Course Policies

Public Safety

The Basic Recruit Training Program at Northwest Florida State College is 770 hours for Law Enforcement and 552 hours for Corrections. These programs must be completed in their entirety for an individual to be eligible for certification as a law enforcement or correctional officer in the State of Florida. The curriculum for these programs has been set by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Division of Criminal Justice Standards and Training (CJSTC).

The Basic Recruit Programs are designed to be an intensive programs of study. The objectives of the programs are to train students to be successful in their studies, to develop strong ethics and professionalism, and to operate while under pressure. Students will be expected to develop and demonstrate, by their conduct, the seriousness of their intentions to pursue a career in the Criminal Justice profession.

Instructors:
The Basic Recruit Academies are taught by personnel with extensive experience in law enforcement and/or corrections. Most are actively employed as full time officers. As a general rule, each academy will have 12-15 different instructors.

Course Materials:
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Student Handbook
Contact Staff/College Bookstore for list of additional materials

Grading Policies:
Grading will consist of written and proficiency examinations. Each student is responsible for keeping up with his or her academic performance on each exam.

Students must attain an academic score of 80% or higher for each course examination to successfully complete the course. In courses that require proficiency skills, the student must demonstrate proficiency at the following levels

Firearms - 80% or higher
Defensive Tactics - 100%
First Aid - 100%
Vehicle Operations - 100%

The grading scale for this program is as follows:

A = 96 -100% D = 80 - 84%
B = 90 - 95% F = 0 - 79%
C = 85 - 89%

All FDLE Goals and Objectives will be covered in preparation for the State Certification Examination; however, other relevant material will be covered and tested which may or may not appear on the state exam.

Re-examinations – Chapter 11B-35 F.A.C. in part states, “If a Training Center Director determines that good and sufficient reason exists for re-examination, one re-examination may be administered by the training school.” The NWF State College Criminal Justice Training Center may administer only one re-examination during each Academy. A second failure during an Academy will require the student to re-take the second failed course. Should a student be allowed to re-test, the maximum attainable score on the re-test will be 80%.

Written documentation is required for a request for re-examination to be considered. A student must petition the Training Center Director requesting consideration for a re-examination. If a student does not successfully pass either the comprehensive or written exam or, if necessary, the re-examination, the student will be deemed to have failed that particular section of the course.

I. Attendance
Student attendance and performance requirements outlined in Chapter 11B-31, F.A.C. are as follows:

Each recruit must attend all sessions of any training course in which enrolled except for absences approved by the training center director. No student shall be considered to have successfully completed a training course if he/she has any unexcused absences.

The Training Center Director may schedule make-up work to be completed during the course in which the recruit enrolled. The make-up work will be comparable in content and quality to the instruction missed. The Training Center Director will maintain on file any make-up work performed by a trainee.

A recruit should complete the full academy during one scheduled presentation. However, when unusual circumstances exist as determined by the training center director, a recruit may be permitted to enroll in subsequent courses.

Any unexcused absence violates CJSTC Regulations and prohibits certification. Any recruit who cannot report to class must notify the Training Center Staff prior to the start of class.

Three tardies will be considered an absence. Arrival to class within fifteen minutes past the start time is considered a tardy, beyond fifteen is considered an absence. All recruits are expected to be on time for all phases of training. Any unexcused absences will result in a failure for the course and/or dismissal from the course.

All recruits will be required to "sign-in" on the attendance rosters at least once every four hours, or more often as prescribed by the instructor or the Training Center Director. Anyone who fails to sign the attendance sheet shall be designated absent and must comply with the absence policy.

Upon returning to class from an absence, a "STUDENT REQUEST FOR EXCUSED ABSENCE" form must be completed. Supporting documentation (i.e., doctor's note, death certificate) must be attached if required.

Upon review of the request by the instructor, the student will be assigned make-up work. All Make-up work must be handwritten. Make-up work will consist of 500 words single spaced, for each hour missed. It will relate to the topic(s) missed.

It is then the responsibility of each student to take the “excused absence packet,” (to include a completed excuse form reviewed by the instructor, associated documents, and completed make-up work) to the Training Center Director for approval consideration. Upon approval, it is the responsibility of each student to then return the “approved” packet back to the instructor. If an excused absence packet is not completed, approved, and returned to the instructor prior to the end-of-course exam, the student will not be allowed to test. The student will then have to make arrangements with Training Center Staff to take an alternate exam at a later date determined by the staff. The alternate exam cannot be done during regularly scheduled training.

Failure to turn in the completed excused absence packet will result in absence being categorized as "unexcused" which will result in the student failing the class. Submission of the proper paperwork does not guarantee that the absence will be declared excused. The Training Center Director will evaluate each request and determine if the absence was reasonable and necessary.

It is the policy of the Criminal Justice Training Center at Northwest Florida State College that a student shall not be allowed to complete a particular course if that student’s absences exceed 15% of the required hours for that course.

II. Tobacco Use
All NWF State College Buildings, including common areas, are designated SMOKE-TOBACCO FREE. Common area means any hallway, corridor, aisle, water fountain area, restroom, stairwell, entryway, or breezeway. Smoking, and the use of tobacco products, are permitted outside ONLY, and are prohibited within 30 feet of entryways.

III. Classroom Behavior
An instructor has the obligation to maintain order in the classroom to preserve the integrity of the learning environment. If the instructor feels that the behavior of a student is disturbing or otherwise interfering with instruction, then the student may; be asked to leave the class. The student may be allowed to return to the next class meeting after consultation with the instructor. The instructor may have further consultation with the department chair and Senior Vice President to determine if dismissal should be recommended. The student may appeal a dismissal decision to the President, whose ruling will be final. Disruptive behavior may result in additional disciplinary action.

Public phones are available at various locations throughout the Campus. Office telephones are for emergency use only. CELL PHONES MUST BE TURNED OFF DURING ALL CLASS SESSIONS. CELL PHONE USE OR TEXT MESSAGING DURING CLASS SESSIONS WILL BE GROUNDS FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION. Students with special circumstances, such as a sick child at home, may consult with the instructor on whether they will be allowed to keep their cell phone on in vibrate mode.

Students are not to linger in the hallways during class breaks. Students will report back to class promptly after breaks or meals and be quietly seated when the instructor is ready to begin class. Students will always conduct themselves in a professional manner so other classes and office personnel are not disturbed.

Students may dress casually, but not leisurely. Remember, potential employers will be your instructors and other potential employers will come to your class. First impressions are important!

Cheating, plagiarism, and any other misrepresentation of work are prohibited and will be grounds for dismissal from the Academy and disciplinary action by the college.

IV. Behavior, General
Students must maintain the highest ethical standards on an off campus. Students who use their “recruit” status or allow anyone to assume they are law enforcement officers will be disciplined.

Students are required to obtain parking decals and student identification cards. Students are required to park in designated white spaces. The blocking of vehicles, roadways, drives, and walking areas is prohibited.

Please refer to the Northwest Florida State College Student Handbook for further policy guidelines.

Emergency Disclaimer:
In the event of an emergency that forces the college to close, the date for any exams, presentations, projects, or papers will automatically be rescheduled for the first regular class meeting once the college re-opens.

Support Services:
If you have special needs for which accommodations may be appropriate to assist you in this class, please contact the Office of Services for Students with Special Needs in Building C-1 on the Niceville Campus, or call 729-5372 (TDD 1-800-955-8771 or Voice 1-800-955-8770).

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