State training requirements
North Dakota Peace Officer Training Requirements
Who governs peace officer standards in North Dakota, 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 9, 2026
Who governs
Peace officer standards and training in North Dakota are set by the North Dakota Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board.
Annual in-service requirement
North Dakota requires a minimum of 60 hours of certified training every three years; surplus hours do not carry forward. A modality cap applies: certified training in online, web-based, or video format cannot constitute more than 20 of the 60 hours. Increments under one hour are not counted. Officers must also complete annual sidearm qualification.
Mandated topics relevant to CodeBlu
Continuing-education content
No specific recurring de-escalation, crisis-intervention, or mental-health subject-hour mandate was identified within the 60-hour requirement in the captured rule text. The employing agency primarily determines the type of continuing education.
Source: NDAC 109-02-02
Who decides in-service credit
Hybrid
The employing agency typically is primarily responsible for determining the type of continuing education, but the training must be POST-certified, with instructors and courses certified under NDAC 109-02-04.
Source: NDAC 109-02-02 and 109-02-04 (agency-determined type; POST certification)
What this means for training like CodeBlu
North Dakota 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 North Dakota Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board. 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
- POST-equivalent siteNorth Dakota POST Board (official site)
- Administrative codeNDAC 109-02-02 (continuing education)
- POST-equivalent siteNorth Dakota POST Administrative Rules index
Verified as of July 9, 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 North Dakota?
- North Dakota Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board sets peace officer standards and training requirements in North Dakota.
- How many annual in-service training hours does North Dakota require?
- North Dakota requires a minimum of 60 hours of certified training every three years; surplus hours do not carry forward. A modality cap applies: certified training in online, web-based, or video format cannot constitute more than 20 of the 60 hours. Increments under one hour are not counted. Officers must also complete annual sidearm qualification.
- Who decides what training counts for in-service credit in North Dakota?
- The employing agency typically is primarily responsible for determining the type of continuing education, but the training must be POST-certified, with instructors and courses certified under NDAC 109-02-04.