Rule 31-601-2.3 - Procedures1. All emergency telecommunicator employers shall follow these steps in the evaluation, employment and certification of emergency telecommunicators. A. The employing agency must evaluate each emergency telecommunicator applicant to ensure each applicant meets the minimum employment criteria prior to employment. This evaluation must include the following: 1. A complete background investigation. This investigation is a critical factor in determining whether emergency telecommunicator applicants meet the requirements established under the ETTP. The primary purpose of the investigation is to provide the emergency telecommunicator employer with enough factual information to determine if a particular candidate would ensure the continued public trust in the competence and reliability of the department. 2. The submission of the applicant's fingerprints to the Criminal Information Center of the MS Department of Public Safety as a part of the background investigation. This can only be done through the emergency telecommunications agency's law enforcement parent or through a law enforcement agency which is served by that particular telecommunications agency. Note: Non-criminal justice agencies with emergency telecommunicators (i.e., fire, EMS) may be impeded by FBI policy. Such agencies should make every effort to submit fingerprints through the local law enforcement agency (i.e., as part of a public safety contract). Agencies who find themselves unable to submit fingerprints to CIC may obtain a waiver of this requirement until possible state legislation is passed. All agencies are reminded that they must complete a background check. Examples of this may come in the form of local driver's license checks or from calls to previous employers.
Do not send fingerprints to the Board or to the training course directors. Neither of these entities will forward your applicant's prints .
3. A review of the official Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD Form 214 for all applicants who have military service. Individuals must have been discharged from the armed forces under honorable conditions. 4. A review of appropriate official documents to certify successful completion of high school or the general equivalency degree (GED). High School graduate is defined as graduating from a secondary school in an accredited school district having earned the required Carnegie units and successfully completed any and all subject area testing as specified by the Mississippi Department of Education in the year the diploma was awarded. a. Accredited schools include those accredited by the Departments of Education from each State, the Private School Association from each State, the Association of Christian Schools International, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACWS) or one of the six regional bodies of the Association of Colleges and Schools. b. If an applicant has not obtained a high school diploma from an accredited school, the applicant must obtain a GED through the Mississippi Department of Education or obtain an equivalent score on a GED test administered by the American Council on Education. c. Applicants may provide a standardized test score on the ACT of 15 or higher in lieu of a GED score. 5. A review of appropriate official documents to certify age and citizenship. 6. A review of appropriate documents to verify current certification status for those applicants transferring from another emergency telecommunicator agency or jurisdiction. 7. Telecommunicators who transfer from another Mississippi emergency telecommunications agency with a valid certificate (w/break in-service of less than two years) must continue to meet all the minimum employment standards. Therefore, agencies must conduct a background investigation of all applicants to include those telecommunicators who may already hold certification. B. Once the employer has verified all the minimum employment standards and has employed the candidate, the employing agency shall create and maintain an individual personnel file containing a release of information form signed by the applicant, documentation of the aforementioned minimum employment specifics, and documentation of the background investigation (i.e. official diplomas, birth certificate, DD Form 214, naturalizations forms, FBI fingerprint report, etc.). The individual personnel file shall be maintained by the agency as long as the named telecommunicator is employed as an emergency telecommunicator within the agency. The agency head shall readily make the contents of the file available to the Board of Emergency Telecommunications Standards and Training upon receipt of a written request. C. Emergency telecommunications agencies must notify the Board of Emergency Telecommunications Standards and Training within thirty days of the date of hire of any emergency telecommunicator. This notification shall be in the form of an Emergency Telecommunicator Application for Certification. The Board of Emergency Telecommunications Standards and Training will use this form to determine if the applicant meets the minimum employment and training standards required for certification. Warning: MCA § 97-7-10 "Fraudulent Statements and Representations" provides for severe penalties for misrepresentations or fraudulent statements to a Board. This statute authorizes a fine of up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) and a jail sentence of up to five (5) years. Further, the Emergency Telecommunications Training Program authorizes the Board in MCA § 19-5-353 (8) to cancel and recall any certificate obtained through misrepresentation or fraud.
