The Instructor Certification Committee is one of three committees of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council. The committee meets quarterly during the law enforcement council meetings in February, May, August and November. The Instructor Certification Committee conducts the final process for certification for new instructors during the meeting by having a face-to-face interview with the instructor applicant. If the committee approves, the applicant is granted original certification for a 5-year period. The committee also reviews applications for Continued Certification, Additional Certification and Waived Certification.
Historical Facts
March 19, 1969, the first 33 instructors were certified by virtue of a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice or related area.
February 1971, a law enforcement instructor development course was provided from Northwestern University and the first 80-hour Instructor Development Course was utilized and was required to become a certified law enforcement instructor.
November 1985, the face-to-face interview with the Instructor Certification Committee was added to complete the certification process.
January 1, 2019, the Instructor Development Course originally was 120 hours and then dropped back to 80 hours. It remained at 80 hours until January 1, 2019, when it changed to a 40-hour class.
January 1, 2020, the Instructor Development Course reverted back to an 80-hour class.
Instructor Development courses currently approved by the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council:
Department of Criminal Justice Training - Law Enforcment Instructor Development Course (80 Hours)
Lexington Police Training Academy - Lexington Police Department Instructor Training Course (40 Hours)
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center - Law Enforcement Instructor Training Program (80 Hours)
Areas of Certification
KLEC Instructor Certification Areas document provides the subject areas, pre-requisites and the minimum requirements to instruct in specific subject areas.
Legislation for Certification
All police instructors are required to be certified or waived (KRS 15.370)
Police instructors must be certified in specific field/subject matter or academic discipline (503 KAR 1:100)
Hours of attendance are adhered to (KRS 15.330)
Requirements of Certification
The following is considered when the Instructor Certification Committee reviews each certification application:
Original Certification
Submit KLEC Form 1 – Original Instructor Certification Application
Complete the Instructor Development Course
Minimum 3 years law enforcement experience with specific training in field(s) requested.
High school diploma or equivalent
Related job experience
Applied to be certified by interview by the Instructor Certification Committee
Continued Certification
The Training Director shall submit KLEC Form 5 – Continued Instructor Certification at least 30 days prior to the date of the Council meeting at which the request will be reviewed. A Monitor Evaluation Form is required with all Continued Certification Forms.
If the certification has expired, the instructor shall be considered inactive and that instructor may not teach in KLEC certified courses. (See re-certification procedures).
Re-certification
Re-certification is required in cases when an instructor has allowed certification to lapse and is inactive.
To gain active status, the inactive instructor must teach a minimum of 5 hours, be monitored by a KLEC Monitor and submit KLEC Form 5 – Continued Instructor Certification along with the Monitor Evaluation Report to the Certification Committee for review. The form must be submitted 30 days prior to the date of the meeting at which the request will be reviewed.
Additional Certification
To acquire additional subject areas of certification for an instructor, the Training Director shall submit KLEC Form 6 – Additional Instructor Certification along with the required documentation. Required areas for interviews before the Instructor Certification Committee are Leadership and LEN Instructor Development. The form must be submitted 30 days prior to the date of the meeting at which the request will be reviewed.
Waived Certification
Submit KLEC Form 8 – Request for Waiver Certification.
The Instructor Certification Committee may waive the police instructor training requirement in 503 KAR 1:100 for all non-law enforcement employees/professionals. The waiver allows professional non-law enforcement personnel to be waived from the requirement to complete the LEN Instructor Development Course. Sworn personnel cannot obtain a waiver. Waivers for professionals are granted for life. Waivers for life will never expire unless a professional license is revoked and thus the waiver would be revoked.
Any academy with a certified peace officer who is a professional and certified in their field (i.e. psychologist, attorney) may be waived from attending the LEN Instructor Development Course.
Temporary Instructor Certification
A Temporary Instructor Certification (TIC) is only available for individuals that need to be certified instructors, who are unable to obtain the required instructor development training prior to their first teaching assignment and do not meet the requirements of a waived instructor because they are sworn entities. A KLEC approved Law Enforcement Instructor Development course and the certification process must be completed within two (2) years of the approval date of the TIC.
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