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Course Catalog

Police Applicant Background Investigation   

This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills to conduct objective, thorough, and legally sustainable applicant background investigations reflective of the professional standards of your agency.

The training will guide you through the relevant Federal and State Statutes; up-to-date case law and Supreme Court decisions; and administrative regulations surrounding the selection and employment of personnel. We will also detail Federal and State fair employment laws; public records requirements; EEOC employment guidelines; and ADA legislation and the impact of these regulations on the applicant background investigation and applicant selection.

You will learn which private and governmental internet search engines can provide the most useful background information and data; the type of information to expect from a psychological evaluation; proper procedures for drug screening; and techniques for conducting interviews of applicants, references, previous employers, friends and neighbors. We will also address how to properly document the investigative findings in a comprehensive report.

At the conclusion of the course, you will participate in a practical exercise designed to simulate the applicant background investigative process.

Topics Include

  • Role of the background investigator
  • Identifying job dimensions
  • Background policy and procedure
  • Legal issues in background investigations
  • ADA and hiring
  • Psychological screening
  • Veteran’s preference
  • Drug screening
  • Sources of information and data
  • Conducting the background investigation
  • Proper interviewing techniques
  • Factual and objective background reports
  • Practical exercise

Audience

Public safety, law enforcement, corrections, human resources, and communications personnel who are involved in the application for employment process, to include: applicant testing or assessment, the interview of applicants, the applicant background investigation, and/or the selection of applicants for employment.

This course is restricted to sworn and non-sworn law enforcement personnel.

Course Length

40 hours

What Our Students Are Saying

  • “Instructors were very approachable and encouraged feedback and class participation. They had a wealth of knowledge and experience related to subject matter.” – S.C.
  • “Very good course. Excellent reference material. Thank you!” – Lt. G.D.
  • “I found many useful tools to make my backgrounds more thorough. I learned a lot of things my agency could improve on when conducting backgrounds and things that we could do to protect ourselves legally.” – B.I.
  • “Great course for a new or seasoned investigator. Discussion and input from others was encouraged. Great for learning.” – A.L.
  • “One of the best courses I attended in my 20+ years of law enforcement.” – M.R.
  • “The instructor was extremely knowledgeable, both academically and applicable experience. He was an expert in this field and did a great job keeping the class interesting, even through some dry material.” R.T. Background Investigator
  • “Instructors were up-to-date on current laws and procedures. I enjoyed the class.” – Det. M.R.
  • “The information provided was excellent. It was information overload in a positive way. Excellent instructor. Very knowledgeable. Well Done. A+” – Det. Sgt. M.C.
  • “Amazing course. Very informative and gives you a lot to think about. The handouts make a great reference manual.” – Sgt. F.S.G.
  • The class and instruction were outstanding.” J.T. Lieutenant, IA Commander
  • “The class clears up a lot of areas that I had no prior training on. I feel more confident in conducting background investigations. This class is very thorough.” Cpl. B.T., Training/Recruitment
  • “This course provided updated materials and innovative ways of doing background investigations.” – Sgt. T.H.

 

 








Policies

Schedule Changes

This schedule is subject to change without notice. If you have not received an official confirmation email prior to the first day of class, please contact us at (904) 620-4786 or info@iptm.org before traveling or making airline reservations.

Registration and Fees

Full payment must accompany all registrations. You may register online and pay with your Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express credit card, or you may download a Registration Form and mail it to IPTM with a check.

Cancellation/Refund Policy

Complete the Cancellation Request Form and return it to IPTM. No telephone cancellations will be accepted. Cancellations made less than 14 days prior to the course start date will incur a 20% administrative fee. In lieu of a refund, student substitutions can be made or a credit can be issued for a future course. Agency credit must be used within one year and cannot be refunded. No refunds will be given for no-shows. If materials for an online course were sent to the student, the appropriate materials and shipping costs will be deducted from the refund amount. Materials may be returned to IPTM in their original condition at the student's expense. Once IPTM has received and inspected them, the refund will be processed.

Due to the automated format of online independent study courses and Videos on Demand (VoDs), no refunds or substitutions can be made after registration.

Course Confirmations

A minimum number of registrations must be received for an in-person class to run as scheduled. When the minimum criterion has been met, written confirmation will be emailed to you. Please do not travel or make airline reservations until you receive written notification confirming that the course will run as scheduled.

Transportation and Lodging

Most locations are served by several major airlines. Transportation, food and lodging are the responsibility of the student. For information on training locations, please visit our Locations page or call us at (904) 620-4786. For courses in Jacksonville, the University of North Florida maintains a list of area hotels on the Campus Travel Management page.

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