1. The agency head is responsible for conducting a background investigation. The investigation should reveal whether the applicant is a certified emergency telecommunicator or an emergency telecommunicator who has not obtained certification in Mississippi. a. The Application for Certification Form shall be submitted for either telecommunicators who have not obtained certification in this state or telecommunicators who have had a break in service of two years or more. The Application for Certification must be signed by the agency head or an authorized designee. b. If the telecommunicator has been certified and has a break in service of less than two years, the agency head must submit an Application for Certification form to transfer the certification. This form must also be signed by the agency head or an authorized official. c. Agency heads must designate persons to sign BETST forms in writing. Such authorizations shall be submitted to the Board. d. If the applicant for certification is the agency head, (i.e., Chief or director) forms must be signed by the next individual in the chain of command such as a mayor or college dean, etc. 2. To obtain credit for completion of Board-approved training courses, , agencies must submit appropriate documentation with the Application form. Appropriate documentation shall consist of a copy of a training certificate, and a score sheet or a letter authenticated by a course instructor. Credit may also be granted for completion of an advanced training course. 3. The employing agency must submit an Application for Certification within thirty days. The application lists several questions with a choice of a "yes" or "no" answer for each question. The form explains that answering "yes" may not necessarily disqualify an applicant from certification. Further, the application contains a statement to be signed by the applicant and a statement to be signed by the emergency telecommunications agency head or designee. a. Any of the questions, (items 1 - 10) that has a "yes" answer must be explained in writing to the Board. All crimes (regarding questions 4 and 5) must be reported. The only exceptions to this requirement are traffic offenses where the fine is less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) and where the applicant has had fewer than four (4) traffic offenses within the preceding twenty-four (24) months (excluding drug or alcohol related offenses). b. Traffic offenses where the fine was more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) or offenses that involve drugs or alcohol must be reported and explained. If the applicant has had four (4) or more traffic offenses within the previous twenty-four (24) month period, the date and disposition of each offense must be listed. c. All other types of offenses are crimes and must be reported, regardless of the fine, pleas entered, or the adjudication status. This would include but is not limited to cases that are non-adjudicated, nolle prossed, dismissed or acquitted. d. Employers may choose to write an explanation on the form itself or enclose a separate sheet if additional space is needed to provide a full explanation. Explanation of crimes or related matters should include the date of the offense and the status of the case. 4. Agencies should submit documentation of course training if applicable. No other forms or documents should be sent to the Board unless requested by the staff in writing. Other diplomas, in-service training certificates, birth records, fingerprint cards etc. should be retained in the agency personnel file. D. The Board Certification Section shall review each set of forms submitted to the Board. The Certification Section: 1. Shall determine that all appropriate forms are included. 2. Shall analyze each document to verify certification specifics which the Board must consider in accordance with established policy and procedure. 3. Shall determine the Certification Status of each applicant; a. Eligible for transfer of current certification (break in service of less than two years) to another emergency telecommunications agency, b. Eligible for certification after successful completion of a Board-approved training course, or c. Not eligible for certification. 4. Shall communicate with the employing agency in writing to clarify information as needed and to inform the agency of the applicant's certification status. 5. Shall track progress toward completion of assigned training of all applicants. E. After the staff has notified the agency head of the applicant's certification status, the agency head must then ensure that all arrangements are made to enroll the telecommunicator in an appropriate training program. Once the applicant has successfully completed the prescribed training and the Board has approved the individual or group of applicants, the staff will distribute certificates and provide reimbursement of authorized expenses. F. Individuals aggrieved by the actions of the BETST staff may request to present their request before the Board at a regularly scheduled meeting. Such requests must be presented to the staff in writing not later than 10 working days prior to the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. 31 Miss. Code. R. 601-2.3