Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 650-X-2 — Required Standards for Appointees as Law Enforcement Officers and for Applicants for Certification as Law Enforcement Officers

Officers and for Applicants for Certification as Law Enforcement Officers

650 Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission

Ala. Admin. Code r. 650-X-2-.01 Training

For the purpose of this Chapter the term Law Enforcement Officer includes Correctional Officers employed by the Alabama Department of Corrections.

(1) Each applicant must be gainfully employed as a full-time law enforcement officer by a law enforcement agency at the time of his/her application to the academy.

(a) Full-time employment is defined as 40 hours per week or an average of 40 hours per week during the monthly or bi-weekly pay periods of most agencies.

(b) A law enforcement agency employing an applicant working less than 40 hours per week must request in writing a waiver from the Executive Secretary requesting the applicant be allowed to attend an academy.

(2) Prior to certification, the applicant shall complete the required course of training established by the Commission.

(3) An applicant may be provisionally appointed for a period of six months (180 days), after which time the appointment is null and void. No individual may be employed or appointed for an additional period until that individual is certified as a law enforcement officer by the commission.

(a) Provisional appointment requires:

1. An application package as set out in Rule 650-X-2-.09 has been submitted on the first day of employment as stipulated in Rule 650-X-1-.16(4) and has been received by the Commission.

2. A provisionally appointed law enforcement officer who is involved in patrol operation for the purpose of detection, prevention and suppression of crime or the enforcement of the traffic or highway laws of the state, including exercising the power of arrest, will be under the direct control and supervision of a certified law enforcement officer.

3. Traffic direction and control may be performed by a provisionally appointed law enforcement officer without direct supervision, provided, however, that supervisory control is exercised by a certified law enforcement officer whose total span of control would be considered within reasonable limits.

4. A provisionally appointed law enforcement officer may render crowd control assistance at public gatherings or governmental functions as directed by their employing law enforcement agency provided supervisory control is exercised by a certified law enforcement officer whose span of control would be considered within reasonable limits.

5. The provisional appointment is valid for a total of six (6) months (180 days) during a two (2) year period of 730 days from the time of first appointment by any law enforcement agency.

6. This six-month period to complete his/her required course of training cannot be extended or re-started by an applicant being terminated or re-employed by the same or another law enforcement agency nor by an applicant voluntarily changing employment from one law enforcement agency to another. Each day of the six-month provisional appointment is cumulative no matter how many law enforcement agencies the applicant has worked for during his/her six-month provisional appointment.

7. The provisional appointment of any applicant who does not complete the required course of training within six (180 days) months from the date of his/her initial employment/appointment is null and void.

8. A provisionally appointed applicant who fails to achieve certification, as required herein, within his/her six-months provisional appointment time, may not re-apply for employment/appointment as a law enforcement officer for two years following the expiration of their provisional appointment time.

History

• Author: R. Alan Benefield, Executive Secretary
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§36-21-40 et seq.
• Effective September 29, 1983. Amended: Filed April 4, 1997; effective May 9, 1997. Amended: Filed February 4, 1999; effective March 11, 1999. Amended: Filed August 8, 2014; effective September 12, 2014. Amended: Filed August 8, 2017; effective September 22, 2017.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 650-X-2-.02 Age

The applicant shall not be less than 19 years old.

History

• Author: R. Alan Benefield, Executive Secretary
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§36-21-40 et seq.
• Effective date: September 29, 1983. Amended: Filed August 8, 2014; effective September 12, 2014. Amended: Filed August 8, 2017; effective September 22, 2017.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 650-X-2-.03 Education Requirement

The applicant shall meet the following education requirements:

(1) Possess a valid high school diploma, OR, possess a valid General Educational Development (GED) certificate (On-line, correspondence, or mail order GED certificates are not acceptable) AND possess a valid certification of having passed the Basic Ability Test (BAT) for Law Enforcement Officers or Correctional Officers as approved by the Commission. OR,

(2) Possess an earned Associate’s Degree or higher Degree from a College or University accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), or its regional equivalent.

(3) The Basic Ability Test is required of all applicants except those applicants who are already APOSTC certified and who are required to complete Refresher training for reinstatement of their Certification, or those applicants who meet the requirements set forth in preceding paragraph (2).

(4) The applicant shall not engage in conduct that subverts or attempts to subvert the Basic Ability Test process or violate the standards of the Basic Ability Test administration.

(a) The applicant shall not violate the application identification process. Conduct that violates the process is identified as, but not limited to, the following:

1. Falsifying or misrepresenting information required for taking the Basic Ability Test.

2. Impersonating an applicant.

3. Having an impersonator take the Basic Ability Test on one’s behalf.

4. Any action on the part of the applicant, agency, or appointing authority which impugns the integrity of the testing process including the reporting of the test results to the Commission.

