LHC
Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies
Read the report at Little Hoover Commission ↗
Issue Brief: Comparing Law
Enforcement Basic Training Academies
November 2021
Executive Summary
In the fall of 2020, the Little Hoover Commission launched a study to examine the role of the
Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) in shaping law enforcement training
standards for California’s peace officers. In this Issue Brief, the Commission gives context to the
different ways in which other states administer basic training and provides a deeper look into how
basic training varies by academy in California.
In part one of the Brief, the Commission presents a nationwide comparison of law enforcement
basic training academy models using data gathered from a survey of state law enforcement
leaders administered with the assistance of the International Association of Directors of Law
Enforcement Standards and Training. From this analysis, the Commission discovered that:
◊ Nationwide, California ranks 41st for the most training academies on a per capita basis, with
approximately 1 basic training academy per 1 million people. This is less than half of the
national rate of 2.5.
◊ Five percent of the nation’s 822 basic training academies operate in California, which has
approximately 12 percent of the nation’s population.
◊ California relies heavily on its academic institutions to provide basic training programs;
approximately two-thirds of the state’s academies are administered by or in partnership with
community colleges.
◊ With 41 academies, California uses a decentralized model to administer its basic training
programs. Nine states centralize administration of all training through a single academy.
◊ California’s basic training is less localized than in the U.S. overall; 22 percent of the state’s
training academies are administered by local entities compared to 34 percent of the nation’s
academies overall.
In part two of the Brief, the Commission offers an analysis of California’s basic training academies
using data on training hours, attendance, passing, and hiring rates obtained from POST. The
Commission found that from 2015 to 2020:
◊ Half of students attending California’s 41 basic training academies were trained by just eight
academies.
◊ The vast majority of academy students graduate and get a job as a law enforcement officer.
Approximately 82 percent of students passed their academy and of those who passed, 88
percent were subsequently hired.
Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
◊ Students trained via the modular format – delivered in a three-part instructional sequence
– were more likely to pass their academy but less likely to be hired than students trained via
the standard format – delivered in a one-part instructional sequence.
◊ Students attending basic training academies administered by an academic institution were
most likely to pass and least likely to be hired when compared to students attending an
academy administered by a state, regional, or local entity.
Additionally, as of August 2021, all basic training academies far exceed the state’s minimum
training requirement – 664 hours for training offered in the standard format and 730 hours for
training offered in the modular format – with over half of programs requiring 900 to 999 hours
of training.
Nationwide Comparison of Basic
Training Academy Models
All individuals and recruits who wish to become a police officer in the United States must first
attend a basic training academy or program. Each state sets its own standards and requirements
for how its police officers receive training and become certified. States vary in both the number
and mode of administration of their basic training academies. States administer academies
through some combination of state, local, or regional entities, as well as academic institutions.
To better understand the different models of administering basic training across the United
States, we worked with the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards
and Training to survey state law enforcement leaders, asking how many, and which type, of basic
training academies, operate in their respective states. For additional information on our survey
methodology, please see Appendix A.
California Has Less Than Half as Many Basic Training
Academies per Capita as the U.S.
California ranks 41st nationally in basic training academies per capita, with approximately 1 basic
training academy per one million people. This is less than half as many basic training academies
per capita as the United States as a whole, which has 2.5 academies per one million people.
South Carolina and Oregon have the fewest number of academies per one million people with
.2 academies. Nevada has the most with 9.4 academies per one million people. There is no
consensus about the ideal number of per capita academies to ensure efficiency, cost-saving, and
effective training.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Basic Training Academies per Capita
Basic Training Academies
per 1 Million People
≤ 1.0
1.1 - 2.0
2.1 - 3.0
3.1 - 4.0
4.1 - 5.0
5.1 - 6.0
≥ 6.1
Source: LHC staff conversations and emails with state law enforcement commission directors and personnel. Also, U.S. Census Bureau. 2015-2019 American Community
Survey 5-Year Estimates. Table B01003: Total Population.
Five Percent of the
Basic Training Academies in the U.S. and
Nation’s Basic Training
California, By Mode of Administration
Academies Operate in
11%
45%
California State
Academic
Institution
We found that 822 basic training academies 822 11%
Regional
operate in the United States. Nearly half are
Basic Training
administered by academic institutions, one- Academies in
third by local entities, one-tenth by regional the U.S.
