OAR 259-008-0010

Minimum Standards for Employment as a Law Enforcement Officer or Utilization as a Reserve Officer

(1) Citizenship.

    (a) A person may not be employed as a corrections officer for more than one year unless the person is a citizen of the United States.

    (b) A person may not be employed as a police officer, parole and probation officer or a regulatory specialist for more than 18 months unless the person is a citizen of the United States.

    (c) The citizenship requirement found in (b) does not apply to a person employed as a regulatory specialist on March 16, 2012, who continues full-time employment as a regulatory specialist without a lapse.

(2) Age. No law enforcement unit in this state may employ or utilize any person under the age of 21 years as a police officer, corrections officer, parole and probation officer, regulatory specialist or reserve officer.

(3) Fingerprints. Within 90 days of the date of employment in a certifiable position, each law enforcement officer must be fingerprinted on a standard applicant fingerprint card.

    (a) The hiring agency is responsible for fingerprinting and must forward one card to the Oregon State Police Identification Services Section for processing and the assignment of an identification number.

    (b) If any procedural change is made by either the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Oregon State Police Identification Services Section, the Department must comply with the most current requirements.

    (c) Applications for certification will not be processed until an applicant’s fingerprints have cleared Oregon State Police Identification Services.

(4) Criminal Records. No law enforcement officer may have been convicted:

    (a) In this state or any other jurisdiction, of a crime designated under the law where the conviction occurred as being punishable as a felony or as a crime for which a maximum term of imprisonment of more than one year may be imposed;

    (b) Of violating any law involving the unlawful use, possession, delivery, or manufacture of a controlled substance, narcotic, or dangerous drug;

    (c) In this state of violating any law subject to denial or revocation as identified in OAR 259-008-0070 or has been convicted of violating the statutory counterpart of any of those offenses in any other jurisdiction.

(5) Notification of Conviction:

    (a) A law enforcement officer who is convicted of a crime, as identified in OAR 259-008-0070, while employed by a public or private safety agency must notify the department head within 72 hours of the conviction.

    (b) When an agency receives notification of a conviction from its employee, or another source, they must notify the Department within five business days. The notification to the Department must be in writing and include the specific charges of the conviction, the county and state where the conviction occurred, the investigating agency and the date of the conviction.

(6) Moral Fitness (Professional Fitness). All law enforcement officers must be of good moral fitness. For purposes of this standard, lack of good moral fitness includes, but is not limited to:

    (a) Mandatory disqualifying misconduct as described in OAR 259-008-0070(3); or

    (b) Discretionary disqualifying misconduct as described in OAR 259-008-0070(4).

(7) Education:

    (a) Applicants for the position of a law enforcement officer will be required to furnish documentary evidence of one of the following:

         (A) High School diploma;

         (B) Successful completion of the General Educational Development (GED) Test; or

         (C) A four-year, post-secondary degree issued by an accredited, degree-granting college or university recognized by the Oregon Office of Degree Authorization under the provisions of ORS 348.604.

              (i) For the purpose of determining high school graduation level as required by these rules, the applicant must have achieved a score no less than that required by the Oregon Board of Education before issuing an Oregon GED certificate.

              (ii) Applicants holding a GED from another state may be required to obtain an Oregon certificate at the discretion of the Department.

    (b) Evidence of the above must consist of official transcripts, diplomas, or GED test report forms. Other documentation may be accepted, at the discretion of the Department.

Deputy Sheriffs and Communications Officers (Dispatchers) are required to attend training at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) located in Salem, Oregon.  Lodging is provided for students at the Academy. 

Basic Corrections Academy - 6 weeks
Basic Police Academy - 16 weeks
Basic Telecommunications Academy - 2 weeks

For more information about attending the Academy at DPSST, visit https://www.oregon.gov/dpsst/cj/pages/default.aspx