(b) Any violation of this provision shall be documented and reported to the Commission’s Executive Secretary in writing. The Executive Secretary shall then conduct an immediate investigation of the reported violation(s).

(c) When the Commission finds that a violation of Section (4) of this rule has occurred, the Commission shall impose one or more of the following sanctions:

1. Declare the applicant has failed the Basic Ability Test;

2. Declare the applicant ineligible to apply for employment or appointment as a law enforcement officer or correctional officer for a period of five years;

3. Deny certification by the Commission;

4. Take action to revoke any currently held certification obtained as a result of falsification or fraud.

History

• Author: R. Alan Benefield, Executive Secretary
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§36-21-40 et seq.
• Effective date: September 29, 1983. Amended: Filed June 12, 2000; effective July 17, 2000. Amended: Filed November 3, 2006; effective December 8, 2006. Amended: Filed August 8, 2014; effective September 12, 2014. Amended: Filed August 8, 2017; effective September 22, 2017.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 650-X-2-.04 Physical Examinations And Psychological

Evaluations {#sec-650-x-2-.04 omnilex-key=us-al-regs-official--chapter-650-x-2--650-X-2-.04}

(1) Physical Examinations. Each applicant shall submit to a complete physical examination conducted by a licensed Medical Doctor (M.D.), a licensed Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), or by a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP) or a Physician’s Assistant (P.A.) who is licensed and duly authorized by state statute to conduct said physical examinations. The appointing authority shall designate one of the above-named health care professionals to conduct the physical examination. The health care professional conducting the examination shall certify to the Commission on APOST Form Number 3A that the applicant is physically fit and in good health to participate in the rigorous training conducted at a law enforcement academy and is physically fit to perform the duties of a law enforcement officer.

(2) Psychological Evaluations. Each applicant shall submit to a comprehensive psychological evaluation by a Licensed Behavioral Health Professional with experience in conducting Psychological Testing and Evaluations. The Behavioral Health Professional shall have experience working with the law enforcement community. The report of the examining professional shall state whether the applicant is recommended or not recommended for employment/appointment as a law enforcement officer. The examining professional shall complete and submit to the Commission APOST Form Number 3B.

Should the report of the examining professional provide a recommendation other than “Recommended for employment/ appointment as a law enforcement officer,” and the employing agency submits to the Commission an Application for Certification of the individual notwithstanding said recommendation, then the employing agency must provide documented, supplemental information to the Commission to support and validate the fitness of the applicant applying to be certified as a law enforcement officer. The applicant’s APOST Form 3B, the report of the examining professional, and any supporting documents submitted by the agency head will then be reviewed by the Commission’s “Committee on Character and Psychological Evaluation Review”. The Committee will evaluate the reports and other documents to determine the acceptability of the applicant. If the application is rejected by the Committee, the Executive Secretary will notify the employing agency that the applicant is ineligible for appointment and the applicant’s provisional appointment as a law enforcement officer is deemed terminated.

(a) The psychological evaluation administered to law enforcement officers must meet the approval of the Commission.

(b) An applicant who fails to receive an acceptable assessment of his/her psychological evaluation from the Committee is not eligible for employment/appointment for a period of one (1) year and must first be reviewed and cleared by the Committee on Character and Psychological Evaluation Review prior to any future appointment as a law enforcement officer. The applicant is not exempt from Rule 650-X-2-.01.

History

• Author: R. Alan Benefield, Executive Secretary
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§36-21-40 et seq.
• Effective date: September 29, 1983. Repealed and Replaced: Filed May 8, 1995; effective June 12, 1995. Amended: Filed April 4, 1997; effective May 9, 1997. Amended: Filed August 8, 2014; effective September 12, 2014. Amended: Filed August 8, 2017; effective September 22, 2017. Repealed and New Rule: Published February 26, 2021; effective April 12, 2021. Amended: Published September 30, 2021; effective November 14, 2021. Amended: Published June 30, 2025; effective August 14, 2025.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 650-X-2-.05 Character

(1) The applicant shall be a person of good moral character and reputation;

(2) Conviction of any felony pursuant to any state or federal law shall be a complete and absolute bar to certification, employment, appointment, or approval as a law enforcement officer.

(a) The existence of a pardon does not nullify a conviction for the purpose of this rule.

(b) An applicant having been convicted, pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to any felony pursuant to state or federal law is not eligible for certification, employment, appointment, or approval as a law enforcement officer, notwithstanding suspension of sentence, pre-trial diversion or withholding of adjudication.

(c) Conviction of any conduct, including by a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, in any other jurisdiction that would have constituted a felony in Alabama and been punishable by a sentence exceeding one year in Alabama shall be a complete and absolute bar to certification, employment, appointment, or approval as a law enforcement officer, notwithstanding suspension of sentence, withholding of adjudication, pre-trial diversion or the existence of a pardon.

