QUALIFICATIONS & PROCESS
DUTIES
Protecting, serving, & working with Salina’s diverse citizenry & enforcing the law while protecting the constitutional rights of all.
EDUCATION
High school diploma or G.E.D.
QUALIFICATIONS
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United States citizen (born or naturalized)
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21 years of age at time of appointment
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No felony convictions, domestic violence related conviction, or other serious misdemeanor convictions
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Good physical condition
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Eyesight: 20/100 correctable to 20/20, no upper acuity limit with contact lenses
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Ability to obtain Kansas Police Officer certification within one year of appointment.
SELECTION PROCESS
REQUIREMENTS
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Must live within 40-minutes response time
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Must possess valid Kansas driver’s license
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Successful candidates are prohibited from smoking or using tobacco products at any time, on or off the job.
KANSAS LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CENTER
Kansas law enforcement officers must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 560 hours of basic law enforcement training to attain their law enforcement certification. Currently, the 560-hour program is conducted in a 14-week format. Additionally, to maintain law enforcement certification each officer must obtain 40-hours of continuing education annually in subjects related directly to law enforcement. Learn more about the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center.
FIELD TRAINING OFFICER PROGRAM
The Salina Police Department's Field Training Officer (FTO) Program is both a continuation of the police officer selection process and an intensified training system for newly appointed police officers. Sgt. Sarah Cox heads the FTO Program and supervises 10 FTOs. The FTO Program is intended to ease an officer's transition from the academic setting to the performance of general law enforcement patrol duties of the department.
Although an officer graduating from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) has received a thorough introduction to basic law enforcement subjects, that officer cannot be expected to immediately function as an experienced officer. New officers receive two weeks of post academy instruction, taught by FTO's who cover multiple topics. Upon completion of the post academy, new officers receive an additional 15 weeks training and evaluation in the field, under the watchful eye of an FTO, where they can learn from officers who have already gained a great deal of practical patrol experience. The FTO Program introduces a newly assigned officer to the personnel, procedures, policies, and purposes of the department and provides the initial formal and informal training specific to the day-to-day duties of police officers. It is an important component of the recruit's growth, and is designed to compliment academy classroom training.
By the time the recruit completes the Training Academy and the FTO Program, the department has a substantial amount of time and expense invested, and the FTO Program greatly enhances the likelihood that new officers will succeed in solo field assignments.
LATERAL TRANSFER/RECIPROCITY ELIGIBILITY
The State of Kansas does have a conditional Reciprocity certification program if the law enforcement officer applicant meets certain requirements. Applicants for conditional reciprocity must be employed by a recognized Kansas law enforcement agency and cannot at the time of the reciprocity application process been out of law enforcement for more than five years. Certified law enforcement officers from another state whose basic training requirements meet or exceed the Kansas requirement during that same time period, or those eligible for certification (who have recently completed a basic training program that meets or exceeds Kansas requirements) may be eligible for conditional reciprocity. Pursuant to an inter-agency agreement with the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers' Standards and Training, the director of the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center conducts all evaluations of an individual's training regarding their eligibility for Reciprocity in Kansas. Any applicant (at the time of making application for conditional reciprocity) who has been out of full-time law enforcement for more than 5 years is not eligible for conditional reciprocity and must attend a 14-week basic training program to gain Kansas certification.
KLETC will provide a cursory review to determine possible eligibility for conditional reciprocity. To do so requires:
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A copy of the officer's basic training curriculum listing the course title and number of hours allocated to each topic.
Course Schedules will not be evaluated in lieu of the course curriculum listing. -
If certified in another state, provide your law enforcement employment history.
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If certified in another state, provide a listing of all law enforcement-related continuing education & hours received since completing your basic training.
Based on a cursory review, KLETC will provide an "UNOFFICIAL" preliminary determination based on the documentation submitted. KLETC will not issue any formal determination until after the formal application process is initiated and certified documentation has been received during the application process from the issuing authority. Employment with a recognized Kansas law enforcement agency must precede the formal Reciprocity application process.
