Sec. 28-30. Definitions. Certification of telecommunicators and instructors. Revocation, suspension or refusal to renew certification. Automatic certification. Indemnification. Regulations.
Sec. 28-30. Definitions. Certification of telecommunicators and instructors.
Revocation, suspension or refusal to renew certification. Automatic certification.
Indemnification. Regulations. (a) For the purposes of this section:
(1) "Telecommunications" means any system in which electronic signals are used
to transmit information between or among points, including but not limited to, systems
transmitting voice, data or video by means of waves in any portion of the electromagnetic
spectrum;
(2) "Telecommunicator" means any person engaged in or employed as a telecommunications operator by any public safety agency or private safety agency, as defined
in section 28-25, whose primary responsibility is the receipt or processing of calls for
emergency assistance or the dispatching of emergency services provided by public
safety agencies and who receives or disseminates information relative to emergency
assistance by telephone or radio;
(3) "Office" means the Office of State-Wide Emergency Telecommunications established under section 28-24.
(b) The office, in cooperation with public safety agencies, as defined in section 28-25, may:
(1) Establish minimum standards for the training of telecommunicators, provided
a public safety agency may establish telecommunicator training standards that exceed
the minimum established by the office;
(2) Develop and conduct examination programs to certify the successful completion
of performance standards;
(3) Issue certificates of completion to persons who have successfully completed a
telecommunicator training program developed by the office and have demonstrated
proficiency in the completion of performance standards;
(4) Issue certificates of recognition to persons who, by reason of specialized training, experience or education, are qualified for certification as telecommunicator instructors;
(5) Coordinate the delivery of telecommunicator training programs, as required, to
the public safety agencies; and
(6) Renew the certification of telecommunicators and telecommunicator instructors
who have maintained the minimum skills established by regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.
(c) On and after January 1, 1990, no person may be employed as a telecommunicator
by any public safety agency or private safety agency for a period exceeding one year
unless he has been certified by the office upon successfully completing a telecommunicator training program and demonstrating proficiency in the performance of telecommunicator training program standards or successfully completing a written or oral examination developed by the office.
(d) The office shall issue a written acknowledgment of achievement, without participation in a telecommunicator training program, to any person who, by reason of experience or specialized training demonstrates competence in the performance of telecommunicator training standards as developed by the office.
(e) The office may revoke, suspend or refuse to renew any certificate if: (1) The
certificate was issued by administrative error, (2) the certificate was obtained through
misrepresentation of a material fact or fraud, (3) the holder has failed to perform the
duties for which certification was granted or to maintain minimum skills, or (4) the
holder has been convicted of a felony. The office shall not revoke, suspend or refuse to
renew any certificate except upon notice and hearing in accordance with the provisions
of chapter 54.
(f) Any telecommunicator employed by a public or private safety agency on a permanent basis on or before January 1, 1990, shall be deemed to have met all certification
requirements and shall be automatically certified under the provisions of this section.
Such certification shall expire when the person terminates his permanent employment
with such agency.
(g) The state shall save harmless and indemnify any person certified as a telecommunicator instructor by the office under the provisions of this section from financial
loss and expense, including legal fees and costs, if any, arising out of any claim, demand,
suit or judgment by reason of alleged negligence or alleged deprivation of any person's
civil rights or other act resulting in personal injury or property damage, which acts are
not wanton, reckless or malicious, provided such person at the time of the acts resulting
in such injury or damage was acting in the discharge of his duties in providing telecommunicator training and instruction.
(h) The office shall adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 to implement
the provisions of this section.
(P.A. 89-259, S. 1, 5; P.A. 90-152, S. 1, 2; P.A. 92-28, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-206, S. 14, 16.)
History: P.A. 90-152 added Subsec. (f) re indemnification of certified telecommunicator instructors; P.A. 92-28 added
Subsec. (b)(6), authorizing bureau to renew certification of telecommunicators and telecommunicator instructors, added
new language as Subsec. (e), specifying grounds on which the bureau may revoke, suspend or refuse to renew any certificate,
relettering remaining Subsecs. accordingly, and added Subsec. (h) requiring bureau to adopt regulations; P.A. 93-206
substituted "office" for "bureau", effective July 1, 1993.