34%
entities, and the final one-tenth by state Local
entities.
Approximately five percent (41) of the 66% 10%
nation’s basic training academies operate Academic State
Institution
41
within California, which has approximately 2%
12 percent of the nation’s population. By Basic Training Regional
comparison, 13 percent (108) of the nation’s Academies in
California
basic training academies operate in Texas, 22%
Local
which has roughly nine percent of the
nation’s population.
Source: LHC staff conversations and emails with state law enforcement
commission directors and personnel.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
California Relies Heavily on Its Academic Institutions to
Provide Its Basic Training Programs
Nearly half of the nation’s basic training academies are administered by or in partnership with
academic institutions.
California relies even more heavily on its academic institutions to provide basic training
programs. Approximately 66 percent of the state’s basic academies are administered by academic
institutions, some of which operate as partnerships between a community college and a local law
enforcement agency.
Twenty states do not rely on academic institutions at all to provide basic training.
California Uses a Decentralized Academy Model to
Administer Its Basic Training
Most states use a decentralized model to administer basic training, including California which
has a total of 41 basic training academies. Nine states – the most populous being South Carolina,
Oregon, and West Virginia – use just a single academy to conduct all training.
States Administer Basic Training Academies Through Some Combination of
State, Local, or Regional Entities, as Well as Academic Institutions
Basic training academies by state and mode of administration
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Source: LHC staff conversations and emails with state law enforcement commission directors and personnel.
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120
100
80
60
40
20
0
State Regional Local Academic Institution
LA KA ZA RA AC OC TC ED LF AG IH DI LI NI AI SK YK AL EM DM AM IM NM SM OM TM EN VN HN JN MN YN CN DN HO KO RO AP IR CS DS NT XT TU TV AV AW VW IW YW
State Regional Local Academic Institution
Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Training is Less Localized in California Than the United
States as a Whole
Approximately 34 percent of the nation’s basic training academies are administered locally. Training
is less localized in California, where nine police or sheriff’s departments – 22 percent of the state’s
total academies – host their own basic training academies.
A majority of states provide an opportunity for local police and sheriff’s departments to operate
basic training academies. 70 percent of states have at least one basic training academy administered
by a local entity.
Some states rely more heavily on local law enforcement agencies to administer their basic training
than others. For example, most of Louisiana’s basic training academies are operated by local parish
sheriff’s offices and police departments.
California’s Basic Training Academies
California’s 41 basic training academies differ in many ways: from how they are administered to
the format and length of their training programs. Furthermore, each academy admits a different
number of students each year and they vary in the share of students that succeed in graduating and
that are subsequently hired.
To better understand variation among California’s basic training academies, the Commission
analyzed data spanning from 2015 to 2020 on attendance, passing, and hiring rates from California’s
Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). For more information on this data, see
Appendix B.
The Commission also analyzed data from POST on the training hours needed to complete a Regular
Basic Course (basic training program) at each of the state’s basic training academies.
Eight Basic Training Academies Prepared Half of the
State’s Students
From 2015 to 2020, 41,525 individuals attended a basic training academy in California. Just eight of
the state’s 41 academies enrolled half of these students. The largest shares of students were trained
by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which accounted for 12 percent, followed by the Los
Angeles Police Department with eight percent. Eleven academies enrolled less than one percent of
students each.
Roughly 82 Percent of Academy Students Graduated
Of the students who attended a basic training academy in California from 2015 to 2020,
approximately 82 percent (34,035) passed, although there were vast differences in passing rates
among individual academies. Seven academies had a passing rate of 90 percent or higher, the
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
California’s Basic Training Academies
California’s Largest Basic Training Academies
Statewide share of students per academy, 2015 to 2020
1. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department….12%
2. Los Angeles Police Department….8%
3. California Highway Patrol....6%
4. Tulare-Kings Counties Police Officer Training Academy....5%
5. San Diego Regional Public Safety Training Institute.…5%
6. San Joaquin Delta College Public Safety Training Center....5%
7. San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.…5%
8. South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium....4%
Source: California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, “Basic Training Academies.” https://post.ca.gov/basic-training-academies.
