Guidelines for Out-of-State Officers Seeking Employment in Montana

Many officers now working in Montana began their law enforcement careers in other states. As a certified peace officer, you may be eligible to work as a public safety officer in Montana without having to retake basic training.

Jobs in Montana

While there is no statewide information available on the annual rate of job openings for Montana's many law enforcement agencies, attendance rates at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy provide an estimate of the number of new officers hired each year.

• Three 12-week Law Enforcement Basic Courses are held annually, graduating approximately 130 new officers each year. Most of these officers have already been hired by a law enforcement agency.
• Five to 10 individuals each year attend the Academy as "pre-service" students. These men and women complete their training on their own time and at their own expense to improve their chance of being hired.
• About 30 officers each year complete the Legal Equivalency Basic Course at the Academy. Most of these individuals completed their basic training in another state.

Salaries in Montana

The starting salaries for Montana public safety officers range from approximately $22,000 to $35,000 a year, depending on the agency.

Determining Equivalency

In order to meet equivalency in Montana:

• your state's POST training records must be reviewed by the Montana Public Safety Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council, and
• you must not have had a break in service that exceeds five years from your date of hire in Montana.

Equivalency Testing and Training

After being hired by an agency in Montana, out-of-state officers must complete all components of equivalency testing and training within their first year of employment. To initiate equivalency testing, you and your department training officer must contact POST and arrange to have your training record reviewed.

If POST finds that you are eligible for equivalency, it notifies the Academy, which will then contact you about the process.

To maintain powers of arrest, officers trained out of state must complete all components of the Legal Equivalency Basic Course within their first year of initial appointment as a peace officer in Montana (Section 7-32-303 of the Montana Code Annotated).

Equivalency is a five-step process:

1. Eligibility – Establish your eligibility for certification through the POST Council.
2. Equivalency Test – Complete the three-part equivalency test at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy, which includes a written, firearms and fitness exam. The written equivalency test is derived from the final basic course examination. It is a general test of terms and concepts common to law enforcement, and is not specific to Montana law.
3. Legal Basic Equivalency Course – Complete all aspects of the Academy's Legal Basic Equivalency Course, which includes orientation, distance learning, classroom training and a final examination.
4. Agency Probation Period – Complete the required 12-month agency probation period.
5. POST Certification – Submit an Application for Award of Certificate, signed by an agency administrator and with all required attachments.

Remember, your knowledge of general law enforcement practice and procedures will be examined. If you fail, you will have to retake basic training in Montana to be certified.

You should also be aware of the following:

• Part-time law enforcement officers must be certified to the same standards as full-time officers.
• Police chiefs are subject to all certification requirements and guidelines.

Hiring and the Certification Process

Since there is no central file for local job announcements in Montana, you must make direct contact with the agency you would like to work for. It is your obligation to meet any established application deadlines and requirements for open positions.

You may refer to these websites:

• Montana Association of Chiefs of Police (MACOP)
• Montana Police Protective Association (MPPA)
• Montana Sheriffs & Peace Officers Association (MSPOA)
• State Job Listings

The certification process for law enforcement officers in Montana begins only after an individual has been hired. As an officer with out-of-state training, you must be hired by a Montana law enforcement agency before you can obtain a Montana Basic Certificate.

You may be able to obtain written confirmation that your past training successfully qualifies you for equivalency testing in Montana. Written confirmation of eligibility for equivalency testing may help you as you search for a job.

To request written confirmation, write to:

Public Safety Officer Standards and Training Council
2260 Sierra Road East
Helena, Montana 59602

State your request and include copies of:

• your basic certificate in another state
• your Basic Training Academy Diploma
• proof of your employment history in other jurisdictions
• the Basic Training course outline, including the number of hours for each class

You may also include any other training information that would help determine your eligibility to challenge the basic equivalency in Montana.

Further Information

By reviewing these guidelines and staying in direct contact with the criminal justice hiring agencies in the jurisdictions where you would like to relocate, you may improve your likelihood of finding employment as a law enforcement officer. As elsewhere in the United States, law enforcement in Montana is a demanding occupation. If you are willing to dedicate your efforts towards long hours and hard work under difficult conditions, your application will be welcome in Montana.

Further information is available from the Montana Law Enforcement Academy or POST Council staff.