23-1701.01. Candidate for sheriff; requirements; sheriff; attend Sheriff's Certification Course; exception; continuing education; violation; penalty.

(1) Any candidate for the office of sheriff who does not have a law enforcement officer certificate or diploma issued by the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice shall submit with the candidate filing form required by section 32-607 a standardized letter issued by the director of the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center certifying that the candidate has:

(a) Within one calendar year prior to the deadline for filing the candidate filing form, passed a background investigation performed by the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center based on a check of his or her criminal history record information maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation through the Nebraska State Patrol. The candidate who has not passed a background investigation shall apply for the background investigation at least thirty days prior to the filing deadline for the candidate filing form; and

(b) Received a minimum combined score on the reading comprehension and English language portions of an adult basic education examination designated by the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center.

(2) Each sheriff shall attend the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center and receive a certificate attesting to satisfactory completion of the Sheriff's Certification Course within eight months after taking office unless such sheriff has already been awarded a certificate by the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice attesting to satisfactory completion of such course or unless such sheriff can demonstrate to the Nebraska Police Standards Advisory Council that his or her previous training and education is such that he or she will professionally discharge the duties of the office. Any sheriff in office prior to July 19, 1980, shall not be required to obtain a certificate attesting to satisfactory completion of the Sheriff's Certification Course but shall otherwise be subject to this section. Notwithstanding sections 81-1401 to 81-1414.10, each sheriff shall attend twenty hours of continuing education in criminal justice and law enforcement courses approved by the council each year following the first year of such sheriff's term of office. Such continuing education shall be offered through seminars, advanced education which may include college or university classes, conferences, instruction conducted within the sheriff's office, or instruction conducted over the Internet, except that instruction conducted over the Internet shall be limited to ten hours annually, and shall be of a type which has application to and seeks to maintain and improve the skills of the sheriffs in carrying out the responsibilities of their office.

(3) Notwithstanding section 81-1403, unless a sheriff is able to show good cause for not complying with subsection (2) of this section or obtains a waiver of the training requirements from the council, any sheriff who violates subsection (2) of this section shall be punished by a fine equal to such sheriff's monthly salary. Each month in which such violation occurs shall constitute a separate offense.

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