North Carolina General Statutes § 17C-6 (See Editor's Note) Powers of Commission

(a)        In addition to powers conferred upon the Commission elsewhere in this Chapter, the Commission shall have the following powers, which shall be enforceable through its rules and regulations, certification procedures, or the provisions of G.S. 17C-10:

(1)        Promulgate rules and regulations for the administration of this Chapter, which rules may require (i) the submission by any criminal justice agency of information with respect to the employment, education, retention, and training of its criminal justice officers, and (ii) the submission by any criminal justice training school of information with respect to its criminal justice training programs that are required by this Chapter.

(2)        Establish minimum educational and training standards that must be met in order to qualify for entry level employment and retention as a criminal justice officer in temporary or probationary status or in a permanent position. The standards for entry level employment shall include education and training in response to, and investigation of, domestic violence cases, as well as training in investigation for evidence-based prosecutions.

(3)        Certify and recertify, suspend, revoke, or deny, pursuant to the standards that it has established for the purpose, persons as qualified under the provisions of this Chapter to be employed at entry level and retained as criminal justice officers.

(4)        Establish minimum standards for the certification of criminal justice training schools and programs or courses of instruction that are required by this Chapter.

(5)        Certify and recertify, suspend, revoke, or deny, pursuant to the standards that it has established for the purpose, criminal justice training schools and programs or courses of instruction that are required by this Chapter.

(6)        Establish minimum standards and levels of education and experience for all criminal justice instructors and school directors who participate in programs or courses of instruction that are required by this Chapter.

(7)        Certify and recertify, suspend, revoke, or deny, pursuant to the standards that it has established for the purpose, criminal justice instructors and school directors who participate in programs or courses of instruction that are required by this Chapter.

(8)        Investigate and make such evaluations as may be necessary to determine if criminal justice agencies, schools, and individuals are complying with the provisions of this Chapter.

(9)        Adopt and amend bylaws, consistent with law, for its internal management and control.

(10)      Enter into contracts incident to the administration of its authority pursuant to this Chapter.

(11)      Establish minimum standards and levels of training for certification and periodic recertification of operators of and instructors for training programs in radio microwave, laser, and other electronic speed-measuring instruments.

(12)      Certify and recertify, suspend, revoke, or deny, pursuant to the standards that it has established, operators and instructors for training programs for each approved type of radio microwave, laser, and other electronic speed-measuring instruments.

(13)      In conjunction with the Secretary of Public Safety, approve use of specific models and types of radio microwave, laser, and other speed-measuring instruments and establish the procedures for operation of each approved instrument and standards for calibration and testing for accuracy of each approved instrument.

(13a)    Expired effective September 30, 2007. See note.

(14)      Establish minimum standards for in-service training for criminal justice officers. In-service training standards shall include training in response to, and investigation of, domestic violence cases, as well as training investigation for evidence-based prosecutions.

(15)      Establish minimum standards and levels of training for certification of instructors for the domestic violence training required by subdivisions (2) and (14) of this subsection.

(16)      Establish standards and guidelines for the annual firearms certification of qualified retired law enforcement officers, as defined in G.S. 14-415.10(4a), to efficiently implement the provisions of G.S. 14-415.25. The standards shall provide for the courses, qualifications, and the issuance of the annual firearms qualification certification. The Commission may adopt any rules necessary to effect the provisions of this section, and may charge a reasonable fee to applicants for the costs incurred in compliance with this subdivision.

(b)        The Commission shall have the following powers, which shall be advisory in nature and for which the Commission is not authorized to undertake any enforcement actions:

(1)        Identify types of criminal justice positions, other than entry level positions, for which advanced or specialized training and education are appropriate, and establish minimum standards for the certification of persons as being qualified for those positions on the basis of specified education, training, and experience; provided, that compliance with these minimum standards shall be discretionary on the part of criminal justice agencies with respect to their criminal justice officers;

(2)        Certify, pursuant to the standards that it has established for the purpose, criminal justice officers for those criminal justice agencies that elect to comply with the minimum education, training, and experience standards established by the Commission for positions for which advanced or specialized training, education, and experience are appropriate;

(3)        Consult and cooperate with counties, municipalities, agencies of this State, other governmental agencies, and with universities, colleges, junior colleges, and other institutions concerning the development of criminal justice training schools and programs or courses of instruction;

(4)        Study and make reports and recommendations concerning criminal justice education and training in North Carolina;

(5)        Conduct and stimulate research by public and private agencies which shall be designed to improve education and training in the administration of criminal justice;

(6)        Study, obtain data, statistics, and information and make reports concerning the recruitment, selection, education, retention, and training of persons serving criminal justice agencies in this State; to make recommendations for improvement in methods of recruitment, selection, education, retention, and training of persons serving criminal justice agencies;

(7)        Make recommendations concerning any matters within its purview pursuant to this Chapter;

(8)        Appoint such advisory committees as it may deem necessary;

(9)        Do such things as may be necessary and incidental to the administration of its authority pursuant to this Chapter;

(10)      Formulate basic plans for and promote the development and improvement of a comprehensive system of education and training for the officers and employees of criminal justice agencies consistent with its rules and regulations;

(11)      Maintain liaison among local, State and federal agencies with respect to criminal justice education and training;

(12)      Promote the planning and development of a systematic career development program for criminal justice professionals.

(c)        All decisions and rules and regulations heretofore made by the North Carolina Criminal Justice Training and Standards Council and the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training System Council shall remain in full force and effect unless and until repealed or suspended by action of the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission established herein. The present Councils are terminated on December 31, 1979, and their power, duties and responsibilities vest in the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission effective January 1, 1980.

(d)       The standards established by the Commission pursuant to G.S. 17C-6(a)(11) and 17C-6(a)(12) and by the Commission and the Secretary of Public Safety pursuant to G.S. 17C-6(a)(13) shall not be less stringent than standards established by the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Bureau of Standards, or the Federal Communications Commission.  (1971, c. 963, s. 6; 1975, c. 372, s. 2; 1979, c. 763, s. 1; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1184, ss. 1, 2; 1989, c. 757, s. 4; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 18, s. 2; 1995, c. 509, s. 14.1; 2000-140, s. 38.1(b); 2002-159, s. 29; 2003-280, s. 3; 2004-186, ss. 2.1, 2.3, 2.5; 2005-27, ss. 1, 2; 2007-427, s. 2; 2009-546, s. 2; 2011-145, s. 19.1(g).)

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Last modified: March 23, 2014