Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-92
Section 2168 - Automatic certification(a) General rule.--All police officers, including deputy sheriffs in counties of the second class, hired prior to June 18, 1974, shall be automatically certified for basic training but shall be required to complete the in-service training as set forth in section 2164(7) (relating to powers and duties of commission). (b) Campus or university police.--Any campus or university police officer who, as of August 27, 1993, has successfully completed a basic training course similar to that required under this subchapter shall, after review by the commission, be certified as having met the basic training requirements of this subchapter. Any campus or university police officer who, as of August 27, 1993, has not successfully completed a basic training course similar to that required under this subchapter which qualifies the police officer for certification under this subsection shall be able to perform the duties of a campus or university police officer until certified by the commission, but no later than August 29, 1994. (c) Deputy sheriffs in counties of the second class.--Deputy sheriffs in counties of the second class who have successfully completed the basic training course under this subchapter prior to February 6, 1995, shall be assigned a certification number under this subchapter. (d) Railroad and street railway police.--Any railroad or street railway police officer who, as of the effective date of this subsection, has successfully completed a basic training course similar to that required under this chapter shall, after review by the commission, be certified as having met the basic requirements of this chapter. Any railroad or street railway police officer who, as of the effective date of this subsection, has not successfully completed a basic training course similar to that required under this chapter which qualifies the police officer for certification shall be able to perform the duties of a railroad or street railway police officer until certified by the commission, but no longer than one year from the effective date of this subsection. (e) School Police Officer Certification.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a School Police Officer, as defined in section 1301-C of the act of March 14, 1949 ( P.L. 30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, shall be eligible to maintain certification if the School Police Officer meets the following:(1) Satisfactorily completed the basic educational and training requirements established under this subchapter.(2) Satisfactorily completed the minimum number of in-service training hours established by the commission and required to maintain certification.(3) Either: (i) Has an active certification on or after the effective date of this subsection; or(ii) Was previously certified as a police officer by the commission, which certification lapsed within the last two years, and has been employed, with no lapse in service, as a School Police Officer in this Commonwealth under section 1302-C of the Public School Code of 1949.Amended by P.L. TBD 2022 No. 121, § 3, eff. 11/3/2022.1996, Dec. 19, P.L. 1158, No. 177, § 1, effective in 60 days. Amended 1998, May 5, P.L. 301, No. 50, § 1, effective in 60 days; 1999, Nov. 24, P.L. 539, No. 49, § 2, effective in 60 days.Section 3 4 of the 2022 amendment provides that campus police, as defined in section 2001-A(20) of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, who have successfully completed the basic training course from the commission and obtained a psychological evaluation for employment as a law enforcement officer before the effective date of this section shall be automatically certified by the Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission.