Tele-Communicator Academy Enrollment Process

McLennan Community

College

Tele-Communicator Academy

Enrollment Process

Academy Enrollment Process

APPLY TO THE TELE-COMMUNICATOR ACADEMY

Academy Contact Information

Cheryl Brooks

Academy Administrative Assistant

254-299-6529

Matthew Wise

Academy Director

254-299-6528

mwise@mclennan.edu cbrooks@mclennan.edu

Costs and Fees

FULL Course Tuition: $300.00

INDIVIDUAL Course Tuition:

TCOLE 1080: $175.00

TCOLE 2120: $60.00

TCOLE Exam: $35.00

TCOLE 3802: TCIC FULL ACCESS: $30.00

Classroom Hours:

Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Payment: Payment in full is due at registration. MCC accepts cash, checks,

MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or approved MCC Financial Aid.

Acceptance into the Academy is a competitive process with a limited number of

available spots. Tele-communicators hired by local law enforcement agencies and sent

to the academy are always given first priority for acceptance. The academy has a

maximum of 15 attendees.

An independent trainee is a person who is not employed as a tele-communicator and is

one who pays for the training themselves. Upon successful completion of the

academy, they could be hired as a tele-communicator.

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Independent Applicants

To apply as an independent candidate, you must:

• Complete MCC Academy Application.

• Complete Personal History Statement www.mclennan.edu/law/

o This document is used to determine if you meet minimum

requirements for attendance, including requisites mandated by the

Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

• Fast Pass. Applicant must be fingerprinted for a criminal history check.

• Form L-2; Declaration of Medical Condition (physical and drug screen),

completed by a licensed physician.

• Form L-3: Declaration of Psychological and Emotional Health. Complete

after tentative acceptance into the Academy)

• Certified copy of birth certificate (you must be age 18 years of age

• Copy of valid driver license and driver record

http://www.texasdrivingrecord.us

• DD form 214 (if applies)

• High school transcript or G.E.D

• Sealed original certified copy of your college transcript.

• A TSI Reading score of 950 or higher, or College Accuplacer test (reading

portion) copy of eligibility scoring 82 or higher. (Note: Applicants with an

Associates or higher degree, need not meet this requirement)

Completion of these documents does not guarantee selection, as seats are limited

and acceptance is competitive.

Documents submitted for attendance (including the personal history statement,

criminal records checks, driver’s license checks, physical, and psychological

examination) are only valid for 6 months from the time of submission. If you are not

accepted to a class within that time frame, it will be necessary to complete those

documents again to continue in our process.

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Admission Requirements

You must:

• Be 18 years of age before completion of the 176-hour academy. See TCOLE

Statutes and Rules Handbook for more information.

• Must meet the standards from Texas Administrative Code Chapter 217,

Enrollment, Licensing, Appointment, and Separation, subsection 217.1:

Minimum Standards for Enrollment and Initial licensure. TCOLE link.

• Texas Administrative Code

TITLE 37

PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS

PART 7

TEXAS COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT

CHAPTER 217

ENROLLMENT, LICENSING, APPOINTMENT, AND

SEPARATION

RULE §217.1

Minimum Standards for Enrollment and Initial Licensure

(1) minimum ag

e requirement:

(A) for peace officers and public security officers, is 21 years of age; or 18 years of age if the

applicant has received:

(i) an associate's degree; or 60 semester hours of credit from an accredited college or

university; or

(ii) has received an honorable discharge from the armed forces of the United States after at

least two years of active service;

(B) for jailers and telecommunicators is 18 years of age;

(2) minimum educational requirements:

(A) has passed a general educational development (GED) test indicating high school

graduation level; or

(B)

holds a high school diploma;

(C) for enrollment purposes in a basic peace officer academy only, has an honorable discharge

from the armed forces of the United States after at least 24 months of active duty service.

(3) is fingerprinted and is subjected to a search of local, state and U.S. national records and

fingerprint files to disclose any criminal record;

(4) has never been on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal

offense above the grade of Class B misdemeanor or a Class B misdemeanor within the last ten

years from the date of the court order;

(5) is not currently charged with any criminal offense for which conviction would be a bar to

licensure;

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(a) In order for an individual to enroll in any basic licensing course the provider must have on file

documentation, acceptable to the Commission, that the individual meets eligibility for licensure.

(b) The commission shall issue a license to an applicant who meets the following standards:

(6) has never been convicted of an offense above the grade of a Class B misdemeanor or a

Class B misdemeanor within the last ten years;

(7) has never been convicted or placed on community supervision in any court of an offense

involving family violence as defined under Chapter 71, Texas Family Code;

(8) for peace officers, is not prohibited by state or federal law from operating a motor vehicle;

(9) for peace officers, is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing firearms or

ammunition;

(10) has been subjected to a background investigation completed by the enrolling or

appointing entity into the applicant's personal history. A background investigation

shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(A) An enrolling entity shall:

(i) require completion of the Commission-approved personal history statement;

(ii) verify that the applicant meets each individual requirement for licensure under this rule

based on the personal history statement and any other information known to the enrolling entity;

and

(iii) contact all previous enrolling entities.

