Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 16, March 25, 2024
A. In
addition to meeting all the hiring requirements of the employing school board,
all school security officers who enter upon the duties of such office on or
after September 1, 2004, are required to meet the following minimum
certification and training requirements. Such person shall:
1. Undergo a background investigation to
include fingerprint-based criminal history record inquiry of both the Central
Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Results of such inquiries shall be examined by the employing school division
within 30 days of date of hire;
2.
Have a high school diploma, have passed the General Educational Development
exam, or have passed the National External Diploma Program;
3. Be a minimum of 21 years of age;
4. Possess a valid driver's license if
required by the duties of office to operate a motor vehicle;
5. Successfully complete basic first aid
training. The level and substance of such training shall be at the discretion
of the employing school division;
6. Comply with compulsory minimum entry-level
training requirements approved by the board:
a. Every school security officer hired on or
after September 1, 2004, is required to comply with the compulsory minimum
training standards within 60 days of the date of hire as a school security
officer.
b. The compulsory minimum
training shall consist of a Department of Criminal Justice Services-approved
security officer training course developed by the department. Such training
shall include but not be limited to:
(1) The
role and responsibility of school security officers;
(2) Relevant state and federal
laws;
(3) School and personal
liability issues;
(4) Security
awareness in the school environment;
(5) Mediation and conflict
resolution;
(6) Disaster and
emergency response; and
(7) Student
behavioral dynamics.
c.
The compulsory minimum training shall include a test for each module approved
and provided by the department with a minimum passing grade of 80% on each
module; and
7. Submit to
the department a properly completed and signed application for certification
from the localities in a format provided by the department.
B. All costs associated with the
background investigation, submission of fingerprints for criminal history
record inquiries, and basic first aid training to meet the hiring requirements
are the responsibility of that locality.
C. The department may grant an extension of
the time limit for completion of the compulsory minimum training standards
under the following documented conditions:
1.
Illness or injury;
2. Military
service;
3. Special duty required
and performed in the public interest;
4. Administrative leave, full-time
educational leave or suspension pending investigation or adjudication of a
crime; or
5. Any other reasonable
situation documented by the employing school division superintendent or
designee.
D. The
director may grant an exemption or partial exemption from the compulsory
minimum training standards set forth in this chapter to a law-enforcement
officer of the Commonwealth who has had previous experience and training as
provided in § 9.1-114 of the Code of Virginia.
Statutory Authority: § 9.1-102 of the Code of
Virginia.
