§ 2168. Automatic certification.
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§ 2168. Automatic certification.
(a)General rule.-- All police officers, including deputy sheriffs in counties of the second class, hired prior to June 18, 1974, shall be automatically certified for basic training but shall be required to complete the in-service training as set forth in section 2164(7) (relating to powers and duties of commission).
(b)Campus or university police.-- Any campus or university police officer who, as of August 27, 1993, has successfully completed a basic training course similar to that required under this subchapter shall, after review by the commission, be certified as having met the basic training requirements of this subchapter. Any campus or university police officer who, as of August 27, 1993, has not successfully completed a basic training course similar to that required under this subchapter which qualifies the police officer for certification under this subsection shall be able to perform the duties of a campus or university police officer until certified by the commission, but no later than August 29, 1994.
(c)Deputy sheriffs in counties of the second class.-- Deputy sheriffs in counties of the second class who have successfully completed the basic training course under this subchapter prior to February 6, 1995, shall be assigned a certification number under this subchapter.
(d)Railroad and street railway police.-- Any railroad or street railway police officer who, as of the effective date of this subsection, has successfully completed a basic training course similar to that required under this chapter shall, after review by the commission, be certified as having met the basic requirements of this chapter. Any railroad or street railway police officer who, as of the effective date of this subsection, has not successfully completed a basic training course similar to that required under this chapter which qualifies the police officer for certification shall be able to perform the duties of a railroad or street railway police officer until certified by the commission, but no longer than one year from the effective date of this subsection.
(e)School police officer certification.-- Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a school police officer, as defined in section 1301-C of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, shall be eligible to maintain certification if the school police officer meets the following:
(1)Satisfactorily completed the basic educational and training requirements established under this subchapter.
(2)Satisfactorily completed the minimum number of in-service training hours established by the commission and required to maintain certification.
(3)Either:
(i)has an active certification on or after the effective date of this subsection; or
(ii)was previously certified as a police officer by the commission, which certification lapsed within the last two years, and has been employed, with no lapse in service, as a school police officer in this Commonwealth under section 1302-C of the Public School Code of 1949.
(f)Fort Indiantown Gap police officer certification.-- An installation police officer at Fort Indiantown Gap under 51 Pa.C.S. § 711 (relating to installation of police officers for Fort Indiantown Gap and other designated Commonwealth military installations and facilities) shall be eligible to maintain certification if the installation police officer meets the following:
(1)Satisfactorily completed the basic educational and training requirements established under this subchapter.
(2)Satisfactorily completed the minimum number of in-service training hours established by the commission and required to maintain certification.
(3)Either:
(i)has an active certification on or after the effective date of this subsection; or
(ii)was previously certified as a police officer by the commission, which certification lapsed within the last two years, and has been employed, with no lapse in service, as an installation police officer at Fort Indiantown Gap.
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(May 5, 1998, P.L.301, No.50, eff. 60 days; Nov. 24, 1999, P.L.539, No.49, eff. 60 days; Nov. 3, 2022, P.L.1788, No.121, eff. imd.; Feb. 11, 2026, P.L.10, No.5, eff. 60 days)
2026 Amendment. Act 5 added subsec. (f).
2022 Amendment. Act 121 added subsec. (e). See section 4 of Act 121 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to law enforcement certification.
1999 Amendment. Act 49 added subsec. (d).
1998 Amendment. Act 50 amended subsecs.
(b)and (c).
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