4 Colo. Code Regs. § 901-1-25

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 22, November 25, 2024

Rule 4 CCR 901-1-25 - Academy Instructor Training Programs

Effective November 1, 2024

(a) Only the following Colorado POST academy instructor training programs (Instructor Program/s) shall be recognized under this Rule:

(I) Instruction Methodology Program;

(II) Arrest Control Instructor Program;

(III) Handgun Instructor Program;

(IV) Law Enforcement Driving Instructor Program;

(V) Red dot sight instructor program.

(b) Each scheduled training class of a recognized Instructor Program must:

(I) Contain a minimum of forty (40) hours of instruction; and

(II) Be approved prior to the start of instruction.

(c) Continuing Instructor Programs

(I) A continuing Instructor Program is one that has been approved, conducts and completes at least one approved training class every five (5) years and operates in compliance with this Rule. If a continuing program does not complete at least one approved training class in any consecutive five (5) year period, approval of the program shall expire. An expired program must be submitted to POST for approval as a new program and be approved prior to providing any instruction.

(II) The program director must ensure that the following documents are received at POST at least thirty (30) days but no more than sixty (60) days prior to the start of instruction for each scheduled training class.

(A) A completed POST Form 8, Application for Academy Instructor Training Program Approval; and

(B) If instruction will take place outside of normal weekday business hours, a schedule that accurately displays the dates and times when instruction will be conducted must be provided.

(III) The program director shall notify POST prior to the occurrence of any of the following:

(A) The program is cancelled for any reason; or

(B) There is any change of the program's start date or end date; or

(C) There is any change of training site.

(d) New Instructor Programs

(I) A new Instructor Program is a recognized program that has either never conducted approved training, or a previously approved program that has not conducted approved training within the previous five (5) years.

(II) The program director of a proposed new Instructor Program is advised to contact POST at least ninety (90) days prior to the anticipated start date to ascertain application procedures and deadlines for submitting the required documentation to POST for approval.

(III) Required documentation for a new Instructor Program may include, but is not limited to, the program's lesson plan, instructor documents and site video.

(IV) The program director must also ensure that the documents listed in paragraph (c)(II) of this Rule are received at POST at least thirty (30) days but no more than sixty (60) days prior to the start of instruction.

(e) Lesson Plans

(I) Each lesson plan of a recognized Instructor Program must include the following information, as applicable:

(A) Program provider's name or agency; and

(B) Program title as specified in the applicable POST Instructor Program; and

(C) Most recent date the lesson plan was created or revised, and name(s) of the person(s) who created or revised it; and

(D) Number of actual hours the program will be instructed, and the number of hours required by the POST Instructor Program; and

(E) Learning goals, course objectives and/or performance outcomes; and

(F) Instructional content of the course that substantiates the stated goals, objectives and/or performance outcomes meet the POST requirements; and

(G) Testing and/or assessment methods utilized to measure the objectives and/or performance outcomes; and

(H) A copy of any handouts, multimedia and/or PowerPoint presentations that will be used during the instruction.

(II) The program director shall ensure that each lesson plan is updated, as necessary, to confirm the content complies with current POST program requirements and POST Rules.

(III) The current lesson plan must be present at the site of instruction whenever training for the Instructor Program is being conducted.

(IV) If a provider seeks to utilize a substantially different lesson plan than the one initially approved, the lesson plan must be resubmitted to POST for approval.

(V) The program director shall ensure that all instructors who teach any portion of an Instructor Program for a particular provider utilize only the lesson plan specific to that provider.

(f) Attendance

(I) For all hours of an approved Instructor Program for arrest control, handgun, or law enforcement driving, 100% attendance and participation are required.

(II) For Instruction Methodology Programs, enrollees are expected to attend and participate in all required hours of the approved program.

(g) Training Sites

(I) Upon the effective date of this Rule, only POST approved sites shall be utilized to conduct any practical skills training of the Instructor Programs for arrest control, handgun, or law enforcement driving.

(II) Sites for lecture portions of the skills Instructor Programs as well as sites for Instruction Methodology Programs do not require POST approval. However, such sites must be safe and appropriate for the nature and scope of lecture provided.

(III) Sites that are currently approved for skills training at POST approved Basic, Reserve or Refresher academies may be utilized for conducting the same nature of practical skills training for Instructor Programs.

