New Mexico Administrative Code, Part 9, Section 10.29.9.8 - POLICE OFFICER MINIMUM STANDARDS OF TRAINING | New Mexico Administrative Code

A. Block 1: Introduction to the academy: seven total block hours. This unit of instruction prepares the cadet officer for the academy experience, focusing on the responsibilities the cadet must undertake to successfully complete the basic police officer's certification academy. The subjects include:

(1) academy mission - one hour;

(2) overall academy objectives - two hours;

(3) rules and regulations of the academy - one hour;

(4) learning skills - two hours; and

(5) role and function of the New Mexico law enforcement academy (NMLEA) - one hour.

B. Block 2: Introduction to law enforcement in New Mexico: 20-six total block hours. This unit of instruction identifies the core background, principles and expectations of being a certified law enforcement officer in the state of New Mexico. The subjects include:

(1) history and principles of law enforcement - one hour;

(2) cultural diversity - four hours;

(3) ethics and moral issues/sexual harassment - eight hours;

(4) the New Mexico criminal justice system - two hours;

(5)criminal and civil liability - standards of performance - three hours; and

(6) survival Spanish for law enforcement - eight hours.

C. Block 3: Physical and emotional readiness: 64 total block hours. This unit of instruction will instruct the student in health and physical fitness concepts, flexibility, strength, body composition and cardiovascular endurance. The student will be expected to successfully complete both entrance and exit standards of fitness and exit standards of job-related agility. The subjects and standards include:

(1) physical fitness practical training time - 60 hours;

(2) emotional health, officer suicide and stress management - three hours;

(3) nutrition - one hour; and

(4) fitness standards for basic police officer training academy entrance and exit standards. Complete medical exam packets, law enforcement academy form three (LEA 3), must have been signed by a medical doctor and have been received with final clearance and approval prior to physical fitness testing being administered by academy staff. All entrance times were set by the NMLEA board on September 3, 2014, with the altitude adjustment adopted by the NMLEA board on June 8, 2016. Physical fitness testing standards:

>6000' + 40 sec adj.	Entrance Standard	Mid-Point Standard	Exit Standard
1.5 Mile run	15:54	15:04	14:15
300 Meter	71.0 sec	67.5	64
Sit-ups (1 min)	27	32	37
Push-ups (1 min)	15	20	25
<6000'	Entrance Standard	Mid-Point Standard	Exit Standard
1.5 Mile run	15:14	14:24	13:45
300 Meter	71.0 sec	67.5	64
Sit-ups (1 min)	27	32	37
Push-ups (1 min)	15	20	25

*20 minute mandatory rest period between the 1.5 mile run and the 300 meter run.

(a) Sit-ups: The student starts by lying on their back, knees bent, heels flat on the floor, fingers interlaced and placed behind the head. Partner holds the feet down firmly. In the up position, the student should touch the elbows to knees and then return until the shoulder blades touch the floor. Any resting should be done in the up position. No rocking hips. If fingers become unlaced, adjustment must be made in the up position.

(b) Push-ups: The hands are placed about shoulder width apart. The administrator or partner places a fist on the floor below the student's chest at the midpoint of the sternum (unless a male is testing a female). Starting from the up position (elbows fully extended), the student must keep the back straight at all times (no swayback or elevated hips) and lower their body to the floor until the chest touches the administrator's fist. Student then returns to the up position. Any resting should be done in the up position. Modified push-ups are no longer optional for female applicants. All applicants are required to perform standard push-ups as described in (a) and (b) above.

(c) Exit job specific agility course standard: course #1: officer starts seated in his vehicle, hands on the steering wheel with seatbelt in use and wearing a 10 pound weight belt or vest around waist to simulate a gun belt. As the timed exercise begins, the officer will:

(i) release seatbelt and open vehicle door;

(ii) run 30 feet and open building door;

(iii) cross four foot threshold, run up two flights of stairs and pause for 60 sec. (Rise and Run of seven inches by 11 inches is standard, eight inches by 10 inches or six inches by 12 inches are acceptable. Standard floor landings are 10 feet high.) If only one floor is available it is acceptable to run up, run down, run up and pause 60 seconds. After 60 seconds, run down the stairs and out the door. There is no restriction on how the officer negotiates the stairs; however both feet must contact the top and bottom stair.

(4) Run 100 feet from door to a five foot high platform, run up steps, ladder, or ramp to the top of the platform and jump down.

(5) Run 37 and one-half feet, turn and reverse touching the ramp, run 25 feet to a six foot high wall and scale it. The wall is constructed of unpainted cinder block with a smooth top. If the applicant chooses, he or she may drag a rigid aid or object 10 feet from the side of the wall and use it to scale the wall. The rigid object will have handles, a flat top, weigh 50 pounds and be 25 inches tall.

