GENERAL NOTICE 03-4

To:                Chief Law Enforcement Officers
                     Training Officers
                     Protective Services
                     Resident Troopers

From:             Susan E. Rainville
                     Acting Executive Director

Date:             October 6, 2003

Subject:         Swearing In of “Probationary Candidates”

This is to notify all agencies that “Probationary Candidates” must be sworn in as police officers before they can attend any police academy. This is based on a legal decision from POST's counsel. Connecticut General Statute 7-294a reads as follows:

Sec. 7-294a. Police Officer Standards and Training Council. Definitions. As used in this section and sections 7-294b to 7-294e, inclusive, "academy" means the Connecticut Police Academy; "applicant" means a prospective police officer who has not commenced employment or service with a law enforcement unit; "basic training" means the minimum basic law enforcement training received by a police officer at the academy or at any other certified law enforcement training academy; "certification" means the issuance by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council to a police officer, police training school or to a law enforcement instructor of a signed instrument evidencing satisfaction of the certification requirements imposed by section 7-294d, and signed by the council; "council" means the Police Officer Standards and Training Council; "Governor" includes any person performing the functions of the Governor by authority of the law of this state; "review training" means training received after minimum basic law enforcement training; "law enforcement unit" means any agency, organ or department of this state or a subdivision or municipality thereof, whose primary functions include the enforcement of criminal or traffic laws, the preservation of public order, the protection of life and property, or the prevention, detection or investigation of crime; "police officer" means a sworn member of an organized local police department, an appointed constable who performs criminal law enforcement duties, a special policeman appointed under section 29-18, 29-18a or 29-19 or any member of a law enforcement unit who performs police duties; "probationary candidate" means a police officer who, having satisfied preemployment requirements, has commenced employment with a law enforcement unit but who has not satisfied the training requirements provided for in section 7-294d; "school" means any school, college, university, academy or training program approved by the council which offers law enforcement training and includes a combination of a course curriculum, instructors and facilities.

Any “Probationary Candidate” who attends any academy will not be allowed to enter without being sworn in by their town/agency.

You are also reminded that under Police Officer Standards and Training Council Regulation, 7-294e-1(c) “Limitation of Probationary Candidates,” probationary candidates, while undergoing basic training, may not have contact with citizens unless such probationary candidates are accompanied by, and working in concert with, a currently certified law enforcement officer.