Can I attend the Academy and pay the expenses myself?
No. Attendance at the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy is restricted to people who are employed by Law Enforcement Agencies or accepted through the Veterans to Law Enforcement Program.
What is the Veterans to Law Enforcement Program?
The program allows qualified veterans to attend the Academy without being employed by a law enforcement agency. A veteran must have served at least six months active duty and meet other state and program requirements. Students are responsible for payment of all costs, however; most students have successfully used Veterans Administration Education Benefits to cover the cost. Please contact Juan Reyes for additional information and how to apply.
How old do I have to be to be employed by a Law Enforcement Agency?
This, and all other minimum standards for employment as a law enforcement officer, can be found in Rule 1002.
What if I attended a basic academy in a different state?
Rule 1008 allows the Commission to grant a waiver upon presentation of documentary evidence that an officer has satisfactorily completed equivalent training. The training must have been approved or certified in the state where the training was received. If you attended a basic academy in a different state and have questions about an Arkansas certification, please contact the Standards office.
Can our Department conduct its own Radar Course?
Yes, as long as the course is taught by a certified police traffic radar instructor and the course curriculum has been approved by the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards.
How do I submit course attendance rosters to Standards?
Attendance Rosters are now submitted through the portal. A list of Frequently Asked Portal Questions can be found at www.clest.org.
My radar operator certificate has expired; do I have to attend the entire course again?
Radar certificates issued after March 3, 2016 do not have an expiration date. The radar refresher is no longer required. If your radar certificate has an expiration date, simply submit the F-7 form before the expiration date to have the certificate renewed. As long as you are not separated from a law enforcement status that is eligible for radar certification for more than three years, then the radar certificate will not expire. Please be aware that CLEST is no longer issuing a wallet card along with the certificate. In addition, the full radar class is now eight (8) hours.
What is required to become a Field Training Officer?
A Field Training Officer (FTO) must have a minimum of three years of experience as a full-time law enforcement officer, a General Certificate, and successfully complete a 32 hour, CLEST approved, Field Training Officer course. Once you have met these requirements, apply to Standards for your FTO certificate. See CLEST Rule 1014 for further information.
What is required to become a certified instructor?
The CLEST rules for certification of instructors are contained in Rule 1016. If you meet all of the requirements, apply to Standards for your instructor certificate.
Can our department conduct its own Firearms Instructor Course?
Yes, as long as the course is taught by a Certified Firearms Instructor and the course curriculum has been approved by the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards & Training.
Who provides the exam for the Firearms Instructor Course?
The instructor providing the training will also provide the exam for the Firearms Instructor Course.
I am a certified instructor, does that entitle me to teach anything our department requires or am I limited in what I can teach?
Instructor certification information is covered in Rule 1016 . If there is a question regarding what you are able to teach, contact the Standards Office.
What do I have to send to Standards to certify a course?
Standards requires an outline and course description of the subject material being offered, a schedule of classes, brief background showing qualifications of instructors and the name of the school director or coordinator. Please see the Portal Frequently Asked Question section at www.clest.org for additional information.
How many hours of training are required annually for all law enforcement officers?
As of January 1, 2020, all classifications of law enforcement officers, including auxiliary officers, must complete twenty-four (24) hours of CLEST-approved training annually. Firearms qualifications and racial profiling training are included in the twenty-four hour minimum standard requirement.
How often do you send new training schedules out to the departments?
All Training information can be found on our website.
Where do I get my Retired Firearms Card?
As of February, 2018, the Standards office no longer issues retired firearms cards. The card template can now be found at www.clest.org. Your firearms instructor is authorized to issue the card. The instructor will need your CLEST ID number and the CLEST course approval number to issue the card. Please note that your training must be submitted to Standards. In the event a law enforcement agency questions whether you have met the qualification requirement, the Standards Office will have the official record.