Also, LHC staff conversations and emails with state law enforcement commission directors and personnel.
highest being from the College of the Redwoods Training Center (95 percent). Eighteen academies
had a passing rate between 80 and 89 percent, while 14 academies had a passing rate between
70 and 79 percent. Two academies – Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department (68 percent) and
Napa Valley College (56 percent) – had passing rates below 70 percent. These data do not reveal
whether the state is better served by academies with either a high or low passing rate. Academies
with a high passing rate might be more successful in teaching students or simply less rigorous;
those with a low passing rate might be less successful or more rigorous.
Approximately 88 Percent of California Basic Training
Academy Graduates Were Subsequently Hired
Of the students that passed a basic training academy in California from 2015 to 2020, 88
percent (29,858) were subsequently hired. Nine academies had a 100 percent hiring rate among
individuals who passed the academy. Conversely, only one-quarter of students (27 percent) who
graduated from Sacramento Regional Public Safety Training Center were subsequently hired.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Passing Rates Among California’s Basic Training Academies Ranked by Size
Share of students who passed basic training, 2015 to 2020
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 81%
Los Angeles Police Department 83%
California Highway Patrol 73%
Tulare-Kings Counties Police Officer Training Academy 90%
San Diego Regional Public Safety Training Institute 90%
San Joaquin Delta College Public Safety Training Center 93%
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department 80%
South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium 80%
Orange County Sheriff's Department 79%
Rio Hondo Regional Training Center 89%
San Francisco Police Department 73%
Riverside County Sheriff's Department 92%
State Center Regional Training Facility - Fresno City College 82%
Sacramento Regional Public Safety Training Center 89%
Sacramento County Sheriff's Department 68%
Santa Rosa Junior College, Public Safety Training Center 88%
Alameda County Sheriff's Department Academy Training Center 83%
College of the Redwoods-Redwoods Training Center 95%
Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department 86%
Sacramento Police Department 71%
Napa Valley College Criminal Justice Training Center 56%
Imperial Valley College 71%
Butte College Public Safety Training Center 71%
Yuba College Public Safety Center 82%
Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center 81%
San Jose Police Department 83%
Golden West College Regional Criminal Justice Training Center 85%
Oakland Police Department 83%
Long Beach Police Department 73%
Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office Regional Training Center 78%
College of the Siskiyous 90%
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department 88%
Palomar College 76%
Kern County Sheriff's Department 70%
Allan Hancock College - Lompoc Valley Campus 78%
California Department of Fish and Wildlife 73%
Southwestern College-Otay Mesa HEC 88%
San Bernardino Valley College 70%
California State Parks 84%
Bakersfield Police Department 77%
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFIRE) 94%
Source: California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, August 2021.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Hiring Rates Among California’s Basic Training Academies Ranked by Size
Share of students ever hired out of students who passed, 2015 to 2020
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 99%
Los Angeles Police Department 99%
California Highway Patrol 100%
Tulare-Kings Counties Police Officer Training Academy 79%
San Diego Regional Public Safety Training Institute 98%
San Joaquin Delta College Public Safety Training Center 77%
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department 95%
South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium 84%
Orange County Sheriff's Department 97%
Rio Hondo Regional Training Center 75%
San Francisco Police Department 99%
Riverside County Sheriff's Department 84%
State Center Regional Training Facility - Fresno City College 86%
Sacramento Regional Public Safety Training Center 27%
Sacramento County Sheriff's Department 88%
Santa Rosa Junior College, Public Safety Training Center 79%
Alameda County Sheriff's Department Academy Training Center 98%
College of the Redwoods-Redwoods Training Center 76%
Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department 95%
Sacramento Police Department 96%
Napa Valley College Criminal Justice Training Center 83%
Imperial Valley College 39%
Butte College Public Safety Training Center 90%
Yuba College Public Safety Center 62%
Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center 99%
San Jose Police Department 100%
Golden West College Regional Criminal Justice Training Center 91%
Oakland Police Department 100%
Long Beach Police Department 100%
Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office Regional Training Center 100%
College of the Siskiyous 62%
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department 100%
Palomar College 43%
Kern County Sheriff's Department 96%
Allan Hancock College - Lompoc Valley Campus 92%
California Department of Fish and Wildlife 92%
Southwestern College-Otay Mesa HEC 47%
San Bernardino Valley College 60%
California State Parks 100%
Bakersfield Police Department 100%
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFIRE) 100%
Source: California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, August 2021.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Basic Training Program Formats Vary By Academy
Basic training academies are certified by POST
to provide basic training programs – known as California Basic Training Programs:
the Regular Basic Course (RBC) – in two different
formats: standard and modular. The standard Formats:
format is delivered in a one-part instructional ◊ Standard: One-part instructional
sequence; whereas, the modular format is sequence.
