PCSO EOT Reimbursement Program

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) will reimburse out-of-state law enforcement and corrections officers in need of the Equivalency of Training (EOT) program up to $1,500 upon successful completion of the EOT program and new hire process.  EOT new hires must be hired within one year of passing the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) State Officer Certification Exam to qualify for the $1,500 EOT reimbursement.

In addition, candidates may still be eligible for all other PCSO new hire deputy incentives: experience pay, signing bonus, and relocation stipend.

FDLE EOT Process

The EOT process is for out-of-state officers and federal officers who may be exempt from having to complete the full basic recruit academy upon relocating to Florida. 

Out-of-state officers may be eligible for an exemption from the basic training requirements if the officer in another state or with the federal government meet the following requirements:

• Worked at least one year, full-time as a sworn officer in the discipline seeking exemption and;
• Received training in that discipline which is comparable to Florida's full basic recruit curriculum or previously completed Florida’s full basic recruit training program and certified in Florida.
• Have no more than an eight year break-in-service since latest separation from a sworn position.

Additional FDLE EOT Exemptions

Additional exemption purposes may apply to other situations. Review the FDLE Equivalency of Training site for further details.

For Frequently Asked Questions related to FDLE Equivalency of Training

Florida Directory Listing of Criminal Justice Training Centers

Effective date for the PCSO EOT Reimbursement Program is 08/01/2020 and will only apply to newly hired EOT members after this date.