74-5617. Requirement to hold permanent or provisional certification, penalties; violations of act. (a) Every candidate for appointment to a position as a police officer or law enforcement officer shall hold permanent or provisional certification.

(b) For the purpose of determining the eligibility of an individual for certification under this act, the commission may require the submission of training and education records, and experience history, medical history, medical examination reports and records, and interview appraisal forms.

(c) Law enforcement agencies in Kansas shall be responsible for their agency's observance of the hiring requirements of this section.

(d) No law enforcement agency head or other appointing authority shall knowingly permit the hiring of any person in violation of the requirements of this act, or knowingly permit the continued employment of any person as a law enforcement officer after receiving written notice from the commission that the person does not hold an active law enforcement certificate. No law enforcement agency head or other appointing authority shall knowingly permit any auxiliary personnel who have been convicted of a felony offense under the laws of Kansas or any other jurisdiction access to law enforcement records or communication systems that are restricted under state or federal law or appoint as auxiliary personnel any person who does not meet the requirements of K.S.A. 74-5605, and amendments thereto. Any violation of the requirements of this act shall be deemed to constitute misconduct in office and shall subject the agency head or appointing authority to:

(1) Removal from office pursuant to K.S.A. 60-1205, and amendments thereto; or (2) a civil penalty in a sum set by the court of not to exceed $500 for each occurrence of noncompliance in an action brought in the district court, which penalty shall be paid to the state treasurer for deposit in the state treasury and credit to the Kansas commission on peace officers' standards and training fund.

(e) Whenever in the judgment of the commission any person has engaged in any acts or practices which constitute a violation of this act, or any rules and regulations of the commission, the commission may make application to the district court, without giving bond, for civil enforcement of this act or rules and regulations in accordance with the Kansas judicial review act. The district or county attorney of any county shall at the request of the commission render such legal assistance as necessary in carrying out the provisions of this act. Upon the request of the commission, the district or county attorney of the proper county shall institute in the name of the state or commission proceedings for appropriate relief, whether mandatory, injunctive or declaratory, preliminary or final, temporary or permanent, equitable or legal, against any person regarding whom a complaint has been made charging such person with the violation of any provision of this act.

(f) The commission shall make such inquiry as necessary to determine compliance with the requirements of this section and the rules and regulations adopted under it.

(g) It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that every police officer or law enforcement officer under their supervision has the opportunity to receive the mandatory training as prescribed in K.S.A. 74-5604a, and amendments thereto.

History: L. 1983, ch. 256, § 2; L. 1988, ch. 306, § 4; L. 1997, ch. 168, § 6; L. 2006, ch. 170, § 18; L. 2010, ch. 17, § 187; July 1.