delivered in a three-part instructional sequence.
◊ Modular: Three-part instructional
Furthermore, academies have the option to
sequence.
choose between two presentation styles: the
intensive format which meets full-time, typically Presentation Styles:
Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and
◊ Intensive: Full-time, typically meets
the extended format, which meets part-time
Monday - Friday, 8-5.
and is typically offered in the evenings or on
◊ Extended: Part-time, typically meets
weekends.1 Academies may choose to provide
on weekends or evenings.
multiple basic training programs in a mix of
formats and presentation styles.
From 2015 to 2020, approximately half (20,859) of students attended an academy that offered
training in the standard format, nearly one-fourth of students (9,380) attended an academy that
offered training in only the modular format, and one-fourth (11,286) attended an academy that
offered training in both standard and modular formats.
Over Half of Students Attended an Academy That Offered Basic Training in
Only the Standard Format
Percentage of students broken out by the format and presentation style of training that was offered at their
academy
27% | Standard Intensive & Modular Extended
1% | Standard Extended
7% | Standard Extended & Intensive
6% | Modular Extended
5% | Modular Intensive
42% | Standard Intensive
11% | Modular Extended & Intensive
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding. When academies offer multiple training options, it is not possible to break out enrollment
data by format or presentation style.
Source: California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, August 2021.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Passing and Hiring Rates by Training Program Format
Students who attended an academy offering basic training in only the modular format were
more likely to pass (89 percent) than students attending an academy offering training in only the
standard format (79 percent). However, students who passed an academy that offered training
in the standard format were more likely to get hired (94 percent) than those who passed an
academy that offered training in only the modular format (67 percent).
Hiring Rates by Training Program Presentation Style
Students attending a program offered in the intensive presentation style – regardless of whether
the training was taught in the standard or modular format – were more likely to get hired than
those who attended a program offered in the extended presentation style. For instance, students
who passed an academy that only offered training in the standard intensive format (96 percent)
were almost 2.5 times as likely to be hired as students who passed an academy that offered
training in only the modular extended format (39 percent).
Students Trained Via the Standard Format Were More Likely to Be Hired
Than Those Trained Via the Modular Format
Training Format and Presentation Styles Percentage of Percentage Percentage
Offered by Academy Total Attendees Passed Hired
Standard Standard Extended 1% 80% 52%
Standard Intensive 42% 79% 96%
Standard Extended and Standard Intensive 7% 78% 91%
Standard Overall 50% 79% 94%
Modular Modular Extended 6% 81% 39%
Modular Intensive 5% 92% 76%
Modular Extended and Modular Intensive 11% 91% 77%
Modular Overall 23% 89% 67%
Both Standard Intensive and Modular Extended 27% 83% 95%
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding. When academies offer multiple training options, it is not possible to break out passing
and hiring data by format or presentation style.
Source: California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, August 2021.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Passing and Hiring Rates of Academies by Mode of
Academy Administration
Passing and hiring rates among California’s basic training academies also varied by the different
modes of academy administration. Students who attended a basic training academy administered
by an academic institution were most likely to pass (84 percent) but least likely to be hired (81
percent). Hiring rates among students who passed their academy were comparable (around 98 or
99 percent) among academies administered by state, regional, and local entities.
