RULE 1 –Definitions
Effective December 1, 2012  August 14, 2013

As used in these rules:
(a)	"Academy director" means that person responsible for the administration and operation of a POST approved academy.
(b)	"Applicant" means any person formally seeking approval by the Board.
(c)	"Appointed" means sworn in and serving as a peace officer or reserve peace officer.
(d)	"Approved" means formally accepted or authorized by the Board.
(e)	"A.C.T." means Arrest Control Tactics, one of the skills training programs required for the basic and reserve training academies.
(f)	"Assistant Skills Instructor" means an individual who has successfully completed a relevant, approved skills training program and who may instruct the corresponding skills training program in arrest control, law enforcement driving, or firearms under the direction and in the presence of a full skills instructor, and assist in evaluating and coaching trainees at a basic or reserve training academy.
(g)	"Authorized emergency vehicle" means such vehicles identified in 42-1-102 C.R.S.
(h)	"Board" means the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training Board.
(i)	"Bodily injury" means physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical or mental condition. § 18-1-901(3)(c), C.R.S.
(j)	"Certification examination" means the written test required under § 24-31-305(1)(a)(III), C.R.S.
(k)	"Certified peace officer" means any person who has successfully attained POST Certification as described in § 24-31-305 and 24-31-308, C.R.S.
(l) 	"Conviction" means an adjudication of guilt following either a verdict of guilty by the court or jury, or a plea of guilty, or a plea of nolo contendere. Conviction includes deferred judgments and deferred sentences.
(m)	"Course" means a formal unit of instruction relating to a particular subject.
(n)	"C.R.S." means Colorado Revised Statutes, codified laws of the State of Colorado.
(o)	"Dimlight" means from one-half hour after local sunset to one-half hour before local sunrise. For indoor ranges, artificial light must be reduced to the lowest level which still allows for target identification and threat assessment without additional illumination from a flashlight.
(p)	"Director" means the director of the POST Board staff.
(q)	"Enroll" means that a person has applied to and been accepted for admission into an academy and is physically present at the academy to receive instruction.
(r)	"Enrollment date" means the first day of instruction at an approved basic or reserve training academy, and shall be synonymous with the first day of instruction as reflected on the approved academy schedule.
(s)	"Fingerprint-based criminal history record check" means submittal of a POST fingerprint card to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for criminal history check in CCIC and NCIC, as required in § 24-31-304(3), C.R.S.
(t)	"Full skills instructor" means an individual who has successfully completed the minimum qualifications required by these Rules and who may develop, implement and evaluate a skills training program at a basic or reserve training academy.
(u)	"Lateral training academy" means an agency-specific approved academy that instructs academic courses determined by the agency and all hours of the POST skills training programs in arrest control, law enforcement driving and firearms.
(v)	"Lead skills instructor" means a full skills instructor at a basic or reserve training academy who may be designated by the academy director to oversee or coordinate the administration of a specific skills program for a particular academy class.
(w)	"Lesson plan" means a document that specifically describes the material presented during a course of instruction.
(x)	"Moving training" means training where the academy students are involved in movement with a loaded weapon. It is recognized that during square range drills, academy students may move 1-2 steps laterally or forward/backward. The 1:1 ratio is not required for this drill. For all other drills/exercises involving movement a 1:1 ratio is required.
(y)	"Operable firearm" means a firearm that is capable of discharging a projectile (bullet) if loaded.
(z)	"Peace officer" means any person recognized in § 16-2.5-101, C.R.S.
(aa)	"POST certified" means any person possessing a valid, numbered certificate issued by the Board authorizing such person to serve as a peace officer or reserve peace officer.
(bb)	"POST fingerprint card" means a U.S. GPO: 2001 483-800/2-02321 FD-258 (Rev. 5-11-99) Applicant fingerprint card. The POST fingerprint card is stamped with the POST logo and address in the employer and address block, and stamped with "Law Enforcement Licensing (Must be submitted by a Law Enforcement Agency) § 24-31-303(1)(F), C.R.S.".

