State training requirements

Mississippi Peace Officer Training Requirements

Who governs peace officer standards in Mississippi, the annual in-service requirement, the mandated topics for de-escalation and crisis response, and who decides what counts for in-service credit.

Verified as of July 10, 2026

Who governs

Peace officer standards and training in Mississippi are set by the Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training (BLEOST).

Annual in-service requirement

Mississippi requires tiered annual continuing education under Miss. Code 45-6-19, amended by 2024 chapter 477 (HB 691), effective July 1, 2024: 8 hours annually for officers with 0 to 2 years of service after July 1, 2004; 16 hours for 3 to 4 years; and 24 hours for 5 or more years, for officers of state agencies, counties, municipalities, and covered institutions. Courses must be Board-approved. Chiefs complete 20 hours of executive continuing education annually, or 40 in the first year. HB 691 extended the requirement beyond municipal officers to state and county officers.

Source: Miss. Code 45-6-19 (continuing education)

Mandated topics relevant to CodeBlu

  • Continuing-education content

    No explicit recurring de-escalation, crisis-intervention, mental-health, or domestic-violence mandate was located in Chapter 45-6. Continuing education must be Board-approved and is not enumerated by topic in the located rule text.

    Source: Miss. Code 45-6-19

Who decides in-service credit

Hybrid

Continuing education must be approved by the Board and may be provided by an accredited law enforcement academy or the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police. The Board approves the courses that count, and employing agencies are reimbursed and responsible for compliance.

Source: Miss. Code 45-6-19(2) to (3)

What this means for training like CodeBlu

Mississippi uses a mix of central approval and agency discretion for in-service credit. Where the decision rests with the agency, a department can decide whether training like CodeBlu counts toward its in-service hours; where a topic is centrally certified, the formal path runs through Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training (BLEOST). Either way, this is not a determination of eligibility: CodeBlu does not certify hours or grant credit, and agency policy, the state's process, and legal counsel govern.

Primary sources

Verified as of July 10, 2026. This page is reviewed on an annual cadence, and the date is bumped only on re-verification against the primary sources above.

Frequently asked questions

Who sets peace officer training requirements in Mississippi?
Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training (BLEOST) sets peace officer standards and training requirements in Mississippi.
How many annual in-service training hours does Mississippi require?
Mississippi requires tiered annual continuing education under Miss. Code 45-6-19, amended by 2024 chapter 477 (HB 691), effective July 1, 2024: 8 hours annually for officers with 0 to 2 years of service after July 1, 2004; 16 hours for 3 to 4 years; and 24 hours for 5 or more years, for officers of state agencies, counties, municipalities, and covered institutions. Courses must be Board-approved. Chiefs complete 20 hours of executive continuing education annually, or 40 in the first year. HB 691 extended the requirement beyond municipal officers to state and county officers.
Who decides what training counts for in-service credit in Mississippi?
Continuing education must be approved by the Board and may be provided by an accredited law enforcement academy or the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police. The Board approves the courses that count, and employing agencies are reimbursed and responsible for compliance.

This article is educational content prepared by CodeBlu for law enforcement training purposes. It is not legal advice. Officers should consult their agency's legal counsel for guidance specific to their jurisdiction and situation.

Questions? Email hello@codeblu.co.