Students Attending Academies Administered by an Academic Institution
Were Most Likely to Pass and Least Likely to Be Hired
Passing and hiring rates for California's basic training academies by mode of academy administration, 2015
to 2020
74%
State
99%
81%
Regional
99%
79%
Local
98%
84%
Academic Institution
81%
Percentage Passed Percentage Hired
Source: California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, August 2021.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Most Basic Training Academies Far Exceed the State’s
Minimum Required Training Hours
California’s POST Commission sets the minimum number of training and instructional hours
that students must complete during basic training. Students enrolled in a standard format basic
training program must complete a minimum of 664 hours while those enrolled in a modular
format program must complete a minimum of 730 hours.2 However, academies may exceed
the minimum hourly requirements to augment their training programs. In fact, all basic training
academy programs far exceed the state’s minimum requirements.
More than half of the state’s basic training academy programs require students to complete
between 900 and 999 hours of training. Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office Regional Training Center
requires the fewest training hours for its basic training program (740 hours), which is taught in
the standard intensive format. The California State Parks requires the most training for its basic
training program (1,381 hours), which is also taught in the standard intensive format.
Over Half of Basic Training Programs Require Students Complete 900 to
999 Hours of Training
Hour requirements for Regular Basic Courses in California
14% | 1,000 - 1,099 hours
4% | 1,200 - 1,299 hours
4% | 1,100 - 1,199 hours
2% | Over 1,300 hours
2% | Less than 800 hours
57% | 900 - 999 hours
18% | 800 - 899 hours
Note: Academies may offer basic training in more than one format and presentation style, therefore the number of regular basic training courses
offered in the state (51) is greater than the number of basic training academies (41). Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Source: California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, August 2021.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Appendix A: Basic Training Academy Survey
Methodology
In July 2021, the Commission partnered with the International Association of Directors of Law
Enforcement Standards and Training to deliver the following one-question survey to state law
enforcement leaders about the different ways states administer basic training across the United
States:
We are trying to assess the different models states use to operate their basic academies and understand
that many are administered by some combination of state entities, local/municipal entities, regional
entities, two-year colleges, or four-year colleges. How many of each type of basic academies operate in
your state?
The Commission received responses or interviewed relevant state officials from 44 states. Of the
remaining six states, Commission staff pulled relevant data from the states’ websites.
Our analysis largely reflects the responses provided by each state, although the terminology
used by some states did not align precisely within the various categories. To achieve greater
consistency, we defined the categories as follows:
◊ State: Includes academies run by state departments and agencies as well as statewide
organizations, such as the state’s police chief’s association.
◊ Regional: Reflects states’ own definitions. If the state did not respond directly, we included
academies that appear to serve a region or are run by multiple law enforcement agencies.
◊ Local: Reflects states’ own definitions for “local/municipal.” If the state did not respond directly,
we included academies that appear to be run by local police or sheriff’s departments for its
own recruits.
◊ Academic Institution: Includes academies run by or in partnership with community colleges,
universities, technical schools, and career/learning centers.
It is important to acknowledge the potential overlap within the categories themselves. For
example, some basic training academies that we identified as being operated by academic
institutions may also serve regional needs. Others may be operated in partnership with specific
local law enforcement departments or agencies.
In reviewing state responses, we also sought to remove all academies that solely provide
correctional, reserve, and refresher training.
