Independent academy in Austin Texas

[TXGunslinger88]

Are there any schools in the Austin area that officer the police academy training that aren't affiliated with an agency? I'm wanting to get TCOLE certified before I apply for an agency. Everytime I Google search, all I get is the APD or UT Police academy.

[Aidokea]

Are there any schools in the Austin area that officer the police academy training that aren't affiliated with an agency? I'm wanting to get TCOLE certified before I apply for an agency. Everytime I Google search, all I get is the APD or UT Police academy.

Why?

[NolaT]

Nationwide most all major Depts are down, if you can pass all of the tests, you’ll be Easily picked up,……do not self sponsor.

If you’re not passing all of the tests, self sponsoring won’t get you hired; you won’t be any more attractive.

[Aidokea]

Bingo.....

[TXGunslinger88]

Really? I've heard that most agencies want applicants who are already TCOLE certified *because* of the surplus of applicants leaving larger departments for the smaller ones. I'm not interested in working for APD. I'm trying to get on with the LCRA rangers and I heard they were only hiring people who already had their TCOLE

[NolaT]

Reread post # 3.

[CCCSD]

Maybe they don’t want “gunslingers”…

[Aidokea]

He's Paul Blart.

[tanksoldier]

Are there any schools in the Austin area that officer the police academy training that aren't affiliated with an agency? I'm wanting to get TCOLE certified before I apply for an agency. Every time I Google search, all I get is the APD or UT Police academy.

Many who post here have never experienced a department that doesn't have it's own academy, let alone one which expects applicants to come to them already certified. Of those who have experienced that, some may have forgotten.

The Lower Colorado River Authority Rangers seem like a small enough agency that they wouldn't have their own academy, and they do expect applicants to be certified. The problem isn't academies being associated with departments, the problem is to find one that allows self-sponsorship.

Austin doesn't seem to allow outside agencies or self sponsorship. UT does allow outside sponsorship but LCRA expects applicants to be certified, so that doesn't help. Travis County doesn't mention self sponsoring.

Some that came up:

Basic Peace Officer Course | TEEX.ORG
Basic Police Academy - Collin College
Central Texas College - For Students Of The Real World (ctcd.edu)


Don't really know where those are in relation to Austin.

Something to think about, apply to a department that will sponsor you and get you a few years of good experience, then lateral to the department you really want to work for. As mentioned above, most departments are starving for applicants.

[Zeitgeist1]

Interesting. Glad you clarified that. I'm one of the 'large dept' people.

[Bing_Oh]

In today's hiring climate, I would probably recommend that a potential candidate apply without certification before taking on the expense of paying his/her own way through an academy (unless they are considering a specific agency/type of agency that is known for only hiring certified applicants). If, after applying a few places, they find that they're being edged out by other applicants (not DQ'd for cause), then maybe consider the pay-to-play academy.

[AirborneJones]

I’m in the DFW area and I’m currently finishing up week 11 of my academy. I self-sponsored way back in 2002 while I had a newborn and worked 35-40 hours a week after my M-F 8-5 academy. It was rough. This time around I’m sponsored by my department. It is significantly easier to be paid to attend the academy. If you are truly serious about working in law enforcement then do yourself a favor and start applying now and let the department send you through theirs or another academy.

[NolaT]

This ^^^^^^ from someone who’s done both.