2020 Code of Virginia
Title 9.1 - Commonwealth Public Safety
Chapter 1 - Department of Criminal Justice Services
§ 9.1-112.1. Criminal justice training academies; curriculum

A. Any criminal justice training academy approved by the Department shall employ the uniform curriculum and lesson plans developed by the Department pursuant to § 9.1-102 for all training offered at the academy intended to meet the compulsory minimum entry-level, in-service, and advanced training standards established by the Board pursuant to § 9.1-102. No credit shall be given toward the completion of the compulsory minimum training standards for any training that does not employ the uniform curriculum and lesson plans.

B. In addition to any audits or inspections conducted by the Department, the Department shall conduct an annual evaluation of each criminal justice training academy's compliance with the uniform curriculum and lesson plans. If the Department determines that a criminal justice training academy is deficient in employing the uniform curriculum and lesson plans, the Department shall provide assistance to the academy to ensure the academy's compliance and may take whatever enforcement action the Department deems appropriate, including revocation of the Department's approval of the academy.

C. Any approved criminal justice training academy may petition the Department for a waiver exempting compliance with any uniform curriculum and lesson plans requirement pursuant to § 9.1-102. Upon showing that an alternative curriculum and lesson plans developed by the petitioning criminal justice training academy meet and exceed the compulsory minimum training standards required by § 9.1-102 and substantially complies with the content of the uniform curriculum and lesson plans, then the Department shall issue a waiver for the use of the alternative curriculum and lesson plans. The Department shall conduct an evaluation of each criminal justice training academy's use of an alternative curriculum and lesson plans every third year during the criminal justice training academy's recertification to ensure compliance with the uniform curriculum and lesson plans content. If the Department determines that the criminal justice training academy is in substantial compliance with the uniform curriculum and lesson plans, the waiver shall be extended for three years. Any waiver issued to a criminal justice training academy may be revoked by the Department at any time if the Department determines that the criminal justice training academy is not in substantial compliance with the uniform curriculum and lesson plans.

2020, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 37, 48.