Finally, the exact number of basic training academies within each state might fluctuate year-to-
year.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Chart A: The Number of Academies in Each State by Mode of Administration
State State Regional Local Academic Institution Total
Alabama 4 3 1 8
Alaska 1 1 1 3
Arizona 5 3 6 14
Arkansas 3 3 1 7
California3 4 1 9 27 41
Colorado 1 3 7 14 25
Connecticut 2 6 8
Delaware 1 2 1 4
Florida 3 2 2 33 40
Georgia 4 14 7 25
Hawaii 4 4 8
Idaho 1 3 4 8
Illinois 1 2 4 7
Indiana 1 1 3 1 6
Iowa 2 2 2 6
Kansas 2 2 3 1 8
Kentucky 2 3 5
Louisiana 2 25 27
Maine4 1 1
Maryland 1 16 3 20
Massachusetts5 2 5 7 4 18
Michigan6 2 1 17 20
Minnesota 30 30
Mississippi 1 1 13 5 20
Missouri 3 1 5 11 20
Montana 1 1
Nebraska 1 4 5
Nevada 10 6 12 28
New Hampshire 1 1
New Jersey 1 13 14
New Mexico 2 5 3 10
New York 1 15 8 13 37
North Carolina 2 8 56 66
North Dakota 1 1 1 3
Ohio 1 4 38 43
Oklahoma 2 7 10 19
Oregon7 1 1
Pennsylvania 1 2 4 13 20
Rhode Island 2 1 3
South Carolina 1 1
South Dakota 1 1
Tennessee 2 7 2 11
Texas 3 9 60 36 108
Utah 1 9 10
Vermont 1 1
Virginia 11 23 34
Washington 2 2
West Virginia8 1 1
Wisconsin 2 4 16 22
Wyoming 1 1
Nationwide: 86 92 275 369 822
Source: LHC staff conversations and emails with state law enforcement commission directors and personnel.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Chart B: Basic Training Academies per One Million People
Rank State Population Total Academies Academies per 1M people
50 South Carolina 5,020,806 1 0.2
49 Oregon9 4,129,803 1 0.2
48 Washington 7,404,107 2 0.3
47 Illinois 12,770,631 7 0.5
46 West Virginia10 1,817,305 1 0.6
45 New Hampshire 1,348,124 1 0.7
44 Maine11 1,335,492 1 0.7
43 Indiana 6,665,703 6 0.9
42 Montana 1,050,649 1 1.0
41 California12 39,283,497 41 1.0
40 Kentucky 4,449,052 5 1.1
39 South Dakota 870,638 1 1.1
38 Pennsylvania 12,791,530 20 1.6
37 New Jersey 8,878,503 14 1.6
36 Vermont 624,313 1 1.6
35 Tennessee 6,709,356 11 1.6
34 Alabama 4,876,250 8 1.6
33 Wyoming 581,024 1 1.7
32 New York 19,572,319 37 1.9
31 Iowa 3,139,508 6 1.9
30 Florida 20,901,636 40 1.9
29 Arizona 7,050,299 14 2.0
28 Michigan13 9,965,265 20 2.0
27 Connecticut 3,575,074 8 2.2
26 Arkansas 2,999,370 7 2.3
25 Georgia 10,403,847 25 2.4
24 Nebraska 1,914,571 5 2.6
23 Massachusetts14 6,850,553 18 2.6
22 Kansas 2,910,652 8 2.7
21 Rhode Island 1,057,231 3 2.8
20 Utah 3,096,848 10 3.2
19 Missouri 6,104,910 20 3.3
18 Maryland 6,018,848 20 3.3
17 Ohio 11,655,397 43 3.7
16 Wisconsin 5,790,716 22 3.8
15 Texas 28,260,856 108 3.8
14 North Dakota 756,717 3 4.0
13 Virginia 8,454,463 34 4.0
12 Alaska 737,068 3 4.1
11 Delaware 957,248 4 4.2
10 Colorado 5,610,349 25 4.5
9 Idaho 1,717,750 8 4.7
8 New Mexico 2,092,454 10 4.8
7 Oklahoma 3,932,870 19 4.8
6 Minnesota 5,563,378 30 5.4
5 Hawaii 1,422,094 8 5.6
4 Louisiana 4,664,362 27 5.8
3 North Carolina 10,264,876 66 6.4
2 Mississippi 2,984,418 20 6.7
1 Nevada 2,972,382 28 9.4
Nationwide 324,005,112 822 2.5
Source: LHC staff conversations and emails with state law enforcement commission directors and personnel. Also, U.S. Census Bureau. 2015-2019 American Community
Survey 5-Year Estimates. Table B01003: Total Population.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Appendix B: POST Academy Data Methodology
The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) – which sets minimum selection
and training standards for California law enforcement agencies – provided data to the Commission
in August 2021 on the state’s basic training academies.
The data spans from 2015 to 2020 and includes information on the number of students that
attended, passed, and were ever hired from each academy each year. Commission staff analyzed
this data and calculated totals and percentages based on the cumulative data over the six-year
period.
Hiring rates reflect the share of students ever hired divided by the share of students that passed
each academy. Individuals classified by POST as being “ever hired,” have been hired as a police
officer at some point in their career.
Not all basic training academies taught students each year during this time period. For example,
an academy may have recently become certified and thus did not have students during all
specified years. Or, an academy – such as Cal Fire – may offer training on a biennial basis.
