General Questions

Individuals applying for a peace officer position in California are required to meet several statewide minimum standards for employment. These standards include:

• No felony convictions
• A fingerprint and criminal history check
• Meeting the citizenship requirement (Included are provisions for permanent resident aliens. See citizenship requirements FAQs. )
• A background investigation indicating the individual is of good moral character
• Minimum age of 18 years
• Minimum education of United States high school graduation or passage of GED test
• A medical and psychological suitability examination
• An employment interview
• A reading and writing ability test

Local law enforcement departments may set higher standards than the statewide minimum standards. Where there are no statewide minimum standards, the local hiring authority may set a standard, e.g. vision and hearing standards. This is why some standards vary from department to department.

For all city police officers, county sheriff deputies, and most other peace officer categories, the Regular Basic Course is the minimum entry-level training requirement. Exceptions to this would be peace officers employed by certain specialized law enforcement agencies, coroner peace officers, Reserve Level II or Level III officers, and limited function officers. To determine the minimum training requirement for the categories listed as exceptions, please contact the hiring agency or view the on-line POST Administrative Manual, section B (regulations) (pdf). Regulation 1005 specifies the minimum training standard for full-time peace officers and Regulation 1007 specifies the minimum training standard for each level of Reserve peace officer.

POST does not make this recommendation. All presenters of a POST-certified Regular Basic Course must include the minimum training specifications adopted and incorporated into POST regulation. However, if an individual knows where he/she would like to work it may be beneficial to check with the hiring department to determine if the department requires completion of their own academy.

This varies with every agency. Some agencies will only hire individuals after they have graduated from a Basic Academy (regular basic course), while others will hire individuals and send them through an academy as trainees or cadets. Some agencies require that an individual attend the agency's Basic Academy regardless of previous completion of another Basic Academy.This varies with every agency. Some agencies will only hire individuals after they have graduated from a Basic Academy (regular basic course), while others will hire individuals and send them through an academy as trainees or cadets. Some agencies require that an individual attend the agency's Basic Academy regardless of previous completion of another Basic Academy.

California POST does not have reciprocity with other states, nor do we have a challenge process. California POST has a Basic Course Waiver (BCW) process for individuals who want to become California peace officers and have completed at least 664 hours of general law enforcement training (including a general law enforcement basic course of at least 200 hours), and have at least one year of successful sworn general law enforcement experience. The BCW is a 4-step process that includes: self-assessment/application; POST evaluation; written and skills testing; and issuance of a waiver letter. Once the BCW process is successfully completed, the applicant receives a waiver of the California Regular Basic Course; however, acceptance of the waiver is at the discretion of the employing agency.

Yes, however, not everyone is accepted. Every individual applying to a Basic Academy must complete a criminal history clearance. If the criminal history reveals a felony conviction, you will not be allowed to enroll in the course. Many academies administer a reading and writing test to determine the likelihood of succeeding in the training, however, it does not preclude enrollment.

A list of training institutions approved to present the POST-certified Regular Basic Course is provided on the Basic Course Academy. Page and also in the POST Course Catalog. You may select the institution(s) of interest and contact the training presenter to obtain information on costs and enrollment. To accommodate different working schedules, the Regular Basic Course is presented in several formats. The Intensive Format is usually a Monday-Friday schedule and during normal working hours. The Extended Format is usually evenings and weekends. The course is also presented in a modular format. Completion of Reserve Level III, II, and I modules (in that order) is the equivalent of completing the Regular Basic Course.

Current law enforcement job opportunities are available online, free of charge. A complete list of POST participating agencies is also available. The California Law Enforcement Employment Statistics (pdf) contains current employment information on full-time sworn, reserve peace officers and public safety dispatchers throughout California.

Individuals successfully completing a POST-certified Basic Course will receive a certificate of completion at the end of training, issued by the training institution. This is not to be confused with the POST Basic Certificate which is a professional certificate awarded by POST, to individuals who have completed a Basic Course and who have served as a full-time peace officer and minimally completed 12 months of probation.

Some agencies require that an individual already possess the POST Basic Certificate in order to apply for a position. This would mean that the agency is looking for someone who has been previously employed and completed probation with another agency. Some agencies do not require the POST Basic Certificate, but instead are requiring a certificate of completion for the Basic Course training. If the job flyer is not clear, an applicant should get clarification on this point.

Probation periods range from 12-24 months. Although a few agencies have reported a 6-month probationary period, Commission regulations require that every full-time peace officer serve in a probationary status for not less than 12 months from the date of appointment to a full-time peace officer position. Agencies that report longer than a 12-month probationary period must require their officers to complete the longer probationary period before applying for a POST Basic Certificate.

Individuals may apply for the POST Basic certificate if: 1) the criteria for the certificate is met, and 2) the individual is employed by an agency participating in the POST program at the time of application. Individuals who believe they meet the Basic Certificate criteria, i.e., successful completion of a probationary period and completion of a POST-certified Basic Course (or Basic Course Waiver), should request assistance and application forms from their agency.

