The Corrections Equivalency of Training (EOT) Certificate Program is designed to prepare out-of-state and federal officers, as well as previously certified Florida officers with a four-year or more break in service, to take the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Exam in Corrections, pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 943.131(2) and Florida Administrative Code Chapter 11B-35.009(4)(5). The EOT process exempts an officer from taking or repeating the full basic recruit academy. 

An individual may be eligible for an exemption from the full basic training requirements if he or she has worked as an officer in another state or with the federal government, and can verify the following (as applicable):  

• Full-time employment of at least one year as a sworn officer in the discipline for which the individual is seeking exemption. 
• Proof of training completion in the discipline that is comparable to Florida’s full basic recruit curriculum. 
• Proof of previous Florida certification. 

There can be no more than an eight-year break in employment as an officer to qualify for the program. The break in employment is measured from the separation date of the most recent qualifying employment to the time a complete application requesting an exemption from training is submitted to a Criminal Justice Selection Center or a criminal justice employing agency. 

Once an individual is approved for the Corrections Equivalency of Training Certificate Program, he or she must attend an Equivalency of Training Course at an approved training center and pass the State Officer Certification Exam in the same discipline within one year of receipt of the approved Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC): Exemption from Training Form 76. 

If the individual does not complete the training or pass the State Officer Certification Examination within the one-year time limit, he or she may apply for another exemption from training. (Note: The individual must still be eligible for the exemption based on Florida Statutes Section 943.131(2) at the time of the application.) 

By law, the criminal justice employing agency or selection center is responsible for reviewing each out-of-state or federal officer’s employment and training history to initially determine eligibility for exemption. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement does not determine a person’s eligibility. 

Upon collection, verification, and authentication of the documentation which establishes that an individual meets the training and experience requirements, a criminal justice employing agency or assessment center must submit a completed Exemption from Training: Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC) Form 76 to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for approval. (Note: The applicant does not complete the CJSTC: Exemption from Training Form 76.) 

This program is extremely concentrated and consists of three practical exams for corrections. The intent of these exams is to measure the student’s acquisition of information, skills, and abilities in the following high-liability areas: Defensive Tactics, Criminal Justice Firearms, and First Aid. The program does not cover all areas of the curriculum mandated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The individual must study the curriculum independently to prepare for the State Officer Certification Exam. This program meets the training requirements of the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission. 

The Corrections EOT Program requires the enrolling individual to be physically and mentally strong, fair-minded, and constantly alert. Each program candidate must submit an application to the Kenneth C. Thompson Institute of Public Safety Office.