Becoming a police officerbegins with one critical step: police academy training. This intense and rewarding process prepares recruits for the demands of a law enforcement career, combining physical fitness, academic coursework, and hands-on tactical skills. Whether you’re considering becoming a police officer or actively preparing for academy enrollment, understanding what to expect can set you up for success.
In this guide, we provide a comprehensive overview of police academy training, highlighting key components like physical fitness, classroom instruction, and practical scenarios. By the end, you’ll know what it takes to complete the academy and start your career in law enforcement with confidence. There is no standardized academy curriculum for police academies across the United States, but programs will have many similar components.
What is police academy training?
Police academy training is the foundational step for all aspiring law enforcement officers. The academy’s structured program focuses on preparing recruits physically, mentally, and emotionally for the challenges of policing. Depending on the state and agency, training typically can last between 12 and 27 weeks.
How long is the police academy?
While the duration of each basic training academy will vary depending on a number of factors, including location and agency type, the average length is 833 hours in the United States, which will take around five months to complete.
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How much does the police academy cost?
For many police recruits, attending the academy is not only free, but it will also earn them a salary. That’s because they have already been hired as police officers, and the academy, generally run by the hiring agency or the state in which they will be working, is considered part of the new job. These officers can expect to earn either their starting salary in full or a fraction of it, with the remainder kicking in upon graduation.
While many states, including Washington and Oregon, require recruits to be offered a job before completing the academy, others allow aspiring officers to attend stand-alone academies, generally offered by community colleges and local tech schools. These programs do require students to pay tuition, which again will vary depending on the location and institution. The Basic Law Enforcement Training program at Wayne County Community College in North Carolina, for example, costs around $2,000 to attend. Some programs may also charge extra fees for things like the required background check, fingerprinting, application for state certification, physical evaluation and uniforms.
What are the physical fitness requirements for police academy training?
Physical fitness is a cornerstone of police academy training. Recruits are required to meet specific standards to ensure they are ready for the physical demands of law enforcement.
Key Components of Fitness Training:
- Cardiovascular endurance
- Strength training
- Agility drills and obstacle courses
Pro Tip: Begin a fitness regimen months before the academy to build stamina and strength.
What is the police academy curriculum?
According to Dr. Steve Albrecht, previously with the San Diego Police Department, “the academic material is quite broad, ranging from criminal law, report writing, courtroom testimony, patrol theory and operations, first-aid, accident investigations, use of force, safe driving and firearms training.” According to a recent DOJ report, a majority of recruits are likewise trained on identifying and responding to the use of excessive force by fellow officers.
Four common modules during police academy training can include:
1. Police strategy
Police strategy will be a very large component of academy training; it covers topics like:
- Legal knowledge: Learning state ordinances, local laws, and constitutional law. Recruits will also learn about the basic functions and processes of the legal system.
- Procedure: Education about accident and incident investigations, incident reporting, traffic control and radio operation. Recruits will also learn about vehicle operations focused on operating police cruisers.
- Apprehension and arrest: Strategies for the most effective apprehension of criminals. This module will also cover techniques for apprehension to minimize potential legal challenges.
2. Weapons training
Recruits will learn to use non-lethal tools like TASERs, OC spray and collapsible batons and learn how they should be the first choice when encountering an unwilling or combative individual.
Recruits also learn about firearms. Even if you’ve shot guns before, you’ll learn something new through weapons training. Just because you’ve deemed yourself proficient in firearms doesn’t mean you haven’t picked up some bad habits along the way. It’s crucial to go into this training with an open mind. Otherwise, it could hamper your training at the police academy.
For those who have never shot a firearm, you’ll learn basic skills like removing the weapon from the holster, aiming and firing. You’ll also learn how to respond to multiple attackers.
3. Community collaboration and aide
It’s advised to volunteer in the community before becoming a police officer or beginning an academy; a huge component of public safety is working with your community. Topics covered under this module include:
- Emergency aid: Police officers often arrive first on the scene of a crime or accident, which makes their CPR, first-aid and communication skills very valuable while waiting for assistance.
- Learning civil rights issues
- Negotiation techniques
- Communication strategies
- Basic criminal psychology
4. Mental and physical grit
While all topics covered at the academy are important, one critical component of law enforcement is mental preparation. That’s because you’ll be entering potentially dangerous situations starting on day one.
The academy will emphasize the good of the group over the needs of the individual. You’ll also learn to deal with hostility, understand risk assessment and practice with role-playing exercises.
As NYU Officer Melissa Ann McGrady explains, “Sometimes [in law enforcement] there are situations where officers go from no stress to high stress and then back down to no stress. We go from amped up and have to learn to dial it back down once the situation is under control.”
It’s for this very reason that the majority of academies employ a combination of stress training (i.e., military or paramilitary-style) and non-stress training (i.e., academic) to make sure recruits can handle shifting emotional expectations.
- 99-yard obstacle course
- 32-foot body drag (165 lbs.)
- 6-foot chain link fence climb
- 6-foot solid wall climb
- 500-yard sprint
- 1.5-mile run
In addition to building muscle and stamina, most academies also require that recruits learn close combat fight techniques and defensive tactics, which offer knowledge in how to disable or restrain multiple attackers as well as disarm them when they hold knives, blunt force weapons or chemicals.
Any other advice?
“Do not get discouraged if certain aspects of the academy training appear to be too punitive or too demanding,” says Maria Haberfeld, Professor of Police Science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “They are truly preparing you for what is out there, and despite the fact that this preparation is minimal, it should give you a sense of the challenges that await you and should help you develop a larger picture of what really matters.”
This article, originally published January 2017, has been updated with a video and additional resources.