You will need to successfully complete the 136-hour minimum POST Requalification Course to requalify your training. Six-Year Exception: If you completed a Basic Course after July 1, 1999, you may complete the requalification course one time only. If you do not become employed in a position that requires the Basic Course within six years of your academy completion, you will need to repeat the entire Basic Course.

Yes, you may direct questions to Postmaster@post.ca.gov

Individuals applying for a public safety dispatcher position in California are required to meet several statewide minimum standards for employment. These standards include:

• fingerprint and DMV records checks
• background investigation
• medical examination
• oral communication skills evaluation (employment interview)
• verbal, reasoning, memory, and perceptual abilities assessment

Local law enforcement departments or communication centers may set higher standards than the statewide minimum standards. Where there are no statewide minimum standards, the local hiring authority may set a standard, e.g. psychological screening. This is why some standards vary from department to department.

The Public Safety Dispatchers' Basic Course is the entry-level training requirement for dispatchers employed by agencies participating in POST's public safety dispatcher program, as specified in Commission Regulation 1018 (pdf). Information on presenters of the POST-certified Public Safety Dispatchers' Basic Course can be found in the Catalog of POST Certified Courses.

This varies with every agency. Some agencies will only hire individuals after they have successfully completed a Public Safety Dispatchers' Basic Course, while others will hire individuals and send them through the course. Some agencies require that an individual attend the agency's Public Safety Dispatchers' Basic Course regardless of previous completion of another Public Safety Dispatchers' Basic Course. However, Public Safety Dispatchers must complete the Public Safety Dispatchers’ Basic Course before or within 12 months of the date of appointment [Commission Regulation 1018(c)(1) (pdf)].

California POST does not have a waiver process for dispatchers. All applicants must meet the California public safety dispatcher minimum selection and training standards as outlined in Commission Regulation 9056 - 9060 (pdf) (selection) and Regulation 1018 (pdf) (training).

Yes. However, applicants may want to check with the course presenter to determine specific enrollment requirements (i.e. application process, fees).

A list of training institutions approved to present the POST-certified Public Safety Dispatchers' Basic Course is provided in the Catalog of POST Certified Courses. You may select the institution(s) of interest and contact the training presenter to obtain information on costs and enrollment.

Current law enforcement (including dispatcher) job opportunities are available online, free of charge. A complete list of law enforcement agencies is also available; however, not all POST participating agencies are in the POST Public Safety Dispatcher program. The California Law Enforcement Employment Statistics (pdf) contains current employment information on full-time sworn, reserve peace officers and public safety dispatchers throughout California.

Individuals successfully completing a POST-certified Public Safety Dispatchers' Basic Course will receive a certificate of completion at the end of training, issued by the training institution. This is not to be confused with the POST Public Safety Dispatcher Certificate which is a professional certificate awarded by POST, to individuals who have completed a POST-certified Public Safety Dispatchers' Basic Course and who have completed a probation period of at least 12 months. Some agencies require that an individual already possess the POST Public Safety Dispatcher Certificate in order to apply for a position. This would mean that the agency is looking for someone who has been previously employed and completed probation with another agency. Some agencies do not require the POST Public Safety Dispatcher Certificate, but instead are requiring a certificate of completion for the POST-certified Public Safety Dispatchers' Basic Course training. If the job flyer is not clear, an applicant should get clarification on this point.

Commission Regulation 1018 (d) (pdf) states that a public safety dispatcher must complete a minimum probationary period of 12 months.

The Public Safety Dispatcher Certificate is awarded, as defined in Commission Regulation 9072 (pdf) to currently employed full-time dispatcher employees of an agency that participates in the POST Public Safety Dispatcher program. Applicants must have been selected in accordance with the POST selection requirements, and have satisfactorily completed the Public Safety Dispatchers’ Basic Course and the agency’s probationary period. Certificate requests are submitted by the dispatcher’s employing agency.

Yes, you may direct questions to postmaster@post.ca.gov.

A POST Profile is a computer database record that provides the history of an individual's California law enforcement employment, POST professional certificates, and POST-certified training.

Profiles are confidential records available only to the subject individual or the individual's current employer (POST-participating department only). All “other requesters” must provide POST with an authorization to release information, signed by the subject individual. Those who do not have a signed authorization must comply with the requirements specified in California Evidence Code Section 1043.

To submit a request for a profile, complete, sign, and send a POST Profile Request 2-126 form provided on this website to POST. When specific course verification is needed; e.g., PC 832 course verification, please provide the name of the course, the name of the training institution, and the completion date of the training you are attempting to verify in the “Questions/Comments” section at the bottom of the form. You may also use this section for any other questions or to request the profile be sent by email.

There is no fee for a POST profile.

POST does not provide notary services.

Commission on POST Attn: Administrative Services Bureau
1601 Alhambra Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95816-7083

The profile is usually available within 5-7 days from the date POST receives the request.

POST will accept faxes at (916)227-3895 or emails to Profile Requests. Because email and FAX transmittals are not secure, your personal information could be at risk. POST does not take responsibility for information sent via email or FAX. If you work for a POST-participating department that has access to the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) System, you may be able to obtain your profile more expeditiously within your department.

