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New Criminal Record Disqualifer Entrance Standards

2/9/2017

Peace Officer Basic Training Commander,

As you know, a person cannot attend peace officer basic training if they have a state or federal weapons disqualifier, or do not have driving privileges.

In September, in responses to recommendations from the Attorney General’s Advisory Group on Law Enforcement Training, the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission approved amendments expanding the list of offenses that would disqualify someone from attending peace officer basic training found in Ohio Administrative Code section 109:2-1-03.  Those amendments have now also been approved by the legislature and will be effective for any peace officer basic training schools starting on or after January 1, 2017. 

The new disqualifiers, including the ones we have considered in the past, are:

Any felony conviction;

Any person currently registering as a sex offender, child-victim offender, or arson offender;

Any person under indictment or otherwise charged with an offense under ORC Chapter 2925, Drug Offenses; Chapter 3719, Controlled Substances, or Chapter 4729, Dangerous Drugs, that involves the illegal possession, use, sale, administration, or distribution of or trafficking in a drug of abuse – if they are convicted of that offense, they are disqualified for a three year period;

Any person under indictment or otherwise charged with a misdemeanor offense of violence – if they are convicted of that offense, they are disqualified for a three year period;

Any person under indictment or otherwise charged with a violation of ORC 2903.14, Negligent Assault;

Any person convicted of or pleaded guilty to an offense under ORC Chapter 2913, Theft and Fraud,  or a municipal ordinance that is substantially similar is disqualified for a three year period. 

When we receive the background checks from BCI we will be reviewing them for these new disqualifiers.   In your position, it’s assumed that individuals considering a career as a peace officer will inquire with you and/or your organizations may have literature about how the qualify for your programs.  Even though these changes do not directly impact your responsibilities to OPOTC, we wanted to ensure you knew of the changes.

Let us know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Alice Robinson-Bond

Deputy Director – Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission

Office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine

Office Number: 740-845-2683 Fax Number: 866-429-9023

Alice.Robinson-Bond@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov

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