Only institutions that teach either the standard format or all three modules of the full Regular
Basic Course are certified by POST as basic training academies, regardless of the format in which
they offer the training. Aside from California’s 41 basic training academies, other institutions
may be certified to teach one or two basic training modules, but are not considered full basic
training academies. During the period we examined, we identified ten institutions that only
teach components of the Regular Basic Course and thus were not included in our analysis of full
academies. These are: California Department of Corrections, Cerro Coso Community College,
College of the Desert, El Camino College, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Martinez Adult Education,
Merced College, Porterville Law Enforcement Training Center, Sierra Community College, and
Victor Valley College.
Our analysis also excludes academies that were decertified between 2015 and 2020.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Chart C: California Basic Training Academy Data (2015 -2020)
Percentage
Number Number Percentage Number Percentage
Basic Training Academy of Total
Attended Passed Passed Ever Hired Ever Hired
Attendees
Alameda County Sheriff's Department Academy
921 2.2% 760 82.5% 746 98.2%
Training Center
Allan Hancock College - Lompoc Valley Campus 317 0.8% 248 78.2% 229 92.3%
Bakersfield Police Department 95 0.2% 73 76.8% 73 100.0%
Butte College Public Safety Training Center 607 1.5% 428 70.5% 386 90.2%
California Department of Fish and Wildlife 255 0.6% 186 72.9% 172 92.5%
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection 81 0.2% 76 93.8% 76 100.0%
California Highway Patrol 2,351 5.7% 1,710 72.7% 1,710 100.0%
California State Parks 116 0.3% 98 84.5% 98 100.0%
College of the Redwoods-Redwoods Training Center 874 2.1% 833 95.3% 630 75.6%
College of the Siskiyous 383 0.9% 346 90.3% 216 62.4%
Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department 757 1.8% 654 86.4% 623 95.3%
Golden West College Regional Criminal Justice Training
438 1.1% 373 85.2% 341 91.4%
Center
Imperial Valley College 624 1.5% 440 70.5% 170 38.6%
Kern County Sheriff's Department 350 0.8% 246 70.3% 236 95.9%
Long Beach Police Department 413 1.0% 302 73.1% 301 99.7%
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 4,990 12.0% 4,058 81.3% 4,023 99.1%
Los Angeles Police Department 3,337 8.0% 2,775 83.2% 2,756 99.3%
Napa Valley College Criminal Justice Training Center 658 1.6% 366 55.6% 304 83.1%
Oakland Police Department 429 1.0% 356 83.0% 356 100.0%
Orange County Sheriff's Department 1,815 4.4% 1,438 79.2% 1,389 96.6%
Palomar College 357 0.9% 271 75.9% 117 43.2%
Rio Hondo Regional Training Center 1,289 3.1% 1,151 89.3% 869 75.5%
Riverside County Sheriff's Department 1,130 2.7% 1,038 91.9% 872 84.0%
Sacramento County Sheriff's Department 980 2.4% 668 68.2% 589 88.2%
Sacramento Police Department 757 1.8% 539 71.2% 518 96.1%
Sacramento Regional Public Safety Training Center 1,081 2.6% 962 89.0% 256 26.6%
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department 1,984 4.8% 1,580 79.6% 1,507 95.4%
San Bernardino Valley College 178 0.4% 124 69.7% 74 59.7%
San Diego Regional Public Safety Training Institute 2,068 5.0% 1,854 89.7% 1,821 98.2%
San Francisco Police Department 1,194 2.9% 874 73.2% 863 98.7%
San Joaquin Delta College Public Safety Training Center 2,032 4.9% 1,881 92.6% 1,452 77.2%
San Jose Police Department 505 1.2% 419 83.0% 419 100.0%
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department 364 0.9% 319 87.6% 319 100.0%
Santa Rosa Junior College, Public Safety Training Center 966 2.3% 853 88.3% 672 78.8%
South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium 1,829 4.4% 1,469 80.3% 1,228 83.6%
Southwestern College-Otay Mesa HEC 207 0.5% 183 88.4% 86 47.0%
Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office Regional Training
408 1.0% 318 77.9% 317 99.7%
Center
State Center Regional Training Facility - Fresno City
1,116 2.7% 917 82.2% 789 86.0%
College
Tulare-Kings Counties Police Officer Training Academy 2,172 5.2% 1,955 90.0% 1,540 78.8%
Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center 529 1.3% 429 81.1% 425 99.1%
Yuba College Public Safety Center 568 1.4% 465 81.9% 290 62.4%
CUMULATIVE TOTALS 41,525 100% 34,035 82% 29,858 88%
Source: California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, August 2021.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Chart D: California Training Hours per Regular Basic Course (RBC)