Yes, an agency may request profiles for all agency employees or a specific employee category; i.e., sworn peace officers only, reserve peace officers only, records supervisors, or dispatchers only. Agency requests must be submitted on agency letterhead and must be signed by the department head or designee. Agencies using the Training Management System (TMS) software may request profile information formatted for that system. Agencies participating in the POST Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) System may immediately access agency-specific, POST profiles using EDI when only a few profiles are needed.

Questions not answered by the information in this F.A.Q. section may be directed to Profile Requests

The Requirements for a LEO to fly armed aboard commercial aircraft are outlined in 49 CFR § 1544.219 Carriage of Accessible Weapons. The complete text of this section can be found on-line at the Government Printing Office website.

Unless otherwise authorized by TSA, to fly armed a LEO must;

• Be a Federal law enforcement officer or a full-time municipal, county, or state law enforcement officer who is a direct employee of a government agency;
• Be sworn and commissioned to enforce criminal statutes or immigration statutes;
• Be authorized by the employing agency to have the weapon in connection with assigned duties; and
• Have completed the training program “Law Enforcement Officers Flying Armed.”

• Have the operational need to fly armed.
• The LEO’s employing agency transmits a properly formatted message, via NLETS.
• An NLETS message, with Unique Identifier, is transmitted from the Transportation Security Operations Center to the LEO’s employing agency.
• On the day of travel, the LEO must:
  • Check-in at the airline ticket counter.
  • Present identification along with the Original Letter of Authority from the Chief or Agency Head.
  • Fill out the armed traveler paperwork provided by the airline, referred to as Person Carrying Firearms (PCFA) forms. Note: Each airline has its own specific PCFA paperwork.
  • Proceed to the Armed LEO Screening Checkpoint.
• At the Armed LEO Screening Checkpoint, the LEO must:
  • Provide the Unique Identifier from the NLETS message
  • Display his/her badge, credentials, boarding pass, a second form of government identification, and required airline PCFA forms.
• The LEO will complete the LEO Logbook and proceed to the boarding gate.
• At the boarding gate the LEO will provide the Gate Agent with the airline’s armed traveler paperwork PCFA form and follow further boarding procedures.

It is recommended that agencies transmit the NLETS message a minimum of 24 hours prior to travel to ensure routing of the information prior to day of travel.

The LEO checkpoint personnel will ask the LEO to contact the employing agency and have an immediate NLETS request transmitted. If the NLETS message Unique Identifier cannot be provided, additional verification steps will be required which may cause delays.

After the period of transition, use of the NLETS message will become mandatory.

The LEO will be asked to contact the employing agency to obtain the Unique Identifier.

If unable to contact the employing agency, verification using the Original Letter of Authority is authorized during the transition period; however, a delay may occur due to the additional verification steps.

After the transition period the Original Letter of Authority will no longer be accepted.

During the transition period the Original Letter of Authority remains a regulatory requirement and will be required at check-in by the airline.

The airport code is a three letter designator for a commercial airport. These are the codes that airlines and pilots use to identify airports and are used in timetables, baggage tags, tickets, advertisements, airline and global reservation systems. There are approximately 9000 codes currently in use.

The Federal Aviation Administration three letter airport codes can also be found on airlines websites, on travel itineraries, or by searching the internet.

The Federal Aviation Administration website identifies every “known and recognized U.S. airport” that is covered by this flying armed procedure.

This procedure applies for every TSA-screened airport and every commercial aviation flight.

If the change(s) does not affect the Date of Travel, the existing NLETS message will be accepted as long as the LEO is traveling through the same airports.

If the Date of travel or airport information changes, a new NLETS message will be required.

Each flight requires a request message and authorization message/identifier for each officer. Round trips are not covered in one authorization, each “leg” of a round trip requires a separate authorization.

No. International travelers should not travel armed as they are subject to the laws of the foreign nation immediately upon arrival and, generally, will be subject to arrest.

No. There is no waiver of the required training. The failure to complete the training will prevent one from flying armed. The training is available from the Federal Air Marshal Service. The program training material may be obtained by emailing the Office of Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service, Office of Personnel and Training, Training Policy and Development Division, Operations Branch at TSAFAMS.LEO@secureskies.net. To ensure uniform and consistent instruction of the program, the training material will only be disseminated to the training division of the requesting agency.

The POST DVD training course, "Extradition Procedures (LEOs Flying Armed)," contains training that is approved by the Federal Air Marshal Service and satisfies the flying armed training requirement.

Although HR 218 permits a retired officer to carry a weapon, a retired officer is excluded from flying armed because the federal regulation limits that authorization to full-time, employed officers who have a letter of authorization from the employing agency. The TSA currently denies flying armed permission to retired officers claiming HR 218 “rights,” citing the definition in the federal regulation.

No. A LEO with an operational need to travel armed must present acceptable credentials to the airline as outlined in 49 CFR § 1544.219. In addition, a LEO must present an Original Letter of Authority and complete any required airline paperwork, referred to as Person Carrying Firearm (PCFA) forms. Note: Each airline provides its own specific PCFA paperwork.

For general questions or guidance related to Law Enforcement Officers flying armed, please contact the Office of Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service, Liaison Division at LEOFA@dhs.gov.