DISCOVER YOUR POTENTIAL

The Police Applicant Screening Service (PASS) operates under the direction of the Police Standards Council (PPSC) representing the 13 law enforcement agencies within Pinellas County. Its purpose is to provide candidate evaluations and background investigations on behalf of those employers. After successful completion of the screening process, applicants enter an eligible candidate pool for one year, during which they may be called for job interviews by any of the PASS agencies.

PASS is not an employer and participation does not guarantee employment to applicants. Individual agency employers may conduct additional screening steps (such as medical examinations or additional background reviews) to establish eligibility under their own employment requirements. Successful completion of the PASS process is also a requirement for entry into the law enforcement academy at St. Petersburg College Allstate Center.  

PASS INCREASES EMPLOYMENT VISIBILITY

As the centralized processing facility for all 13 Pinellas County law enforcement agencies PASS offers distinct advantages to include:

1. A single application is available to all 13 agencies.
2. You avoid many redundant background-screening steps and visits.
3. The mix of small, medium and large agencies provides you with a variety of career opportunities.
4. Since these agencies together have over 1700 law enforcement officer positions, selection through PASS is continuous.

By design, the PASS process is a very extensive and exhaustive background investigation. The PASS staff will make every effort to expedite your case, but your cooperation is essential. For instance, submitting an incomplete Personal History Statement will substantially slow and possibly eliminate your eligibility for successful completion.

Testing is scheduled at PASS once a week, except when holidays conflict.  Registration and orientation to the background process is performed onsite. Please read the Application Information Packet (AIP) AIP August 2021 for specific qualifications, fees, processing steps, documents, etc.. required for pool candidacy.

AIP document is viewable and downloadable within THE PASS ADVANTAGE tab (see highlighted AIP December 2019) or by clicking the PASS Forms header (see highlighted AIP December 2019)

• Registration hours are Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• To expedite the registration process, we recommend applicants call ahead to schedule an appointment date/time to reduce possible waiting time.
• Please contact Administrative Assistant Robyn Weir by phone at Ext. 1 or email Weir.Robyn@SPCollege.edu to confirm an appointment. Please read the Applicant-Information-Package-AIP prior to scheduling an appointment.

PASS uses the Peace Officer Background Investigative Tracking System (POBITS) for the completion of candidate personal history information. POBITS is a secure web base application program that requires candidates to have access to a computer terminal and internet.

Candidates will be granted access to POBITS at the time of the applicant’s personal appearance for PASS registration. Candidates will have ten days to fully complete the POBITS Personal History Statement. The attending staff member, performing the registration, will provide a detailed overview and instructions for the use of POBITS to the candidate.

All 13 law enforcement agencies (recruiters and other hiring responsible personnel) have immediate viewing access to candidate information within POBITS.

EXEMPTION FROM TRAINING (EOT) PROCESS

As an out-of-state law enforcement or corrections officer, correctional probation officer, or federal law enforcement officer seeking employment in the State of Florida, or if you were formerly certified in Florida as a law enforcement officer you may request an exemption from some basic level training courses. In order to qualify your break in service can be no more than eight (8) years.

PASS offers an Equivalency of Training (EOT) review service. You must submit documentation of your law enforcement/corrections employment and training for an Equivalency of Training review. Documentation must reflect one (1) year, full-time prior law enforcement/corrections officer experience and successful completion in all of the minimum primary training areas.

For a detailed description of the EOT verification process and steps required, please click on the icons below:

EOT Process

PLEASE NOTE:  Once your Form 76 has been approved you will have one year, and no longer, to take a proficiency course AND pass the State Officer Certification Examination (SOCE). St. Petersburg College offers both the proficiency course and the SOCE https://www.spcollege.edu/eot. If you do not complete the training and pass the SOCE within the 1-year period, you may apply for another exemption from training, but you must be eligible pursuant to Chapter 943.131(2) at the time of application. PASS will work with you on timing the approval of the Form 76 to coordinate with the course you will take. This will give you the most time to prepare for the SOCE and any necessary re-takes.

FLORIDA OFFICERS REACTIVATION PROCESS

If you are already a Florida certified law enforcement or correctional officer and your certification has been “Inactive” less than eight (8) years (as measured from the separation date of your last employment as an officer in Florida), you may be eligible to reactivate your certification through this program.

For a detailed description of the Florida Officers Reactivation verification process and steps required, please click on the icons below:

Reactivation Process

Florida Reactivation Instructions

• Registration hours are Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• To expedite the registration process, we recommend applicants call ahead to schedule an appointment date/time to reduce possible waiting time.
• Please contact Administrative Assistant Robyn Weir by phone at Ext. 1 or email Weir.Robyn@SPCollege.edu to confirm an appointment. Please read the instructions before scheduling an appointment.

CORRECTIONS ACADEMY PROCESS

In partnership with St. Petersburg College, PASS provides the background screening service for all open enrollment applicants wishing to attend the corrections academy. Interested applicants must meet the collegiate student requirements https://www.spcollege.edu/corrections-academy prior to PASS consideration. The corrections PASS Process parallels the law enforcement process, with some minor exceptions (listed within the Applicant Information Package), adhering to the same governing principles and procedures denoted within the PASS Process.

MISSION STATEMENT

To provide indispensable background investigations of public safety applicants for employment consideration within the Pinellas County law enforcement community.