(B) In addition to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, a law enforcement agency or law

enforcement agency academy shall:

(i) require completion of a personal history statement that meets or exceeds the

Commission-approved personal history statement;

(ii) contact at least three personal references;

(iii) contact all employers for at least the last ten years, if applicable;

(iv) contact the chief administrator or the chief administrator's designee at each of the

applicant's previous law enforcement employers; and

(v) complete criminal history and driving records checks.

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(

11) examined by a physician, selected by the appointing or employing agency, who is licensed by the Texas

Medical Board. The physician must be familiar with the duties appropriate to the type of license sought and

appointment to be made. The appointee must be declared by that professional, on a form prescribed by the

commission, within 180 days before the date of appointment by the agency to be:

(A) physically sound and free from any defect which may adversely affect the performance of duty

appropriate to the type of license sought;

(B) show no trace of drug dependency or illegal drug use after a blood test or other medical test; and

(C) for the purpose of meeting the requirements for initial licensure, an individual's satisfactory medical

exam that is conducted as a requirement of a basic licensing course may remain valid for 180 days from the

individual's date of graduation from that academy, if accepted by the appointing agency;

(13) has never received a dishonorable discharge;

(14) has not had a commission license denied by final order or revoked;

(15) is not currently on suspension, or does not have a surrender of license currently in effect;

(16) meets the minimum training standards and passes the commission licensing examination for each

license sought;

(17) is a U.S. citizen.

(c) For the purposes of this section, the commission will construe any court-ordered community

supervision, probation or conviction for a criminal offense to be its closest equivalent under the Texas

Penal Code classification of offenses if the offense arose from:

(1) another penal provision of Texas law; or

(2) a penal provision of any other state, federal, military or foreign jurisdiction.

(d) A classification of an offense as a felony at the time of conviction will never be changed because

Texas law has changed or because the offense would not be a felony under current Texas laws.

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(12) examined by a psychologist, selected by the appointing, employing agency, or the academy, who is

licensed by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. This examination may also be conducted

by a psychiatrist licensed by the Texas Medical Board. The psychologist or psychiatrist must be familiar

with the duties appropriate to the type of license sought. The individual must be declared by that

professional, on a form prescribed by the commission, to be in satisfactory psychological and emotional

health to serve as the type of officer for which the license is sought. The examination must be conducted

pursuant to professionally recognized standards and methods. The examination process must consist of a

review of a job description for the position sought; review of any personal history statements; review of

any background documents; at least two instruments, one which measures personality traits and one which

measures psychopathology; and a face to face interview conducted after the instruments have been scored.

The appointee must be declared by that professional, on a form prescribed by the commission, within 180

days before the date of the appointment by the agency;

(A) the commission may allow for exceptional circumstances where a licensed physician performs the

evaluation of psychological and emotional health. This requires the appointing agency to request in writing

and receive approval from the commission, prior to the evaluation being completed; or

(B) the examination may be conducted by qualified persons identified by Texas Occupations Code

§501.004. This requires the appointing agency to request in writing and receive approval from the

commission, prior to the evaluation being completed; and

(C) for the purpose of meeting the requirements for initial licensure, an individual's satisfactory

psychological exam that is conducted as a requirement of a basic licensing course may remain valid for

180 days from the individual's date of graduation from that academy, if accepted by the appointing agency;

(e) A person must meet the training and examination requirements:

(1) training for the peace officer license consists of:

(A) the current basic peace officer course(s);

(B) a commission recognized, POST developed, basic law enforcement training course, to include:

(i) out of state licensure or certification; and

(ii) submission of the current eligibility application and fee; or

(C) a commission approved academic alternative program, taken through a licensed academic

alternative provider and at least an associate's degree.

(2) training for the jailer license consists of the current basic county corrections course(s) or training

recognized under Texas Occupations Code §1701.310;

(3) training for the public security officer license consists of the current basic peace officer course(s);

(4) training for telecommunicator license consists of telecommunicator course; and

(5) passing any examination required for the license sought while the exam approval remains valid.

(f) The commission may issue a provisional license, consistent with Texas Occupations Code §1701.311,

to an agency for a person to be appointed by that agency. An agency must submit all required

applications currently prescribed by the commission and all required fees before the individual is

appointed. Upon the approval of the application, the commission will issue a provisional license. A

provisional license is issued in the name of the applicant; however, it is issued to and shall remain in the

possession of the agency. Such a license may neither be transferred by the applicant to another agency,

nor transferred by the agency to another applicant. A provisional license may not be reissued and

expires:

(1) 12 months from the original appointment date;

(2) on leaving the appointing agency; or

(3) on failure to comply with the terms stipulated in the provisional license approval.

• Complete the application packet from the Tele-Communicator Academy.

(Packets for employed attendees are sent to agencies only.)

• Pass a complete medical and psychological exam.

• Show proof of Bacterial Meningitis vaccination if under the age of 22.