Standard Format RBC Modular Format RBC
(Minimum 664 hours) (Minimum 730 hours)
Basic Training Academy Extended Intensive Extended Intensive
Alameda County Sheriff's Department Academy Training Center 1,064 1,064
Allan Hancock College - Lompoc Valley Campus 862
Bakersfield Police Department 914
Butte College Public Safety Training Center 924
California Department of Fish and Wildlife 906
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection 1,260
California Highway Patrol 882
California State Parks 1,381
College of the Redwoods-Redwoods Training Center 945
College of the Siskiyous 933 926
Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department 981
Golden West College Regional Criminal Justice Training Center 1,009
Imperial Valley College 1035
Kern County Sheriff's Department 920
Long Beach Police Department 880
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 880 910
Los Angeles Police Department 912 827
Napa Valley College Criminal Justice Training Center 880
Oakland Police Department 900
Orange County Sheriff's Department 984
Palomar College 1,159
Rio Hondo Regional Training Center 977
Riverside County Sheriff's Department 981 913
Sacramento County Sheriff's Department 956 956
Sacramento Police Department 926
Sacramento Regional Public Safety Training Center 906
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department 944
San Bernardino Valley College 920
San Diego Regional Public Safety Training Institute 928
San Francisco Police Department 1,280
San Joaquin Delta College Public Safety Training Center 936 936
San Jose Police Department 1,178
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department 1,008
Santa Rosa Junior College, Public Safety Training Center 800
South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium 904 996
Southwestern College-Otay Mesa HEC 849
Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office Regional Training Center 740
State Center Regional Training Facility - Fresno City College 1,010 1,037
Tulare-Kings Counties Police Officer Training Academy 955 953
Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center 914
Yuba College Public Safety Center 881
Source: California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, August 2021.
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Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies November 2021
Notes:
1. California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
“Regular Basic Course.” https://post.ca.gov/regular-basic-course
2. California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training,
see endnote 1.
3. California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
“Basic Training Academies.” https://post.ca.gov/basic-training-
academies.
4. Maine Department of Public Safety. “Maine Criminal Justice
Academy.” https://www.maine.gov/dps/mcja/about/index.htm
5. Masssuchetts.gov. “MPTC-authorized Full-time Police Academies.”
https://www.mass.gov/service-details/mptc-authorized-full-
time-police-academies. Also, Massachusetts.gov. “State Police
Academy.” https://www.mass.gov/state-police-academy. Also,
Massachusetts.gov. Also, “Municipal Police Training Committee
Locations.” https://www.mass.gov/orgs/municipal-police-training-
committee/locations?_page=1.
6. Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards,
“MCOLES Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies.” Last
update: February 5, 2020. https://www.michigan.gov/mcol
es/0,4607,7-229-41624_43157-148096--,00.html
7. Oregon.gov. “Career in Criminal Justice.” https://www.oregon.gov/
dpsst/CJ/Pages/career.aspx
8. West Virginia Department of Homeland Security Justice and
Community Services. “Commonly Asked Questions.” https://
djcs.wv.gov/law-enforcement-professional-standards/Pages/
CommonlyAskedQuestions.aspx#Question3bAnswer
9. Oregon.gov, see endnote 7.
10. West Virginia Department of Homeland Security Justice and
Community Services, see endnote 8.
11. Maine Department of Public Safety, see endnote 4.
12. California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training,
see endnote 3.
13. Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, see
endnote 6.
14. Masssuchetts.gov, see endnote 5.
Issue Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies
November 2021
(916) 445-2125 | LittleHoover@lhc.ca.gov
925 L Street, Suite 805, Sacramento, CA 95814
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