S.C. Code Regs. § § 38-016

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 10, October 25, 2024

Section 38-016 - Withdrawal of Certification of Law Enforcement Officers

A. A law enforcement officer, certified pursuant to the provisions of R.38-007 and R.38-008, shall have his or her certification as a law enforcement officer withdrawn by the Council upon the occurrence of any one or more of the following events:

1. The officer is found to have falsified any application for certification and training based upon which the officer was admitted for training.

2. The officer is found to be ineligible for service as a law enforcement officer because of his or her failure to meet prerequisite qualifications for training and certification, as set by law, even though such ineligibility is not discovered until after the officer's initial certification.

3. The officer is convicted of a criminal offense under the law of any jurisdiction which would, by the laws of this State, disqualify the officer from obtainment of certification as provided for in R.38-007 and R.38-008.

4. Evidence satisfactory to the Council that the officer has engaged in misconduct. For purposes of this section, misconduct means:

a. Conviction, plea of guilty, plea of no contest or admission of guilt (regardless of withheld adjudication) to a felony, or a crime punishable by a sentence of more than one year (regardless of the sentence actually imposed, if any), or a crime of moral turpitude in this or any other jurisdiction;

b. Unlawful use of a controlled substance;

c. The repeated use of excessive force in dealing with the public and/or prisoners;

d. Dangerous and/or unsafe practices involving firearms, weapons, and/or vehicles which indicate either a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property;

e. Physical or psychological abuse of members of the public and/or prisoners;

f. Misrepresentation of employment-related information;

g. Dishonesty with respect to his/her employer;

h. Untruthfulness with respect to his/her employer;

i. Violations of criminal law resulting from administrative inquiries.

Provided however that in considering whether to withdraw certification based on misconduct, the Council may consider the seriousness, frequency and any mitigating circumstances surrounding the act or omission constituting or alleged to constitute misconduct.

B. The officer's certification expires due to the officer's failure to meet re-certification requirements as set out in R.38-013.

S.C. Code Regs. § 38-016

Added by State Register Volume 21, Issue No. 6, Part 2, eff June 27, 1997. Amended by State Register Volume 27, Issue No. 5, eff May 23, 2003; State Register Volume 38, Issue No. 3, eff March 28, 2014.