Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy Launches Modular Curriculum, Attending Classes Part-Time Eases Path to Law Enforcement Career

Santa Ana, CA, November 08, 2008 --(PR.com)-- As President-elect Obama calls for the hiring 50,000 new police officers nationwide, the need for training additional law enforcement officers is clear. According to a recent NPR report, police departments across the country are chronically understaffed and facing a recruitment crisis. The supply of eligible candidates has dwindled due to wars on two fronts, as well as increasing numbers of officers facing retirement.

Thanks to a new program at the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy, persons who want to become a full-time peace officer or part-time reserve officer now can get the basic training they need by attending classes part-time in the evenings and on weekends starting in January.

This new concept, called a Modular Basic Academy, will be offered by Santa Ana College in partnership with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and will be taught by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s basic academy staff.

“We are offering the basic academy in a three-level instructional sequence, called modules,” said George Troxcil, coordinator of the Criminal Justice Academies at Santa Ana College (SAC). “This instructional sequence has several advantages,” Troxcil explained. “It’s ideal for the working person who is unable to attend a full-time, six-month basic academy. Also, if a student must drop out of one instruction module, they may re-enroll in that module when it is offered the next year; they do not have to start from the beginning, as they would in the traditional basic academy.”

The first module, Level III, will begin January 6; the second module, Level II, will begin March 31, and the third module, Level I, will begin July 14. Students who complete all three modules will receive 816 hours of instruction over a one-year period, which exceeds the minimum requirement of 727 hours required by the Peace Officers’ Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.).

Each module will be offered only once during 2009. The application process takes at least 30 days to be completed, and enrollment is limited, so individuals who are interested are urged to call the Criminal Justice Academy office at (714) 566-9200 immediately to apply “Completing this training is the first step toward working in law enforcement, either full-time or as a reserve officer.” Troxcil added. “The California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training estimates that there are approximately 8,000 jobs available in law enforcement in the State of California. Many employees are reaching retirement age while the State and County’s population is growing. This combination of retirements plus a growing population guarantees long-term job security for persons in civilian and sworn positions.”

For more information about this innovative basic academy, which has been endorsed by the Orange County Police Chiefs’ and Sheriff’s Association, go to www.sac.edu and enter “Criminal Justice Academies” in the search bar or call at (714) 566-9200.

###