Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 19 - COUNTIES AND COUNTY OFFICERS (§§ 19-1-1 — 19-31-51) › Chapter 5 - HEALTH, SAFETY AND PUBLIC WELFARE (§§ 19-5-1 — 19-5-371) › EMERGENCY TELECOMMUNICATIONS; BOARD; STANDARDS AND TRAINING; BASIC AND ENHANCED 911 (§§ 19-5-351 — 19-5-361) › Section 19-5-353 - [Repealed Effective 7/1/2028] Certification requirement for telecommunicators; minimum standards of training; suspension, cancellation, or recall of certificate; reprimands; notice, hearing and appeal; reapplication; penalties for employment of telecommunicator not duly qualified; other training not precluded

(1)
The initial minimum standard of training for local public safety and 911 telecommunicators shall be determined by the Board of Emergency Telecommunications Standards and Training. All courses approved for minimum standards shall be taught by instructors certified by the course originator as instructors for such courses.
(2)
The minimum standards may be changed at any time by the Board of Emergency Telecommunications Standards and Training, but shall always include at least two (2) hours of training related to handling complaints and/or calls of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children as defined in Section
43-21-105
, communicating with such victims and requiring the local public safety and 911 telecommunicators to contact the Department of Child Protection Services when human trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation is suspected.
(3)
Changes in the minimum standards may be made upon request from any bona fide public safety, emergency medical or fire organization operating within the State of Mississippi. Requests for change shall be in writing submitted to either the State Law Enforcement Training Academy; the State Fire Academy; the Mississippi Chapter of the Associated Public Safety Communications Officers, Incorporated; the Mississippi Chapter of the National Emergency Number Association; the Mississippi State Board of Health, Emergency Medical Services Division; the Mississippi Justice Information Center; the Mississippi Sheriff's Association; the Mississippi Fire Chief's Association; the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police; or Mississippians for Emergency Medical Services.
(4)
The minimum standards in no way are intended to restrict or limit any additional training which any department or agency may wish to employ, or any state or federal required training, but to serve as a basis or foundation for basic training.
(5)
Persons in the employment of any public safety, fire, 911 PSAP or emergency medical agency as a telecommunicator on July 1, 1993, shall have three (3) years to be certified in the minimum standards courses provided they have been employed by such agency for a period of more than one (1) year prior to July 1, 1993.
(6)
Persons having been employed by any public safety, fire, 911 PSAP or emergency medical agency as a telecommunicator for less than one (1) year prior to July 1, 1993, shall be required to have completed all the requirements for minimum training standards, as set forth in Sections
19-5-351
through
19-5-361
, within one (1) year from July 1, 1993. Persons certified on or before July 1, 1993, in any course or courses chosen shall be given credit for these courses, provided the courses are still current and such persons can provide a course completion certificate.
(7)
Any person hired to perform the duties of a telecommunicator in any public safety, fire, 911 PSAP or emergency medical agency after July 1, 1993, shall complete the minimum training standards as set forth in Sections
19-5-351
through
19-5-361
within twelve (12) months of their employment or within twelve (12) months from the date that the Board of Emergency Telecommunications Standards and Training shall become operational.
(8)
Professional certificates remain the property of the board, and the board reserves the right to either reprimand the holder of a certificate, suspend a certificate upon conditions imposed by the board, or cancel and recall any certificate when:
(a)
The certificate was issued by administrative error;
(b)
The certificate was obtained through misrepresentation or fraud;
(c)
The holder has been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude;
(d)
The holder has been convicted of a felony; or
(e)
Other due cause as determined by the board.
When the board believes there is a reasonable basis for either the reprimand, suspension, cancellation of, or recalling the certification of a telecommunicator, notice and opportunity for a hearing shall be provided. Any telecommunicator aggrieved by the findings and order of the board may file an appeal with the chancery court of the county in which such person is employed from the final order of the board. Any telecommunicator whose certification has been cancelled pursuant to Sections
19-5-351
through
19-5-361
may reapply for certification but not sooner than two (2) years after the date on which the order of the board canceling such certification became final.
(9)
Any state agency, political subdivision or "for-profit" ambulance, security or fire service company that employs a person as a telecommunicator who does not meet the requirements of Sections
19-5-351
through
19-5-361
, or that employs a person whose certificate has been suspended or revoked under provisions of Sections
19-5-351
through
19-5-361
, is prohibited from paying the salary of such person, and any person violating this subsection shall be personally liable for making such payment.
(10)
These minimum standards and time limitations shall in no way conflict with other state and federal training as may be required to comply with established laws or regulations.
Laws, 1993, ch. 536, § 8; Laws, 2001, ch. 490, § 1; Laws, 2003, ch. 374, § 1; reenacted and amended, Laws, 2004, ch. 442, § 1; Laws, 2006, ch. 355, § 1; Laws, 2010, ch. 325, § 1, eff. 3/15/2010.
Brought forward by Laws, 2024, ch. 324, SB 2310,§ 11, eff. 6/30/2024.
Reenacted by Laws, 2021, ch. 331, HB 74,§ 10, eff. 7/1/2021.
Amended by Laws, 2019, ch. 420, HB 571,§ 8, eff. 7/1/2019.
Repealed by Laws, 2018, ch. 381, HB 890,§ 14, eff. 7/1/2021.
Amended by Laws, 2018, ch. 381, HB 890,§ 12, eff. 7/1/2018.
Amended by Laws, 2016, ch. 391, HB 491, 1, eff. 7/1/2016.
Amended by Laws, 2013, ch. 404, HB 1080, 1, eff. 7/1/2013.