What is the consequence of pleading nolo contendere to a felony?

• A. The officer's certification remains unaffected
• B. The officer receives a monetary award
• C. The officer is promoted
• D. The CJSTC may act against the officer's certification

Answer: (D)

Pleading nolo contendere to a felony signals a serious risk to the standards expected of someone holding a law enforcement certification. Even though the plea is not an explicit admission of guilt, a no contest plea to a felony is treated as a conviction for many regulatory purposes. Certification bodies, such as the CJSTC, have authority to enforce fitness and moral character requirements; when a officer faces a felony conviction or a felony plea, the commission can review and impose discipline. That discipline can include suspending or revoking certification, or other sanctions that affect the officer’s ability to work as a certified officer. Monetary awards or promotions aren’t consequences tied to this situation, and keeping certification despite a felony issue would undermine professional standards. So the action that the CJSTC may take against the officer’s certification is the correct consequence.