(6) After scaling the wall, run 50 feet to a handcuff/arrest simulator, put arms down, touch ends and hold for 60 seconds. Arrest simulator is five foot high with 60 pounds resistance in the right arm and 40 pounds in left arm. End exercise. Passing score is three minutes five seconds.

(d) Course #2: Officer starts from a standing position wearing a 10 pound weight belt or vest around waist to simulate a gun belt. As the timed exercise begins, the officer will:

(i) Run 30 feet straight ahead and jump across a four foot wide barrier. The barrier is low to the ground, e.g. a ditch, highway divider, etc.

(ii) Run 12 and one-half feet, and climb, jump, or hurdle over a three foot high barrier. The barrier is to resemble a fence or low wall, no more than four inches wide and at least eight feet long, made of metal or wood.

(iii) Run 12 and one-half feet to the back of a vehicle equivalent to a full-sized police vehicle and push it 30 feet on a flat surface in the direction of a clear area where a victim extraction will take place. The car is occupied by a dummy (victim) wearing a seatbelt and weighing 190 pounds plus or minus 10 pounds. The dummy must meet standards established by the New Mexico law enforcement academy.

(iv) Approach the victim's door; open the door; undo the seatbelt; pull the victim out of the vehicle and drag them 20 feet perpendicular to the direction of the vehicle.

(v) Both officer and dummy (victim) must completely cross the finish line to end the exercise. Passing Score 42 seconds.

D. Block 4: Law and procedures: 50 total block hours. This unit of instruction informs the student about law and its application to the function of a law enforcement officer. The subjects include:

(1) authority and jurisdiction - three hours;

(2) constitutional law - one hour;

(3) criminal law - 10 hours;

(4) criminal procedure and laws of arrest - seven hours;

(5) search and seizure - 22 hours;

(6) civil law - one hour;

(7) liquor law - one hour;

(8) Indian country law - one hour;

(9) juvenile law - one hour;

(10) handling juveniles and their problems - one hour; and

(11) hate crimes - two hours.

E. Block 5: Patrol procedures and operations: 70 total block hours. This unit of instruction will cover the various types of incidents that a law enforcement officer can be expected to be involved in while on patrol, and the practices and procedures necessary to perform the patrol function. The subjects include:

(1) patrol procedures and operations - eight hours;

(2) vehicle stops techniques - two hours;

(3) road blocks and barricades - one hour;

(4)gangs, terrorism and explosive recognition overview - eight hours;

(5) critical incident management overview - eight hours;

(6) radio procedures - one hour;

(7) patrol response practicum - five hours;

(8) night-time vehicle stops practicum - five hours;

(9) officer survival - eight hours;

(10) building search practicum - eight hours;

(11) missing persons, silver alert, Brittney alert and Amber alert - seven hours;

(12) hazardous materials - eight hours; and

(13) transporting prisoners - one hour.

F. Block 6: Principles of criminal investigation: 46 total block hours. This unit of instruction shall prepare the officer to effectively secure a crime scene, conduct an investigation, collect evidence and prepare reports so suspects may be prosecuted. The subjects include:

(1) officer as first responder - eight hours;

(2) interview and interrogation techniques and skills - two hours;

(3) identifying, collecting and processing evidence - eight hours;

(4) identification of suspects - one hour;

(5) injury and death cases - three hours;

(6) sex crimes - three hours;

(7)controlled substances - three hours;

(8) informants and intelligence - two hours;

(9) surveillance - two hours;

(10) technology crimes and investigations - two hours;

(11)child abuse and neglect - four hours; and

(12) crime scene practicum - eight hours.

G. Block 7: Motor vehicle law enforcement: 40 total block hours. This unit of instruction will furnish the officer with information relating to the applicable motor vehicle laws and the criteria for conducting traffic enforcement operations. The subject includes:

(1) vehicle code enforcement - one hour;

(2) title, registration and vehicle identification - one hour;

(3) driver licensing - one hour;

(4)occupant safety - one hour;

(5) traffic enforcement strategies - one hour;

(6) DWI enforcement/impaired operator - 32 hours;

(7) commercial vehicle enforcement - one hour; and

(8) off highway motor vehicle act - one hour.

H. Block 8: Motor vehicle collision investigation and related issues: 24 total block hours. This unit of instruction will provide the student with a basic level of competency to conduct a traffic crash investigation; to have an awareness of the risk posed by hazardous materials and the officer's role in a hazardous materials incident. Hazardous materials foundational knowledge as taught in sub-block 5.12 is applied in sub-block 8.1. The subjects include:

(1) collision investigation - 23 hours; and

(2)vehicle crash forms - one hour.

