Equivalency of Training (EOT) Program

George Stone Criminal Justice Training Center welcomes the opportunity to assist you with law enforcement, corrections, and probation training needs.

You may be eligible for an exemption from the basic training requirements if you were an officer in another state or with the federal government and meet the following requirements:

You worked at least one year, full-time as a sworn officer (not to include time spent within the basic recruit academy) in the discipline you are seeking exemption [CJSTC Rule 11B-35.009(1)(g)] https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleno.asp?id=11B-35.009.
You must have been employed as a ”full-time” officer with an agency authorized by law to employ or appoint officers pursuant to Section 943.10(4), Florida Statutes https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2018/943.10.
“Full-time” means any employed or appointed status in which a normal work week consists of forty or more on-duty hours, exclusive of overtime, holidays, regular days off, leave, or other authorized or ordered absence from work. You must have been employed at least one year as a full-time officer.
“At least one year”; means a time period of twelve months sworn experience that shall have occurred at no more than two criminal justice agencies over a period not to exceed eighteen months as a full-time officer in the specified discipline, excluding periods in which an individual was enrolled in or attending basic recruit training. This employment must have been within eight years of applying for Florida equivalency.
You received training in that discipline which is comparable to Florida’s full basic recruit curriculum or previously completed Florida’s full basic recruit training program and were certified in Florida. An assessment/screening process will be conducted to verify.
You have no more than an eight-year break in service since your latest separation from a sworn position.
You may be eligible for an exemption from the full basic training requirements if you were a previously sworn Florida officer and meet the following requirements:
- You were fully certified as an officer in Florida with at least one year of sworn service (cannot include academy time).
- You have at least a four-year break in service, but no more than an eight-year break in service since your most recent separation from a sworn position in Florida.

If you meet the above requirements and desire to renew your previous Florida officer certification or if you were a sworn officer employed in another state or a federal officer and desire to be certified in Florida, you must successfully complete the Florida Equivalency of Training (EOT) process. By law, criminal justice employing agencies, training centers, or selection centers are responsible for reviewing requests for equivalency of training to determine eligibility for the exemption. Please note: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement does not determine a person’s eligibility.

George Stone Criminal Justice Training Center is an Assessment/Screening site to determine eligibility for the EOT process. We also provide scheduled High Liability Proficiency checkoffs, and are a Pearson Vue Testing site for the State Officer Certification Exam (SOCE).

There are three components of the EOT process:

1. You must provide an official record of your sworn employment and contact for verification of employment. The documentation and application will only be accepted by mail and the payment (money order or certified check) must be submitted with the application. The EOT Assessment/Screening Process fee is $ for former Florida officers and $ for out of state or Federal officers. After the EOT assessment has been concluded and you have been determined eligible, you will be issued FDLE-CJSTC form 76 certifying eligibility. Upon issuance of form 76, you have one year to complete the next two components.

2. You must attend and successfully complete required High Liability (HL) Proficiency Training and Checkoff. This process reviews and allows you to demonstrate your proficiency in Firearms, Emergency Vehicle Operations, Defensive Tactics, and First Aid. We offer the HL Proficiency Training and Checkoff for a fee of $ . After successful completion of the HL Proficiency Training you must register, take, and pass the State
Officer Certification Exam (SOCE).

3. The State Officer Certification Exam (SOCE) is the same test given to cadets who have just graduated from a full Basic Recruit Curriculum police academy using scenario-based training techniques over approximately seventeen weeks of full-time instruction. While your former training and experience will be helpful in most topics, some of the nomenclature and concepts may be presented in ways new to you. This can affect your performance on the written SOCE. A significant number of EOT applicants fail the SOCE on the first try. This can be an expensive and time-consuming gamble if you choose not to properly prepare. We recommend you develop an aggressive and dedicated study schedule using the provided curriculum and complete the SOCE prep course. During the two-day SOCE prep course you will be exposed to topics covered on the SOCE as well as provided with mock exams. The practice exam results are a good indicator of how you will do on the actual exam. The fee for the SOCE prep course is $100. You have three opportunities to test and successfully pass within the one-year time limit. Each time you test is an additional fee.

We offer the SOCE here on campus through Pearson Vu Testing Service. The cost is $100. Remember you have one year after completion of the EOT Assessment/Screening process, receiving the FDLE-CJSTC form 76 to complete the HL Proficiency Training Checkoffs and pass the SOCE. Once you pass the SOCE, you will have four years to become employed, by a Florida agency, before your certification expires. We look forward to helping you successfully navigate the Florida Equivalency of Training process. If you have any questions you can review the frequently asked questions (FAC) at. [Put a link to FDLE FAQ site here.] If you have additional questions contact our EOT Coordinator, Mary Sumner, at (850)941-6200 ext2395. [Put a link to a site for our EOT forms to be accessed downloaded by applicant.]

Equivalency of Training (EOT) Program

George Stone Criminal Justice Training Center welcomes the opportunity to assist you with law enforcement, corrections, and probation training needs.

You may be eligible for an exemption from the basic training requirements if you were an officer in another state or with the federal government and meet the following requirements:

You worked at least one year, full-time as a sworn officer (not to include time spent within the basic recruit academy) in the discipline you are seeking exemption [CJSTC Rule 11B-35.009(1)(g)] https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleno.asp?id=11B-35.009.

You must have been employed as a ”full-time” officer with an agency authorized by law to employ or appoint officers pursuant to Section 943.10(4), Florida Statutes https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2018/943.10.

You received training in that discipline which is comparable to Florida’s full basic recruit curriculum or previously completed Florida’s full basic recruit training program and were certified in Florida. An assessment/screening process will be conducted to verify.

You have no more than an eight-year break in service since your latest separation from a sworn position.

You may be eligible for an exemption from the full basic training requirements if you were a previously sworn Florida officer and meet the following requirements:

You were fully certified as an officer in Florida with at least one year of sworn service (cannot include academy time).

You have at least a four-year break in service, but no more than an eight-year break in service since your most recent separation from a sworn position in Florida.

George Stone Criminal Justice Training Center is an Assessment/Screening site to determine eligibility for the EOT process. We also provide scheduled High Liability Proficiency checkoffs, and are a Pearson Vue Testing site for the State Officer Certification Exam (SOCE).

There are three components of the EOT process:

George STone Technical College