(d) An applicant shall disclose and produce to the Commission, any expunged record of any arrest, regardless of the disposition of the case. For the purpose of certification and regulation of law enforcement and correctional officers the Commission shall have access to any expunged records sealed or archived. An otherwise eligible applicant who has received an expungement of any felony or of any misdemeanor offense involving force violence or moral turpitude is required to submit to a review for eligibility by the Committee on Character and Psychological Evaluations Review prior to appointment as a law enforcement officer.

(3) An applicant or certified law enforcement or correctional officer who, as a defendant in any criminal or civil case enters into a plea or other agreement approved by the Court presiding over any said criminal or civil matter, to surrender his/her APOSTC certification or to never work again in law enforcement or corrections shall not be eligible for certification, re-certification, employment, appointment, or approval as a law enforcement or correctional officer. The Commission will revoke the certification of any person so situated. For the purposes of this Rule, approval by the presiding Court shall include express approval in an order or docket entry or implied approval evidenced by the dismissal of said criminal or civil case conditioned on such agreement. The existence of a pardon on said criminal conviction shall not have any effect on the eligibility of a person so situated to be certified, re-certified, employed, appointed, or approved as a law enforcement or correctional officer, except a subsequent court order by the Court presiding over said criminal or civil case declaring said agreement void ab initio.

(4) Conviction of a misdemeanor pursuant to any municipal, state or federal law shall not automatically disqualify a person as a law enforcement officer. Such a conviction may be considered as a factor among several in evaluating fitness as a law enforcement officer, which factors shall include but not be limited to the nature and gravity of the offense or offenses, the time that has passed since the conviction and/or completion of the sentence and the nature of the job held or sought and such other factors as to affect the applicant’s character. In the case of a misdemeanor conviction, involving a guilty plea or plea of nolo contendere, involving force, violence, moral turpitude, perjury, or false statements, notwithstanding suspension of sentence or withholding of adjudication, results of psychological testing shall also be considered as a factor in considering the applicant’s fitness as a law enforcement officer.

(5) Adjudication as a juvenile shall not be considered as a conviction for the purpose of these Rules. Provided however, an applicant adjudged a youthful offender under Section 15-19-6(a) of the Ala. Code, shall report such youthful offender adjudication to the Commission. The applicant shall be required to appear before the Commission for a character review hearing to consider the underlying facts and circumstances before said application is approved by the Commission.

(6) Any person who is prohibited by state or federal law from owning, possessing, or carrying a firearm, including but not limited to a pistol, handgun, rifle or shotgun, shall not be employed or certified as a law enforcement officer.

(7) Any person who is required to register as a convicted sex offender in accordance with Title 15, Chapter 20A, Code of Ala. 1975, as amended, shall not be employed or certified as a law enforcement officer.

(8) The arrest of any certified law enforcement officer, provisionally appointed law enforcement officer, or applicant, for any felony or misdemeanor offense shall be immediately reported to the Commission by the employing agency, arresting agency, and the law enforcement officer. The final disposition, including a copy of the case action summary, shall be immediately provided to the Commission by the employing agency, arresting agency, and the law enforcement officer regardless of finding. Any applicant for employment and/or appointment as a law enforcement officer, whether previously certified or non-certified, who has criminal charges pending before any court, is subject to court-ordered probation or is the subject of a protection from abuse order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction, shall not be employed or appointed as a law enforcement officer until any/all criminal charges are adjudicated and the individual is released by the court from any probation orders and/or protection orders. Upon adjudication and/or release as specified herein, a Character Review may be required to determine eligibility for employment/appointment.

(a)The certification and/or appointment of any law enforcement officer who is the subject of an ex parte protection from abuse (PFA) Order, issued in accordance with Ala. Code Section 30-5-1, et sec, and who has appeared before the Court for a hearing as required by Section 30-5-6 on the ex parte PFA Order, or who has failed to appear for the hearing after receiving proper notice of the hearing, shall be suspended pending a final hearing before the Court in the PFA proceeding. The officer's certification is deemed suspended, and the officer is not authorized to work in any capacity as a law enforcement officer until such time as the PFA is lifted by the Court, AND, the Officer has appeared for a character review hearing before the Commission. The Commission, upon proper petition of the Officer, will conduct a Character Review Hearing to determine the Officers' fitness for duty. In making the fitness-for-duty determination the Commission will require a Psychological Evaluation conducted by a Clinical Psychologist or other person licensed to conduct mental health fitness for duty evaluations of law enforcement officers. Such evaluation will be conducted by a professional selected by the Commission and at the expense of the officer requesting reinstatement of his/her law enforcement certification. When the law enforcement officer files a petition for hearing before the Commission, the Executive Secretary will arrange for a mental health fitness for duty evaluation of the Officer.