I. Block 9: Crisis intervention/management: 40 total block hours. This unit of instruction will prepare the officer to effectively manage high-risk incidents by providing resolution techniques through crisis intervention with the goal of successful conclusion. The subjects include:

(1) behavior management and crisis intervention - eight hours;

(2) dispute intervention and conflict management - eight hours;

(3) handling the mentally ill and other specialty populations - 16 hours; and

(4) suicide, barricaded, hostage and suicide by police - eight hours.

J. Block 10: Domestic issues: 20 total block hours. This unit of instruction will focus on the cycle of violence, the rights of victims and the responsibilities of law enforcement and the assistance available to victims. The subjects include:

(1) domestic violence and police response - eight hours;

(2) victims assistance law and human trafficking - two hours;

(3) ensuring child safety upon parental arrest - two hours; and

(4) domestic violence practicum - eight hours.

K. Block 11: Note taking and report writing: 16 total block hours. This unit of instruction will provide the student with the competencies to effectively communicate in written form the necessary information required in a police report and other official communications. The subjects include: note taking and report writing - 16 hours.

L. Block 12: Defensive tactics and handling arrested persons: 86 total block hours. This unit of instruction will provide the student with techniques used to arrest and control subjects and also how to defend themselves from physical attack. The student will learn the relationship between the subjects actions, crimes suspected of committing and the proper application of force when reasonably necessary. The subjects include:

(1) use of force/force response to resistance - 12 hours;

(2) medical implications - one hour;

(3) oleo resin capsicum spray - three hours;

(4) mechanics of arrest, restraint and control practical - 62 hours; and

(5) electronic control devices (taser) - eight hours.

M. Block 13: Case presentation: 12 total block hours. This unit of instruction will give the student the skills for proper preparation and testimony in court and to prepare and question witnesses on the stand, make objections and arguments in petty misdemeanor and misdemeanor cases. The subjects include:

(1) court room testimony and demeanor - two hours; and

(2) police officer as prosecutor practical - 10 hours.

N. Block 14: Operation of a patrol vehicle: 54 total block hours. This unit of instruction will prepare the officer for proficiently operating a patrol vehicle, the various factors that affect the operation of a patrol vehicle, procedures for emergency driving and legal issues related to emergency vehicle operations. The student will demonstrate their competencies on the sub-skills (lane change, slalom, perception reaction, lolly-pop and backing) driving course with a precision closed course and a precision open course and overall course. Satellite academy courses will be equivalent to the New Mexico law enforcement academy emergency vehicle operator's course(s):

(1) introduction to emergency vehicle operations - two hours;

(2) safe pursuit act and legal issues - 16 hours;

(3) emergency response - two hours;

(4) vehicle dynamics - two hours; and

(5) skills development driving courses - 32 hours.

O. Block 15: Basic firearms (handgun) course: 77 total block hours. This unit of instruction will familiarize the student with the operation and maintenance of a firearm, firearm safety, safety equipment and fundamentals of marksmanship. The student will successfully complete the New Mexico firearms standardized qualification courses and will display proper decision-making in shoot/don't shoot simulations. The subjects include:

(1) basic firearms (handgun) practical training and qualifications - 68 hours;

(2) body armor - one hour; and

(3) deadly force decision making practicum simulator - eight hours.

P. Block 16: Academy administration: 40 total block hours. This unit is for the administration of the basic academy training program. This includes examinations and reviews, assessments, inspections, discretionary training time and graduation. The subjects include:

(1) cadet check in - three hours;

(2) orientation - four hours;

(3) block exams - 11 hours;

(4) physical assessments - four hours;

(5) administrative review - four hours;

(6) law enforcement officer certification exam (LEOCE) - four hours;

(7) equipment return - two hours;

(8) graduation rehearsal - two hours;

(9) graduation - three hours; and

(10) dorm check-out - three hours.

Q. Total basic training academy minimum hours required for certification: 672 total hours.

New Mexico Administrative CodeTitle 10 - PUBLIC SAFETY AND LAW ENFORCEMENTChapter 29 - LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMYPart 9 - POLICE OFFICERSection 10.29.9.8 - POLICE OFFICER MINIMUM STANDARDS OF TRAINING

New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 10 - PUBLIC SAFETY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
Chapter 29 - LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY
Part 9 - POLICE OFFICER
Section 10.29.9.8 - POLICE OFFICER MINIMUM STANDARDS OF TRAINING