The Law Enforcement Equivalency of Training (EOT) Certificate Program is designed to prepare out-of-state officers, federal officers, and previously certified Florida officers with a four-year or more break in service, to take the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Law Enforcement Exam (i.e., pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 943.131(2) and the Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) 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 served 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 in a discipline that is comparable to Florida’s full basic recruit curriculum. 
• Proof of previous certification in Florida. 

There can be no more than an eight-year break in employment as an officer to qualify for exemption. 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 criminal justice employing agency. 

Once an individual is approved for equivalency of training, he or she must attend an EOT 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 an 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 only if the individual is still eligible for this exemption at the time of application (cf. Florida Statutes Chapter 943.131(2)). 

By law, criminal justice employment agencies and selection centers are responsible for reviewing each out-of-state or federal officer’s employment and training 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 documentation which establishes that an individual meets the training and experience requirements, a criminal justice employing agency or assessment center must submit a completed Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC): Exemption from Training Form 76 to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for approval. (Note: The applicant does not complete the CJSTC Form 76.) 

This program is extremely concentrated and consists of four practical exams for Law Enforcement. The intent of this course is to measure the student’s acquisition of information, skills, and abilities in the following high-liability areas: Defensive Tactics, Criminal Justice Firearms, First Aid, and Law Enforcement Vehicle Operations. The course does not cover all areas of the curriculum mandated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The student 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 Law Enforcement 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.