(IV) The program director is responsible for confirming with POST that all of its sites for practical skills training are currently approved.

(V) If an approved site is not utilized during any consecutive three (3) year period for the type of training for which the site was approved, site approval expires. Before training can resume at an expired site, the site must be submitted for approval and approved by POST in consultation with the appropriate Subject Matter Expert (SME) Committee.

(VI) To request approval of a new or expired site of practical skills training, the following items must be submitted to POST:

(A) Video in a digital media format approved by POST that accurately depicts the site where instruction is to take place; and

(B) A detailed description of the site must be included, either as verbal narrative on the video or as a written supplement.

(VII) All sites are required to comply with the provisions of Rule 21(d).

(h) Duty to Report

(I) The program director shall ensure that all instructors who teach any portion of an Instructor Program are familiar with this Section (h), Duty to report.

(II) In addition to any notifications that may be required administratively or under federal, state or local law, it shall be the duty of every program director or his designee to report the following events to POST as soon as practicable after the event:

(A) Any death, gunshot wound, serious bodily injury (SBI), diagnosed concussion, or any injury which caused a student's departure from the course that was either caused by, or may have been caused by, any training or activity associated with the program; or

(B) Any bodily injury that occurs to any person who is not affiliated with the program, i.e., an innocent bystander, whose bodily injury was either caused by, or may have been caused by, any training or activity associated with the program.

(III) Training to Cease

(A) In the event of any death or gunshot wound as described in paragraph (h)(II)(A) of this section, all training shall immediately cease at the training site where the death or gunshot wound occurred.

(B) Training may resume only after the Board or its designated representative(s) have ensured that the program is operating in compliance with POST Rules.

(IV) Serious bodily injury means those injuries as defined in § 18-1-901(3)(p), C.R.S.

(V) Bodily injury means those injuries as defined in § 18-1-901(3)(c), C.R.S.

(i) Instructors

(I) For new Instructor Programs, all instructors shall be approved by POST in accordance with the minimum instructor qualifications identified in the applicable Instructor Program.

(II) For continuing Instructor Programs, the program director shall ensure that all instructors who instruct any portion of the program meet the minimum instructor qualifications identified in the applicable Instructor Program.

(j) Certificates of Completion

(I) The program director shall issue a certificate of completion to each individual who successfully completes all requirements of the approved Instructor Program.

(II) Each certificate of completion shall contain at least the following information:

(A) The exact name of the Instructor Program as it appears in Section (a) of this Rule; and

(B) The exact words "POST Approved"; and

(C) Name of the individual who completed the program; and

(D) Program provider's name or agency; and

(E) Dates of the program; and

(F) Total number of hours of the completed program; and

(G) Signature of the program director and/or agency or academic representative; and

(H) Arrest control Instructor Program certificates of completion shall also contain the name of the arrest control discipline.

(k) POST Grant Funds

(I) In order to be eligible to receive POST grant funds for an Instructor Program, the program must comply with the current "Peace Officer Standards and Training Law Enforcement Continuing Education Program Guidelines for Colorado POST Award Recipients" (i.e., Grant Guidelines).

(II) For purposes of this Rule, current Grant Guidelines are considered to be those in effect on the start date of the program.

4 CCR 901-1-25

37 CR 24, December 25, 2014, effective 1/14/2015

39 CR 01, January 10, 2016, effective 1/31/2016

40 CR 08, April 25, 2017, effective 7/1/2017

41 CR 07, April 10, 2018, effective 4/30/2018

42 CR 01, January 10, 2019, effective 1/30/2019

43 CR 01, January 10, 2020, effective 1/30/2020

43 CR 20, October 25, 2020, effective 11/15/2020

44 CR 01, January 10, 2021, effective 1/30/2021

44 CR 08, April 25, 2021, effective 5/15/2021

44 CR 20, October 25, 2021, effective 11/15/2021

45 CR 01, January 10, 2022, effective 1/30/2022

45 CR 07, April 10, 2022, effective 5/15/2022

45 CR 19, October 10, 2022, effective 11/1/2022

46 CR 01, January 10, 2023, effective 1/30/2023

47 CR 20, October 25, 2024, effective 11/15/2024