New Mexico Register / Volume XXXVII, Issue 21 / November 3,
2026
TITLE 10 PUBLIC
SAFETY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
CHAPTER 28 LAW
ENFORCEMENT STANDARDS AND TRAINING
PART 4 REGIONAL SATELLITE ACADEMIES
10.28.4.1 ISSUING
AGENCY: New Mexico Law Enforcement Standards and
Training Council, 4491 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507.
[10.28.4.1
NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
10.28.4.2 SCOPE: All law enforcement agencies and any
other entities that operate a police academy or public safety telecommunicator
academy in New Mexico. The scope of these rules also includes all training
conducted by the academy.
[10.28.4.2
NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
10.28.4.3 STATUTORY
AUTHORITY: Paragraph 1 of Subsection E of Section
29-7-4 NMSA 1978
[10.28.4.3
NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
10.28.4.4 DURATION:
Permanent
[10.28.4.4
NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
10.28.4.5 EFFECTIVE
DATE: November 3, 2026, unless a later date is cited at the end of
a section.
[10.28.4.5
NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
10.28.4.6 OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of Part 4 is to
establish procedures for the implementation of a satellite academy program,
also known as a regional satellite law enforcement training facility; to define
the required content for such programs and to implement evaluation procedures
to be utilized by the New Mexico Law Enforcement Standards and Training
Council.
[10.28.4.6
NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
10.28.4.7 DEFINITIONS: [Reserved]
[10.28.4.7
NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
10.28.4.8 APPLICATION
AND APPROVAL:
A. The New Mexico Law Enforcement
Standards and Training Council shall determine the maximum number of satellite
academies that may be certified at any given time.
B. The academy shall conduct an
administrative assessment to evaluate any proposal for a new regional satellite
academy. The academy’s formal accreditation process for a new regional
satellite academy shall include an assessment of the proposed new regional
satellite academy’s ability to administer, manage, and
sustain a training program that meets or exceeds
the minimum
training standards established by the council.
C. When the academy determines that
the proposed new regional satellite academy’s facilities, instructors, program
management, and curriculum meet or exceed the standards and expectations
established by the council, the director or designee shall present the proposal
to the council for a vote to approve or deny the creation of a new regional
satellite academy. The New Mexico Law Enforcement Standards and Training
Council shall evaluate the impact and need for an additional academy prior to
approving a new regional satellite academy.
D. A council-approved satellite
academy may not be sold, purchased, or transferred without council approval.
E. These procedures must be adhered to
by all basic law enforcement, certification by waiver, and public safety
telecommunicator academies for the training program to be approved for
accreditation in accordance with the Law Enforcement Training Act.
[10.28.4.8
NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
10.28.4.9 PROGRAM
IMPLEMENTATION:
A. A satellite academy must undergo an
accreditation process to ensure that the facilities, instructors, program
management, and curriculum meet or exceed the standards and expectations
established by the New Mexico Law Enforcement Standards and Training Council.
B. Initial accreditation will
involve a detailed review to ensure that the satellite academy is equipped with
the requisite facilities, staffing, infrastructure, and resources to operate a
program that is comparable to the academy.
C. An accredited satellite academy
will renew its accreditation every three years. A renewal will automatically be
processed by the New Mexico Law Enforcement Standards and Training Council,
provided the academy has delivered at least three basic training programs
during the previous three calendar years. If an academy has not done so, the
director will review the academy's status and performance and make a
recommendation to the Council for re-accreditation. The director will publish a
compliance manual for satellite academy accreditation.
D. For basic law enforcement training
and certification by waiver academies, comparable training facilities for the below-listed
proficiency areas must be available or contracted for by the requesting agency
or instructor and approved by the director.
(1) Comparable driving track facility;
(2) Comparable firearms range
facility; and
(3) Comparable obstacle/agility course
facility.
E. Upon receipt of this information,
a thorough evaluation will be made, and notification will be sent to the agency
or institution advising of the director's decision. If the program is not
accredited, the agency or institution will be notified, and recommendations
will be provided, advising them of the program's deficiencies. Once these
deficiencies have been corrected, the program will be examined again, and a
notification will be sent regarding the final disposition.
F. Once accreditation is granted,
the agency or institution can conduct the program with the assurance that the
program is comparable to or exceeds the minimum standards of training as
established by the New Mexico Law Enforcement Standards and Training Council.
G. There is no minimum or maximum
number of students. However, an appropriate instructor-to-student ratio must be
maintained. A low certification percentage, as determined by the New Mexico Law
Enforcement Standards and Training Council, may be grounds for non-renewal of
academy accreditation.
H. The New Mexico Law Enforcement
Standards and Training Council will establish minimum guidelines for instructor
and student conduct.
