MSCTC Minimum Hiring Standards

Minimum Hiring Standards for Local Corrections Officers

Revised and Adopted January 9th, 2014

To become a Local Corrections Officer, each new candidate is required to meet all of the minimum standards established and adopted by the Michigan Sheriffs’ Coordinating and Training Council (MSCTC) under the authority of Section 8 of Public Act 125 of 2003.

The Sheriff’s Office has the responsibility to screen candidates to ensure compliance with all minimum standards.

Please Note: County Sheriff’s Offices have the discretion to establish standards that exceed the MSCTC minimum standards as long as the agency can justify the higher standard in relation to the position.

Following are the minimum standards required:

Age	Not less than 18 years old. No maximum age.

Citizenship	United States Citizenship.

Education	High school diploma or equivalency.

Driver's License	Possess a valid operator’s license.

Oral Interview	Conduct an oral interview to determine the applicant’s acceptability for a corrections officer position.

Criminal Convictions	No prior felony convictions.

Good Moral Character	Possess good moral character as determined by a favorable comprehensive background investigation covering school and employment records, home environment, and personal traits and integrity. Consideration will be given to all criminal and civil law violations as indicating a lack of good character.

Fingerprinting	Fingerprint the applicant with a search of state and federal fingerprint files to disclose criminal record.

Drug Testing	Cause the applicant to be tested for the use of illegal controlled substances. The testing will be completed after a conditional offer of employment (ADA Requirement).

Mental Fitness	Each local corrections officer candidate is required to demonstrate his or her mental fitness by successfully completing both of the following requirements: Prior to employment, the MSCTC written examination, which tests the candidate's mental fitness in the areas of reading comprehension, writing skills, and situational reasoning. This exam is proctored by EMPCO. Please select this link to visit the EMPCO page dedicated to taking this exam. After a conditional offer of employment, an evaluation by a licensed health care professional which demonstrates that the candidate is free from mental or emotional instabilities which may impair the performance of the essential job functions of a local corrections officer. The written test results are valid for three (3) years from successful completion of the test.

Local Corrections Officer Physical Ability Test (LCOPAT)	Beginning March 1, 2014, each local corrections officer candidate is required to demonstrate their physical ability by successfully completing the Michigan Sheriffs’ Coordinating and Training Council (MSCTC) Local Corrections Officer Physical Ability Test (LCOPAT) before being hired as a local corrections officer. No other physical fitness/physical ability test will meet the requirements. The LCOPAT is designed to simulate the physical aspects of the local corrections officer profession and is made up of different components that address a specific physical ability or job task. It is the candidate's responsibility to provide proof of successful completion of the LCOPAT to a potential employer. The test results of the LCOPAT are valid for one (1) year from successful completion of the test. LCOPAT Health Screening Form Test applicants are required to provide a completed Physician's Health Screening Form prior to taking the exam. You may obtain a copy of this form by clicking the link below. The form is in Adobe PDF format. You must have the free Adobe PDF Viewer installed on your computer to view the document. LCOPAT Physician's Health Screening Form LCOPAT Candidate Guide The MSCTC has prepared a written guide for candidates preparing to take the LCOPAT. The guide is also in the Adobe PDF format. LCOPAT Candidate Guide LCOPAT Test Fee LCOPAT test sites approved by the MSCTC have the authority to establish a fee for administering the LCOPAT at their facility. However, the fee shall not exceed a cost of $50.00 per student/per test. Please contact the LCOPAT test sites directly to determine their fee structure. LCOPAT Test Schedule Below is an Adobe PDF document listing all of the current testing locations, dates, and contact information. LCOPAT Information Schedule LCOPAT Demonstration Video The following video demonstrates the elements of the LCOPAT test. Watch YouTube Video