Arkansas Law Enforcement Standards: Hiring, Training, and Certification

To work as a police officer in Arkansas, you have to clear the standards set by the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST): meet minimum qualifications before you are hired, complete an approved basic training academy within nine months of your start date, and then keep your certification alive with annual in-service training for the rest of your career. The Arkansas law enforcement qualifications and training framework is built into state statute and filled in by CLEST’s administrative rules, and the same body that issues your certificate can take it away.

Who Sets the Standards

CLEST is the state body behind every requirement in this article. The Arkansas General Assembly created it under Arkansas Code 12-9-101, finding that criminal justice administration is a statewide concern and that the public interest demands minimum education and training for anyone serving as a law enforcement officer.1Justia. Arkansas Code 12-9-101 – Legislative Determinations Under Arkansas Code 12-9-104, the commission adopts the rules, sets minimum selection and training standards (which can differ for urban and rural areas or full-time and part-time officers), writes the recruit and in-service curriculum, and approves the training institutions.2Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas Code 12-9-104 – Commission’s Powers Generally Individual departments can add stricter requirements on top, but they cannot drop below CLEST’s floor.

Minimum Qualifications to Be Hired

CLEST Rule 1002 lists what every candidate must satisfy at or before the time of employment.3Arkansas Department of Public Safety. CLEST Rule 1002 – Minimum Standards for Employment

  • At least 21 years old. A 20-year-old can be hired solely to attend a basic training academy but cannot perform any law enforcement functions until turning 21.
  • U.S. citizen.
  • High school diploma or GED. Home school diplomas are not accepted unless CLEST specifically approves one.
  • Valid driver’s license at the time of employment.
  • A thorough background investigation, including fingerprints run through state and national databases.
  • A physical examination by a licensed physician verifying you can perform the required duties.
  • A psychological evaluation by someone licensed to practice psychiatry or psychology in Arkansas, finding you competent and recommending you for hire.
  • A face-to-face interview with the department head or a representative.

Before you perform any duty that involves carrying a firearm, you also have to pass a CLEST firearms qualification and review your department’s policies on use of force, criminal law, and emergency vehicle operations. That requirement kicks in immediately on hire. It is separate from completing the full basic training course.3Arkansas Department of Public Safety. CLEST Rule 1002 – Minimum Standards for Employment

Criminal History That Disqualifies You

Any Felony, Ever

Arkansas Code 12-9-106(b)(2) is absolute: anyone who pleads guilty or is found guilty of a felony is permanently ineligible to be appointed or certified as a law enforcement officer.4Justia. Arkansas Code 12-9-106 – Employment Requirements Under CLEST Rule 1002, a pardon or expungement does not erase the felony record for law enforcement eligibility purposes.3Arkansas Department of Public Safety. CLEST Rule 1002 – Minimum Standards for Employment A sealed record does not give you a fresh start here.

Misdemeanor Domestic Violence

A misdemeanor domestic violence conviction is a separate, federal disqualification. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9), anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition, with no exception for on-duty carry.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 922 – Unlawful ActsCLEST Rule 1002 – Minimum Standards for Employment Arkansas cannot waive it.

The Nine-Month Training Window

Once hired, you can work on a temporary basis for up to nine months while completing training, and no longer. After that window closes, an officer who has not finished an approved program of police training at a CLEST-approved school cannot continue serving.4Justia. Arkansas Code 12-9-106 – Employment Requirements CLEST may extend the temporary period if it finds extraordinary circumstances, but extensions are discretionary and not automatic.6Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas Code 12-9-106 – Employment Requirements

The primary training institution is the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy (ALETA), which runs basic and specialized courses year-round.7Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy (ALETA) The curriculum is built around the subject areas Arkansas Code 12-9-104(7) requires CLEST to include: accident investigation, arrest procedures, civil rights, court testimony, criminal law and procedure, firearms, first aid, handling juvenile offenders, human relations, evidence collection, physical training, race relations and sensitivity, recognizing mental health conditions requiring immediate assistance, search and seizure, report writing, and traffic control.2Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas Code 12-9-104 – Commission’s Powers Generally Officers who do not meet firearms marksmanship standards get remedial instruction before any retest.

On satisfactory completion, CLEST issues a certificate under Arkansas Code 12-9-106(c). The commission also recognizes equivalent training completed in other states if the content and quality conform to CLEST standards, which matters if you are moving to Arkansas with prior experience.4Justia. Arkansas Code 12-9-106 – Employment Requirements

Keeping Your Certification: Annual Training

Certification does not sit still. Every certified officer must complete at least 24 hours of CLEST-approved training each calendar year to remain eligible for continued employment. The hours break down into firearms qualification and training plus general law enforcement training, and must include duty-to-intervene training and at least four hours of racial profiling instruction.8Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training Rules The training year runs January 1 through December 31.

Approved in-service courses cover legal updates, de-escalation, and crisis intervention, with specialized tracks for homicide investigation, narcotics, and tactical response. Many departments stack additional requirements on top of the CLEST minimum, especially for high-risk assignments or officers moving into leadership. Fall behind on the annual hours and you risk losing the ability to serve until the deficiency is corrected.

How Certification Can Be Lost

CLEST Rule 1034 governs misconduct. Certificates remain CLEST’s property, and the commission can revoke or recall any certificate after written notice and a hearing. The grounds include:9Arkansas Department of Public Safety. CLEST Rule 1034 – Decertification, Disciplinary Action, and Hearings

  • Separation from employment for not meeting or ceasing to meet CLEST’s minimum employment standards.
  • Leaving employment due to involvement in any act punishable by law.
  • Dismissal for violating the rules or regulations of the employing agency.
  • Resigning or retiring while the subject of a pending internal investigation.
  • Providing false information to obtain certification.
  • Certification issued by mistake.
  • Violation of the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics.
  • Dismissal for excessive use of force.
  • Dismissal for dishonesty or untruthfulness.

Short of full revocation, the CLEST Director can temporarily suspend an officer’s ability to serve when the officer is found out of compliance with minimum standards and fails to remedy the deficiency within a reasonable time.9Arkansas Department of Public Safety. CLEST Rule 1034 – Decertification, Disciplinary Action, and Hearings Officers facing action may attend hearings to present a defense. An officer who loses certification is barred from law enforcement employment anywhere in Arkansas unless CLEST grants reinstatement, which happens rarely and under strict conditions.

Who’s Exempt

A narrow set of long-serving officers is grandfathered out of these standards. Officers already serving under full-time permanent appointment on December 31, 1977, are not required to meet the training and qualification standards of 12-9-106 as a condition of continued employment, and officers employed before January 1, 1976, may train voluntarily without risking dismissal for falling short.6Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas Code 12-9-106 – Employment Requirements As a practical matter, these provisions affect very few active officers today.

Arkansas Code 12-9-108 also carves out an exception for municipalities employing non-certified personnel for parking enforcement, who are prohibited from carrying firearms.10Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas Code – Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training Statutes If you are stepping into a sworn law enforcement role in Arkansas, assume the full CLEST framework applies to you.