Policy

Policy 1. The Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training is responsible for the establishment of an appropriate training program for constables in the field of law enforcement at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officer’ Training Academy or such other training programs that are approved by the Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training pursuant to Section 45-6-9. According to the statute, constables have the same duties and responsibilities enumerated in the definition of a law enforcement officer as found in § 45-6-3 (c) of the Mississippi Code as annotated. During a constable’s term of office, each constable shall attend and, to the extent to which he is physically able, participate in a curriculum having a duration of two (2) weeks which addresses the nature and scope of specific duties and responsibilities of a constable and which includes firearm use and safety training. Note: § 45-6-3 excludes elected officials from the definition of the term "law enforcement officer" thereby ensuring such officials would not be required to meet the provisions of the Law Enforcement Officers Training Program (LEOTP). Although constables shall be treated as law enforcement officers for the purposes of accomplishing the mandated training requirement of the Constable Training and Identification Act of 1986, constables are excluded from all other requirements of the LEOTP. A. The Board of Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Training shall develop a program of continuing education training for constables to attend consisting of eight (8) hours annually. The program shall be divided equally between firearms training and safety and instruction in both substantive and procedural law. The training will be conducted by the Mississippi Constables Association, and appropriate parts of the program may be conducted by members who have been certified by the Board to conduct the training program. The cost of travel, tuition and living expenses in attending the continuing training shall be paid out of the Law Enforcement Officers Training Fund created in Section 45-6-15. 1. No constable elected prior to January 1, 2000, shall be required to comply with the continuing education requirements of this paragraph 2. However, any constable may elect to attend the annual training and shall be reimbursed therefor as provided in this paragraph. 3. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a constable who has received a certificate from the Board on Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Training evidencing satisfaction of subsections (3) and (4) of Section 45-6- 11, or who is exempt from the requirements of subsections (3) and (4) of Section 45-6-11 by the provisions of subsection (1). History - Adopted - 12/1987; rev - 04/1990/1997, and 09/2018