(cc)	"POST Identification Number" means a number assigned and unique to each active peace officer's certification file. All inquiries and correspondence to POST should contain this number.
(dd)	"POST ID Card" means an identification card with a unique identification number issued by the POST Board to all active peace officers who are certified by POST under Article 16, Section 2.5 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. The POST ID Card contains personal information related to the officer's POST certification file and history.
(ee)	"Program director" means that person responsible for the administration and operation of a POST approved training program.
(ff)	"Provisional certification" means a signed instrument issued by the POST Board that grants interim certification for qualified out-of-state peace officers seeking Colorado certification that enables the provisional applicant to obtain appointment as a peace officer in Colorado while fulfilling the requirements for basic certification.
(gg)	"Recognized disciplines for arrest control training" mean those defensive tactics systems that have been reviewed and approved by the Board in consultation with the Arrest Control Subject Matter Expert Committee. Such systems may include, but are not limited to, Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) system, Koga system and Pressure Point Control Tactics (P.P.C.T.) system.
(hh)	"Refresher academy" means an approved training program that consists of a minimum of 88 hours of instruction and includes academics or a POST Board approved web based distance learning program, law enforcement driving and firearms.
(ii)	"Relevant approved skills instructor training program" means a basic, not advanced, instructor training program that contains a minimum of forty (40) hours of instruction and with instructional content that meets or exceeds the content of the respective instructor training programs for arrest control, law enforcement driving, or firearms, and that has been formally accepted or authorized by the Board.
(jj)	"Renewal applicant" means an applicant whose Colorado peace officer certificate has expired per § 24-31-305(1.7)(b), C.R.S., and who has applied to renew his/her Colorado peace officer certificate in accordance with § 24-31-305(1.7)(c), C.R.S. and POST Rule 13.
(kk)	"Reserve peace officer" means any person described in § 16-2.5-110, C.R.S., and includes any person authorized to carry a firearm, conduct arrests, or enforce the laws of the state of Colorado pursuant to § 16-2.5-110, C.R.S., but does not include any person appointed by a sheriff limited to particular acts pursuant to § 30-10-506 and 510, C.R.S.
(ll)	"Serious bodily injury" means bodily injury which, either at the time of the actual injury or at a later time, involves a substantial risk of death, a substantial risk of serious permanent disfigurement, a substantial risk of protracted loss or impairment of the function of any part or organ of the body, or breaks, fractures, or burns of the second or third degree. § 18-1-901(3)(p), C.R.S.
(mm)	"Skills examination" means the approved practical test of an applicant's proficiency in arrest control, law enforcement driving, or firearms.
(nn)	"Skills-only training academy" means an approved academy instructing arrest control, law enforcement driving, and firearms, which meets the skills requirements under the POST basic curriculum and these Rules.
(oo)	"Skills training" means the required approved arrest control, law enforcement driving, and firearms courses.
(pp)	"State" means any State in the United States, the District of Columbia, and any territory or possession of the United States.
(qq)	"Subject Matter Expert (S.M.E.)" means an individual formally recognized by the Board for his or her extensive knowledge, expertise and/or experience in one of the skills areas or in academics.
(rr)	"Successful completion" means a POST-APPROVED ACADEMY OR PROGRAM score of seventy (70) percent or greater, or a grade of "C" or better, or a rating of pass, if offered as pass/fail. FOR THE CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION PASSING SCORE, SEE RULE 15.
(ss)	"Training academy" means a POST approved school, agency or other entity that provides POST approved training programs.
(tt)	"Training program" means a POST approved course of instruction required by statute, or Rule, or for peace officer certification and other peace officer training programs as otherwise recognized and approved by the Board.

RULE 15 -Certification Examination 
Basic, Provisional, Renewal
Effective December 1, 2012 August 14, 2013
(a)	To be eligible to take the certification examination, an applicant must complete and submit to POST, as applicable, either:
(I)	Form 1 - Application for Basic Peace Officer Certification; or
Form 3 - Application for Provisional Certification; or
Form 4 - Application for Renewal of Basic Certification; and
(II)	A copy of his/her approved basic training academy diploma; and
(III)	A copy of his/her high school diploma, or high school equivalency certificate; and
(IV)	A copy of his/her current first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification, or equivalents; and
(V)	A law enforcement agency check, purchase order, certified check, money order, or by electronic payment in the prescribed amount.
(b)	Certification examinations will be conducted by POST staff or POST approved designated proctor at academy locations. However, if the number of students sitting for the examination is four (4) or fewer, the students shall be required to take the examination at a location designated by POST
(c)	Refunds of certification examination fees shall not be provided unless the examination is postponed or canceled or under such other exceptional circumstances as determined by the Director. Otherwise, non-refunded fees may be credited to allow the applicant to take the next administration of the certification examination. Further credits or extensions shall not be permitted.
(d)	An applicant has a maximum of three attempts to pass the POST certification examination. The three attempts must be completed within two (2) years after completion of the academy. Applicants taking the examination for a second or third time must pay the fee for the additional examination, and such examination shall not be comprised of the same questions that comprised the prior examinations. If an applicant cannot pass the certification examination after three attempts, he or she must retake and successfully complete basic training in accordance with Rule 10(a)(V).
(e)	Any protest or challenge to an examination or its administration must be made in writing within ten (10) days of the examination. The Director shall issue his decision in writing within twenty (20) working days. The decisions of the Director shall be final, unless appealed to the Board in accordance with Rule 3(b).
(f)	An applicant must provide a valid photo ID prior to taking exam.

(g)	POST SETS A PASSING SCORE THAT REFLECTS THE LEVEL OF 	KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED FOR MINIMALLY COMPETENT 	PERFORMANCE AS AN ENTRY-LEVEL PEACE OFFICER IN THE STATE 	OF COLORADO. POST USES NATIONAL TESTING STANDARDS IN 	SETTING THE PASSING SCORE WHICH FALLS ON A TEST SCORE 	SCALE THAT RANGES FROM 0 TO 100. THIS RULE WILL GO INTO 	EFFECT UPON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REFORMULATED 	TEST ITEMS FOR THE POST CERTIFICATION EXAM.

Rule 20 – Vehicle Identification Number Inspector Programs
Effective March 8, 2004 August 14, 2013

(a)	Every vehicle identification number (VIN) inspector program must contain a minimum of seventeen (17) hours, and be approved prior to the start of instruction.

(b)	The program director must submit the following documentation to the Board at least sixty (60) days prior to the start of instruction:

(I)	A narrative of performance objectives for the program (new programs only); and

(II)	A list of courses to be taught and the time allocated for each course (new programs only); and

(III)	Submit a completed POST Form 8 9A, Training Program Approval, and a list of instructors and their qualifications.  Instructors shall be approved only for a specific program under this rule (all programs).

(c)	To be approved, a program must include at least the following:

(I)	Legal aspects of VIN inspection; and

(II)	Use of the National Auto Theft Bureau manual; and

(III)	How to conduct a VIN inspection; and

(IV)	How to meet the reporting requirements of a VIN inspection.

(d)	The program director must submit the following to the Board within thirty (30) days of the end of the program:

(I)	The score of each trainee and a statement whether each trainee passed or failed the course.