[10.28.4.9 NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
10.28.4.10 PROGRAM
REPORTING:
A. At least 45 days prior to the start date of a basic
law enforcement training program, basic public safety telecommunicator training
program, certification-by-waiver program, police training program, or public
safety telecommunicator and satellite academy directors shall submit the
following information for review and accreditation:
(1) Start date and estimated graduation date,
(2) Class schedule,
(3) Accreditation worksheet,
(4) An electronic copy of any additional
classes, including lesson plans and handouts, as well
as supplemental curriculum not included in the basic
law enforcement training program, basic public safety telecommunicator training
program, or certification-by-waiver program authorized by the council. This
submission does not need to include the standard curriculum established by the council,
only what will be taught beyond that standard curriculum.
(5) List of credentialed instructors
and their assigned classes. Specialized high-risk topics
that must be taught by instructors who are
credentialed to teach those specialized topics. If a specialized instructor is
required for a particular class, that specialized instructor must supervise any
credentialed general instructors who assist in teaching that class.
B. No less than two weeks prior to the start date, a Roster of
students' full names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, phone number,
home address, email, and agency, and the complete application package for each
student, including any required physical fitness assessment, psychological
testing reports, and medical examination reports, shall be submitted to the
academy, giving the academy time to ensure that the application packet is
complete for accurate record keeping, unless the academy grants an exception
for a particular applicant.
C. There is no minimum or maximum
number of students. However, an appropriate instructor-to-student ratio must be
maintained.
D. The New Mexico Law Enforcement
Standards and Training Council will establish minimum guidelines for instructor
and student conduct.
E. The New Mexico Law Enforcement
Standards and Training Council will determine which academies are authorized to
conduct basic law enforcement training, certification by waiver of previous
training, and public safety telecommunicator training programs.
[10.28.4.10
NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
10.28.4.11 PROGRAM
COMPLETION: Upon completion of the training program, the regional
satellite academy must provide the following information to the director prior
to administration of the law enforcement officer certification examination
(LEOCE) or public safety telecommunicator certification examination (TCE).
A. Final student roster of graduating students, including
any changes of address or other changes of personal status from what was
originally submitted.
B. Final class schedule: with any changes to dates,
times, and length of instruction;
C. Final list of instructors;
D. Test scores: Scores for each graded test, including
any graded practical assessments, emergency vehicle operations scores, and
firearms qualification scores, showing that the applicant met the standards for
training as established by the council for the basic law enforcement training
program, the basic public safety telecommunicator training program, or the
certification by waiver program.
[10.28.4.11
NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
10.28.4.12 LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION (LEOCE)
A. Only students who graduate from the academy, an accredited
regional satellite academy, or an accredited certification by waiver program
will be eligible for the LEOCE.
(1) Students will be allowed two
opportunities in which to pass the LEOCE within one year
from
the date of completion of the satellite program.
(2) Students who fail the exam two times
must attend the academic portion of the
certification by waiver of the previous training
program prior to taking the exam a third time.
(3) Students who fail the test three
times will be required to attend either the entire academy
or an entire regional satellite academy again.
B. If a student does not secure a
law enforcement position within one year from the date of passing the LEOCE,
they will be required to attend an accredited certification-by-waiver program
to obtain their certification.
C. Students who pass the LEOCE will be provided with a letter
from the director with their test score.
D. The
director shall submit an affidavit to the board attesting that the applicant
graduated from the academy, an accredited regional satellite academy, or an
accredited certification-by-waiver program; passed the LEOCE; and shall include
any concerns the director has regarding whether the applicant meets the
qualifications for certification under Section 29‑7‑6 NMSA 1978.
[10.28.4.12
NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
10.28.4.13 PROGRAM
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
A. The director or designee has the
authority to visit the regional training program at any time to monitor and
evaluate the training conducted to ensure that the program meets the
established minimum standards of training.
B. The director or designee will
investigate any reported information concerning the operation of the satellite
academy and the delivery of training programs. At any time that information on
program deficiency is verified, the director can request decertification of the
satellite program through the New Mexico Law Enforcement Standards and Training
Council.
(1) The decertification procedures
will require a written report on program deficiencies to the
director
of the satellite program, allowing for correction of noted deficiencies.
(2) If the corrections are not made to
the director’s satisfaction, decertification will be
recommended
to the New Mexico Law Enforcement Standards and Training Council.
(3) All efforts will be made by the
director and the satellite program director to resolve
program
deficiencies prior to initiation of any decertification proceedings.
(4) The satellite program director may
appear before the New Mexico Law Enforcement
Standards and Training Council to defend against any
program certification recommendations. Any decisions rendered by the council
shall be final.
[10.28.4.13
NMAC - N, 11/3/2026]
History of 10.28.4 NMAC:
[RESERVED]