Unless the context clearly otherwise requires, the following definitions apply in this Article:

(1)        Commission. – The North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission.

(2)        Criminal justice agencies. – The State and local law-enforcement agencies, the State correctional agencies, other correctional agencies maintained by local governments, and the juvenile justice agencies, but shall not include deputy sheriffs, special deputy sheriffs, sheriffs’ jailers, or other sheriffs’ office personnel governed by the provisions of Chapter 17E of these General Statutes.

(3)        Criminal justice officers. – The administrative and subordinate personnel of all the departments, offices, agencies, units or entities comprising the criminal justice agencies who are sworn law-enforcement officers, both State and local, with the power of arrest; State correctional officers; State probation/parole officers; State probation/parole officers-surveillance; officers, supervisory and administrative personnel of local confinement facilities; State juvenile justice officers; chief court counselors; and juvenile court counselors.

(3a)      Critical incident. – An incident involving any use of force by a law enforcement officer that results in death or serious bodily injury to a person.

(4)        Entry level. – The initial appointment or employment of any person by a criminal justice agency, or any appointment or employment of a person previously employed by a criminal justice agency who has not been employed by a criminal justice agency for the 12-month period preceding this appointment or employment, or any appointment or employment of a previously certified criminal justice officer to a position which requires a different type of certification. ?(1971, c. 963, s. 2; 1979, c. 763, s. 1; 1983, c. 558, s. 2; c. 745, s. 2; 1989, c. 757, s. 1; 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 1024, s. 4(a); 1997-503, s. 2; 2001-490, s. 1.1; 2018-5, s. 17.1(a); 2021-138, s. 3(a); 2021-182, s. 3(b).)