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(g) The commission may issue a temporary jailer license, consistent with Texas Occupations Code §1701.310. A

jailer appointed on a temporary basis shall be enrolled in a basic jailer licensing course on or before the 90th day

after their temporary appointment. An agency must submit all required applications currently prescribed by the

commission and all required fees before the individual is appointed. Upon the approval of the application, the

commission will issue a temporary jailer license. A temporary jailer license may not be renewed and expires:

(1) 12 months from the original appointment date; or

(2) on completion of training and passing of the jailer licensing examination.

(h) The commission may issue a temporary telecommunicator license, consistent with Texas Occupations Code

§1701.405. An agency must submit all required applications currently prescribed by the commission and all

required fees before the individual is appointed. Upon the approval of the application, the commission will issue a

temporary telecommunicator license. A temporary telecommunicator license expires:

(1) 12 months from the original appointment date; or

(2) on completion of training and passing of the telecommunicator licensing examination. On expiration of a

temporary license, a person is not eligible for a new temporary telecommunicator license for one year.

(i) A person who fails to comply with the standards set forth in this section shall not accept the issuance of a

license and shall not accept any appointment. If an application for licensure is found to be false or untrue, it is

subject to cancellation or recall.

(j) The effective date of this section is February 1, 2020.

Interview process for Independent Applicants

Process:

• Your application packet must be complete.

• The Academy Director will conduct a comprehensive background investigation

from the information you provide.

• Those who have successfully completed the documents and received an

acceptable review from the background investigation will be invited to an ORAL

INTERVIEW with the Academy Director. The interview process examines the

applicant’s background for employment purposes. Success is granted to those

who meet or exceed the expectations of this interview.

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PROCESS FOR THOSE HIRED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY

Law Enforcement Agencies may use the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement

Declaration of Licensing Course Enrollment Eligibility form as proof of compliance with

Rule 217.1

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INDEPENDENT TELE-COMMUNICATOR JOB DESCRIPTION

A person who has been accepted to attend the MCC Tele-Communicator Academy has

successfully completed the same process of any person who applies for any tele-

communicator position for any law enforcement agency in Texas. During the academy,

attendees are expected to complete all of the requirements of the academy as set forth

by Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) and to pass the state licensing

examination. Training covers a variety of academic and system process subjects

lasting approximately 4 weeks. Written and practical exercise exams are regularly

administered during the training process. Attendees must be able to pass the exams

and maintain a required grade point average. Failure to do so can result in separation

from the academy.

A tele-communicator attendee is a person who is in the initial training phase of

becoming a Texas tele-communicator. A tele-communicator is one who ensures the

smooth operation of clerical and dispatching functions for an emergency operations

component for law enforcement.

EXAMPLES OF WORK:

• Receives incoming calls on both the telephone and two-way radio, and takes appropriate

ac

tion, such as dispatching an officer, ambulance, fire truck or wrecker to the sc

ene;

• R

ecords and provides informati

on;

• Maintains radio contact with mobile police units and with other law enforcement officers

and a

gencies

;

• R

elays information to officers in the fiel

d;

• Relays to appropriate departments after-hours-calls including, but not limited to, street

l

ight outages, water leaks, dead and stray animals, and road and street sign damages

;

• E

nters incident information and offense reports into computer

;

• Maintains a log of all radio communications;

• P

repares documentation of requests for police services

;

• M

aintains current record of emergency numbers of businesses

;

• R

eceives incoming walk-in traffic, directing them to the appropriate person or deali

ng

w

ith the situation, if possibl

e;

• C

hecks records of suspects and/or vehicles utilizing computer equipment

;

• A

nswers non-emergency calls to the city promptly and pleasantly

;

• C

ourteously assists or directs citizens who telephone or visit the Police Department;

and

• Accurately takes messages for employees when they are not available and relays them

t

o the employees in a timely manner

.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by

an em

ployee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonabl

e

ac

commodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform t

he

es

sential functions

.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use

hand

s to finger, handle, or feel; and talk and hear. The employee frequently is requir

ed

t

o stand and reach with hands and aims. The employee is occasionally required to walk

;

c

limb; stoop, kneel, or crouch when filing documents. The employee must occasionall

y

l

ift and/or move objects weighing up to 35 pounds, such as files, materials or othe

r

s

imilar objects. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and abilit

y

t

o adjust focus

.

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WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an

em

ployee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonabl

e

ac

commodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform t

he

es

sential functions

.

• Works in a climate controlled indoor environment. Work environment is highly stressful

and dem

anding. May be exposed to foul and disrespectful language when answeri

ng

i

ncoming telephone calls. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate

.

M

ay be exposed to communicable diseases daily

.

Graduates should be immediately ready to begin a communication field training

program.

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L-2 and L-3 MEDICAL PROVIDER SELECTION PROCESS.

The McLennan Community College Law Enforcement Academy shall select medical

professionals who meet the rules from the Texas Administrative Code Chapter 217.1 (b)

(11) and (12).

L-2: The physician will be provided with the L-2 document and copy of the job

description for each applicant.

The L-2 physician shall be selected from the Waco McLennan County area and one that

is used by the local law enforcement agencies.

L-3: The psychologist will be provided with the L-3 document, copy of the job

description for each applicant, and a copy of the applicant’s personal history statement

document.

The L-3 psychologist shall be selected from the Waco McLennan County area and one

that is used by the local law enforcement agencies.

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