Reciprocity
Once an applicant applies to a Delaware Police Department, they should provide the department with a complete and thorough copy of your training records. This should include their basic academy curriculum and any in-service or elective training they have completed. The records must include the location (Academy) and course: titles, descriptions, hours completed, certificates issued and instructor name(s) (if known).
Once they submit that information, the Chief will conduct a preliminary review of those records and then provide the Delaware Police Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) with a copy of the records.
POST will review the training records, determine what training is required for Delaware police certification, and notify the requesting department.
The quality and depth of records plays an important part in conducting that review and the associated training requirements.
Waiver of Equivalent Training – Reciprocity
The POST Commission Board may waive the requirement of attending an approved Delaware Police Training Academy for out-of-state police officers seeking Delaware certification if they have:
- Completed training equivalent to that required for initial certification in Delaware
- Met all training considered indigenous to Delaware, as determined by the Administrator
The Chief of Police of the municipality seeking waiver of training obtained in Delaware must submit to the Administrator an application for Exemption from Mandatory Training.
The application must be completed in its entirety and submitted to the Administrator prior to appointment by the requesting agency. The officer must provide all records reasonably requested by the Administrator, including all certificates of training and curriculum from the officer’s police academy, as well as any other relevant training records that would support obtaining POST Certification. The records must include a copy of the curriculum from those training entities and records demonstrating proof that training was completed, and a description of courses taught; hours assigned to each course; and a brief synopsis of the material taught in each course. The officer has the burden to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Administrator, that the officer may receive reciprocal certification.
The Administrator will examine the equivalent training records and make a comparison with the Delaware Mandatory Requirements. Any areas not meeting Delaware Standards will be required, prior to submission of the waiver application to Commission Board for consideration.
Seeking a Waiver?
An applicant seeking a waiver of equivalent training under this section must attend an approved academy in its entirety as a result of the following:
- If an applicant has not worked full-time in law enforcement during the five years immediately prior to the date of application
- If an applicant’s application submission was determined to be deficient in the areas of training as determined by the Administrator
- If an applicant, upon review of their training, needs to take more than 40% of the minimum number of hours of training in the state of Delaware