(9) Applicants who falsify their application are ineligible for employment as a law enforcement officer and they are ineligible to attend the academy for certification as a law enforcement officer. Applicants who are determined to have falsified their applications are barred from employment or certification as a law enforcement officer for two (2) years.

(10) No law enforcement officer, either certified or provisionally appointed, shall knowingly and willfully provide false or misleading information to the Commission or any of its agents.

(11) No law enforcement officer shall knowingly and willfully violate the Rules and Regulations of the Commission.

(12) Any law enforcement officer who knowingly and willfully provides false or misleading information to the Commission or its agents, or who knowingly and willfully violates the Rules and Regulations of the Commission, shall be subject to having their Certification suspended or revoked by the Commission.

History

• Author: R. Alan Benefield, Executive Secretary
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§36-21-40 et seq, Act No. 2014-292.
• Effective date: September 29, 1983. Repealed and Replaced: Filed May 8, 1995; effective June 12, 1995. Amended: Filed February 4, 1999; effective March 11, 1999. Amended: Filed May 15, 2002; effective June 19, 2002. Amended: Filed November 3, 2006; effective December 8, 2006. Amended: Filed May 12, 2009; effective June 16, 2009. Amended: Filed August 8, 2014; effective September 12, 2014. Amended: Filed August 8, 2017; effective September 22, 2017. Amended: Published August 31, 2020; effective October 15, 2020. Rule: Published February 26, 2021; effective April 12, 2021. Amended: Published September 30, 2021; effective November 14, 2021. Amended: Published June 30, 2025; effective August 14, 2025.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 650-X-2-.06 Applicants To Be Citizens and Fluent in the English Language

The applicant must be a citizen of The United States and must be fluent in the English Language so that he/she is able to speak, read, write, understand, and comprehend the English Language.

History

• Author: R. Alan Benefield, Executive Secretary
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§36-21-40 et seq.
• Effective date: September 29, 1983. Amended: Filed August 8, 2014; effective September 12, 2014. Amended: Filed August 8, 2017; effective September 22, 2017. Amended: Published June 30, 2025; effective August 14, 2025.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 650-X-2-.07 Discharge From Armed Services

If an applicant has been a member of the armed forces of The United States, each and every discharge must be under honorable conditions, and appropriate documentation provided.

History

• Author: R. Alan Benefield, Executive Secretary
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§36-21-40 et seq.
• Effective date: September 29, 1983. Amended: Filed February 4, 1999; effective March 11, 1999. Amended: Filed August 8, 2014; effective September 12, 2014. Amended: Filed August 8, 2017; effective September 22, 2017.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 650-X-2-.08 Driver License

The applicant must have and maintain a valid Driver License.

History

• Author: R. Alan Benefield, Executive Secretary
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§36-21-40 et seq.
• Effective September 29, 1283. Amended: Filed August 8, 2014; effective September 12, 2014. Amended: Filed August 8, 2017; effective September 22, 2017. Amended: Published June 30, 2025; effective August 14, 2025.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 650-X-2-.09 Application Package Required

(1) Each applicant for certification as a law enforcement shall submit a complete application package in the form prescribed by the Commission and provided by the Executive Secretary. An incomplete application will not be processed. An application which appears to be falsified or contains false information will be denied.

(2) Documentation. All documents listed below must be received by the Executive Secretary before an application package will be processed.

(a) Each applicant shall complete an electronic application. All required paper documents shall be printed or typewritten. All documents must be completed fully. Incomplete electronic applications and paper documents will not be processed and will be returned to the employing agency.

(b) Each applicant shall comply with the requirements of Rule 650-X-2-.04 Physical Examinations and Psychological Evaluations and shall submit APOST Forms Number 3A and 3B.

(c) Each applicant shall submit an affidavit (APOST Form Number 2) certifying that he/she meets all requirements for employment and certification as a law enforcement officer under the provisions of Title 36-21-46, Code of Ala. 1975.

(d) Each applicant shall submit documents which reflect that the applicant meets all requirements of the Commission.

(e) Each applicant shall submit two APOST ORI fingerprint cards.

(f) Each applicant shall submit a release of information. (APOST Form Number 4).

History

• Author: R. Alan Benefield, Executive Secretary
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§36-21-40 et seq.
• Effective date: September 29, 1983. Amended: Filed May 8, 1995; effective June 12, 1995. Amended: Filed April 4, 1997; effective May 9, 1997. Amended: Filed August 8, 2014; effective September 12, 2014. Amended: Filed August 8, 2017; effective September 22, 2017. Rule: Published February 26, 2021; effective April 12, 2021. Amended: Published June 30, 2025; effective August 14, 2025.