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    Waivers for Federal and Military Police Officers

    Former Federal and Military Law Enforcement Officers who meet the standards listed below are eligible to take an assessment test to determine what areas of training may be waived and what areas must be attended at a certified Pennsylvania police academy. 

    Overview

    Training

    Applicants must have completed a cumulative total of at least 760 hours of basic and in-service law enforcement training and must have successfully completed a law enforcement training course resulting in certification as a law enforcement officer authorized to carry a firearm and make arrests.

    Service

    Applicants must have served at least two (2) years of full-time duty as a law enforcement officer within the past seven (7) years and must be eligible for employment as a law enforcement officer. Service is considered full-time at a minimum of 32 hours per week. Full-time service need not be continuous nor be with a single agency.

    The assessment test

    The current waiver assessment test consists of 200 multiple-choice questions, scored in three sections corresponding to the first three modules of the basic municipal police training program.  More information about the test can be found in the Assessment Testing Protocols document. While there is no specific study guide for the assessment test, officers may refer to the documents listed below.

    Applying for assessment testing

    Federal and military law enforcement officers who meet the service and training standards may apply for assessment testing using the existing application process in TACS by creating a Certification Exam Application and selecting a test date, listed as Partial Waiver Assessment Test. In the application, the applicant should provide the following three documents as PDFs (using the applicant's own name in place of "Applicant Name"):

    1. The completed and signed Application Form named "Applicant Name - Application".  Please ensure that your document contains all requested information before you send it.
    2. A single document named "Applicant Name - Certificates" containing copies of certificates for any courses you listed on the application form.
    3. A single document named "Applicant Name - Employment" containing documentation supporting your two years of full-time employment as a law enforcement officer.

    The results of the assessment test will be valid for up to two years, during which the applicant must enroll in an academy and complete the required training. Applicants who do not complete the required training within two years of the assessment test will be required to take the assessment test again. Applicants are not permitted to take the assessment test more than once in any 2-year timeframe.