§6305. Powers and duties of commission.

The powers and duties of the commission shall be as follows:

(1) To develop, establish and administer the minimum courses of study and training and competency standards for firearm training for county probation officers, including an initial curriculum of at least 40 hours and including the firing of a qualification course.

(2) To revoke an officer's certification for failing to comply with educational and training requirements established by the commission.

(3) To approve or revoke the approval for the purposes of this chapter of any school that may be utilized to comply with the educational and training requirements as established by the commission.

(4) To establish the minimum qualifications for instructors, to approve or revoke the approval of any instructor and to develop the requirements for continued certification.

(5) To promote the most efficient and economical program for training by utilizing existing facilities, programs and qualified Federal, State and local police personnel.

(6) To make an annual report to the Governor and to the General Assembly concerning:

(i) The administration of the program.

(ii) The activities of the commission, together with any recommendations for executive or legislative actions.

(7) To require in accordance with this chapter county probation officers to attend a minimum number of hours in in-service training as provided for by regulation, unless the officer's employer files a show-cause document with the commission, requesting additional time for the officer to comply with the in-service training requirements. Approval of the request shall be made by the commission on a case-by-case basis.

(8) To appoint an administrative officer who shall serve and be directly responsible to the commission.

(9) To consult and cooperate with universities, colleges, community colleges and institutes for the development of specialized courses for county probation and parole officers.

(10) To consult and cooperate with departments and agencies of this Commonwealth and other states and the Federal Government concerned with county probation officer training.

(11) To certify officers who have satisfactorily completed basic educational and training requirements as established by the commission and to issue appropriate certificates to these officers.

(12) To visit and inspect approved schools at least once every two years. This inspection requirement does not apply where training is conducted locally at a satellite center consisting of a classroom and shooting range.

(13) To make rules and regulations and to perform other duties as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to implement the training program for county probation officers.

(14) To consider granting waivers of mandatory basic training to county probation officers who have successfully completed previous equivalent training.

(15) To maintain certifications and other records as necessary.

(16) To issue reports to the president judges of the courts of common pleas relating to compliance with this chapter.