Ohio Administrative Code|Rule 109:2-7-05 | Certification of law enforcement canine units.

                                                
(A) All testing for certification of law
		  enforcement canine units shall be approved by the executive director according
		  to minimum standards established by the commission.
(B) Each canine unit shall be certified
		  annually by the executive director unless exempted because of unforeseen
		  circumstances such as illness, emergency employment situation, or other valid
		  reasons. The agency employing the canine unit shall submit a written request
		  for exemption from the executive director. If granted by the executive
		  director, the exemption shall be in writing and shall indicate the date by
		  which the canine unit must complete the examination for
		  certification.
(C) Those agencies which employ canine
		  units covered by the requirements in division (A)(10) of section 109.73 of the
		  Revised Code shall be responsible for arranging, in a manner prescribed by the
		  executive director, an examination for certification of such
		  units.
(1) The law enforcement
			 agency shall request approval of the proposed examination on a form provided by
			 the executive director twenty-one days prior to the examination. Provided the
			 proposed examination meets the minimum standards as established by the
			 commission, the executive director shall approve the scheduled
			 examination.
(2) The evaluator will be
			 responsible for verifying the eligibility of each canine unit to be tested, and
			 for surveying the proposed testing sites. The agency or agencies sponsoring the
			 examination will also be responsible for providing all assisting personnel,
			 materials, equipment and facilities necessary for conducting the
			 examination.
(D) Each canine unit shall be certified
		  each time a handler is assigned a different canine or a canine is assigned a
		  different handler before the unit assumes law enforcement duties.
(E) Certification shall be based on
		  successful completion of an approved certification examination as described in
		  paragraph (B) of rule 109:2-7-03 of the Administrative Code for patrol-related
		  Canines or paragraph (C) of rule 109:2-7-03 of the Administrative Code for
		  special purpose canines. The evaluator will make final decisions with regard to
		  weather conditions, adequacy of the testing site, eligibility of the unit to be
		  tested, and controllability of the canine. No canine which has failed to meet
		  the minimum eligibility standards set forth in this chapter, or which the
		  evaluator determines to be uncontrollable or that does not obtain an acceptable
		  rating in obedience, when applicable, shall be permitted to continue the
		  certification examination.
(1) Within thirty days
			 after the completion date of the examination, the evaluator shall submit to the
			 executive director testing records for all units which have been examined. Such
			 records shall include information required on a form provided by the executive
			 director.
(2) The evaluator shall
			 also submit, on a form prescribed by the executive director, a statement of
			 recommendation for certification of the units which have successfully met all
			 certification standards and requirements.
(F) Should the executive director refuse
		  to issue or renew a request for certification, he shall comply with the
		  provisions in rule 109:2-7-06 of the Administrative Code.
(G) Certification as a law enforcement canine unit may be
		  suspended or revoked by the executive director for submission of falsified
		  records, conviction of a felony, a crime of moral turpitude, an offense of
		  violence, a sexually oriented or child-victim oriented offense, or for other
		  good cause. Should a decision to suspend or revoke be rendered, the executive
		  director shall comply with the provisions of rule 109:2-7-06 of the
		  Administrative Code.