Academy on your own time and your own dime

[My Gluttony]

I noticed some people talking about going to a police academy BEFORE they apply to a department. Do you have to pay for that too?

All the departments around me hire you (for about 2,000 less per year) and pay you in the academy. If they didn't do that, we wouldn't have ANY cops

[S.O.444]

If you do it yourself here, it's $800 for the academy plus four months without a M-F job. I won't be able to do it anytime soon if I don't get hired on by my #1 choice (they will put me through).

[Caesar2845]

Many departments around here (including mine) require you to be certified before you can even apply. Many smaller departments won't put you through the academy.

I paid my own way and went part time while I worked full time. Took almost 9 months that way, but I was hired by a department less than 2 months out of the academy, the last guy in my graduating class to get hired went 5 months after graduating to get on somewhere, 2 guys in the class got hired by a department shortly before we graduated.

[Rommel]

A lot of departments near me won't even look at your application unless you have atleast:

60 college credits
Degree in Criminal Justice
and or
Certified or Certifiable in Law Enforcement.

I went to school on my own dime, received my Associates in CJ and went through recruit accademy. Amount of time it took was 2 years and cost was 10k plus.

It was worth it.

[10-31Mike]

I noticed some people talking about going to a police academy BEFORE they apply to a department. Do you have to pay for that too?

All the departments around me hire you (for about 2,000 less per year) and pay you in the academy. If they didn't do that, we wouldn't have ANY cops

Thats why I haven't moved to Florida yet. From what I've read you pretty much have to.

[Da Po-po]

Thats why I haven't moved to Florida yet. From what I've read you pretty much have to.

That's correct. Academies here are typically run by local community colleges or private institutions. Locally, it takes over a year to take all of the classes to get it done. They will take just about anyone, and quality suffers since many academies are the "Pay the fee, get a B" kind of things. Then you have to take the state certification exam, which weeds some out, but not all. It's a real problem in my eyes. When I was in Kentucky, it was a state run central academy and you were already hired and sworn when you got there. The only saving grace is that out of state officers usually qualify for comparative compliance and all they have to do is take a short cross-over class and take the state exam. Quite a few departments will hire these folks and run them through.

[JeffroPoPo]

Not having an academy already under your belt is a HUGE minus around here, except for the big cities that send you to their academy regardless. If I don't get hired by the place I'm trying for right now and get sent by them, I'm going own dime/time in the winter.

[1oldsarge]

Academies for the most part are handled through Comm. Colleges in CA., you can put yourself through and pay for it. There's also an "extended format" academy, approx. one night a week and Saturday, that takes a year. Some agencies don't participate and do their own thing, like the Highway Patrol.

[Soon2Be]

In Ontario, OPC (Ontario Police College) is a post-hire institution only. Right now, it costs $7500 for 3 months training. Those attending are paid a probationary rate by their respective hiring services.

I heard the cost is going up to $10k. What a ****er.

[My Gluttony]

Thats why I haven't moved to Florida yet. From what I've read you pretty much have to.

We have lost a couple guys to Fla departments. From what I understand, alot of them just send you through a two week academy of you are certified in Va.

[Welpe]

I'm trying to get hired and put through an academy first. Depending upon how that goes, I am considering putting myself through since there are many smaller departments that only hire academy graduates and laterals.

[StudChris]

Right now I'm in the Academy in Florida. 6 months 8-5 M-F. "I'm" not paying it, but the money is coming out of my pocket (about 3500 for tuition, books, unis).

[pd821]

Here in Vegas the community college has an academy. It lasts about 22 weeks M-F, the good thing is that it qualifies as colege, so financial aid is available. I put myself through with the money for financial aid, they paid for my academy and sent me the remaining amount of money. I used it to pay bills while i was in school. Alot of departments came to the academy prior to our graduation and recruited for potential applicants. It benefits them, because they save a salary and benefits for a potential recruit. Also for some reason if the recruit doesnt make it through, there not out a dime. We had quite a few people in my class who had job offers before graduation.

[zap]

As some have already said...only the largest departments in Ohio will pay for your academy. I would say about 90% won't even talk to you unless you have a completion letter or certificate. The rest...well...they want you on the auxiliary and STILL won't pay for your academy or time in it. You just get to wear their uniform is all.


In our academy...which was college based...we started with 26 and graduated 13...so just because you pay...does NOT mean that you will get through the process. We had an excellent cadet dropped 2 days before the end of the 6 month academy...she didn't make her run in time. That was a shame.

[Sabre]

Most of us in Michigan have to pay our own way through a private academy. Mine was about $4900 (almost $7000 if you live out of the college's district) and four months long.