such law enforcement officer. A violation of this subparagraph

27  is not subject to the penalties provided in chapter 318.

28         (2)  COUNTIES.--

29         (b)  The sheriff's office of each county may employ as

30  a traffic crash investigation officer any individual who

31  successfully completes at least 200 hours of instruction in

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  1  traffic crash investigation and court presentation through the

  2  Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) as approved by

  3  the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission and

  4  funded through the National Highway Traffic Safety

  5  Administration (NHTSA) or a similar program approved by the

  6  commission, but who does not necessarily otherwise meet the

  7  uniform minimum standards established by the commission for

  8  law enforcement officers or auxiliary law enforcement officers

  9  under chapter 943. Any such traffic crash investigation

10  officer who makes an investigation at the scene of a traffic

11  crash may issue traffic citations when, based upon personal

12  investigation, he or she has reasonable and probable grounds

13  to believe that a person who was involved has committed an

14  offense under this chapter in connection with the crash. This

15  paragraph does not permit the carrying of firearms or other

16  weapons, nor do such officers have arrest authority other than

17  for the issuance of a traffic citation as authorized in this

18  paragraph.

19         (3)  MUNICIPALITIES.--

20         (b)  The police department of a chartered municipality

21  may employ as a traffic crash investigation officer any

22  individual who successfully completes at least 200 hours of

23  instruction in traffic crash investigation and court

24  presentation through the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program

25  (STEP) as approved by the Criminal Justice Standards and

26  Training Commission and funded through the National Highway

27  Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or a similar program

28  approved by the commission, but who does not otherwise meet

29  the uniform minimum standards established by the commission

30  for law enforcement officers or auxiliary law enforcement

31  officers under chapter 943. Any such traffic crash

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  1  investigation officer who makes an investigation at the scene

  2  of a traffic crash is authorized to issue traffic citations

  3  when, based upon personal investigation, he or she has

  4  reasonable and probable grounds to believe that a person

  5  involved has committed an offense under the provisions of this

  6  chapter in connection with the crash. Nothing in this

  7  paragraph shall be construed to permit the carrying of

  8  firearms or other weapons, nor shall such officers have arrest

  9  authority other than for the issuance of a traffic citation as

10  authorized above.

11         (5)(a)  Any sheriff's department or police department

12  of a municipality may employ, as a traffic infraction

13  enforcement officer, any individual who successfully completes

14  at least 200 hours of instruction in traffic enforcement

15  procedures and court presentation through the Selective

16  Traffic Enforcement Program as approved by the Division of

17  Criminal Justice Standards and Training of the Department of

18  Law Enforcement, or through a similar program, but who does

19  not necessarily otherwise meet the uniform minimum standards

20  established by the Criminal Justice Standards and Training

21  Commission for law enforcement officers or auxiliary law

22  enforcement officers under s. 943.13.  Any such traffic

23  infraction enforcement officer who observes the commission of

24  a traffic infraction or, in the case of a parking infraction,

25  who observes an illegally parked vehicle may issue a traffic

26  citation for the infraction when, based upon personal

27  investigation, he or she has reasonable and probable grounds

28  to believe that an offense has been committed which

29  constitutes a noncriminal traffic infraction as defined in s.

30  318.14.

31         Section 13.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

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  1            *****************************************

  2                          HOUSE SUMMARY

  3
      Revises provisions relating to criminal justice standards
  4    and training. Requires the Criminal Justice Standards and
      Training Commission to conduct inquiries of criminal
  5    justice training instructors. Authorizes physician
      assistants to examine law enforcement officers as a
  6    condition of employment. Revises provisions relating to
      minimum basic training for temporary employees and
  7    officers. Deletes requirement to provide a remediation
      program for certain officers. Clarifies authority of
  8    agencies to employ officers certified in multiple
      disciplines. Revises provisions relating to
  9    commission-certified criminal justice training schools.
      Authorizes employing agencies to submit information
10    regarding fingerprints and criminal history checks.
      Revises provisions relating to basic recruit, advanced,
11    and career development programs. Provides for a
      specialized training program. Removes requirement that
12    certain examinations be adopted by the commission.
      Removes provisions relating to specialized training
13    programs. Clarifies authority for accreditation.
      Prohibits the assessment of costs for advanced and
14    specialized training under certain circumstances. Revises
      provisions relating to required instruction for certain
15    traffic officers.

16

17

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31

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