ACADEMY ROUTINES:
The day (Intensive Format) Academy meets Monday through Friday, with some evenings and weekends scheduled. Training begins at 6:00 a.m. and normally ends by 4:30 p.m.
The organizational philosophy is semi-military. As such, the routines in all academy classes include physical training, personnel inspections, and high standards of grooming, appearance and conduct.
The training environment is highly structured; and standards and regulations are strictly maintained. However, there is no hazing or artificially applied stress. Candidates are accorded respect as adult professionals, and are expected to act accordingly.
Successful candidates are those who possess above average English language and study skills coupled with high levels of motivation and maturity. Candidates also need to be reasonably physically fit.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
High School graduate, or G.E.D. equivalent
No felony conviction record (fingerprints required)
Valid California Drivers License
Eighteen years of age
Medical examination
Successful score on POST Entrance Examination
Must be eligible to register as a student at College of the Sequoias without a waiver of College regulations
ACADEMY PREPARATION COURSE:
Many candidates decide to complete the Academy Preparation Course (PS313) before applying for admission to the Basic Academy. Factors indicating a candidate should consider this include:
The candidate has completed few or no college level courses
The candidate earned low grades in English in high school
It has been five or more years since the candidate has attended college
The candidate is unsure if he or she possesses the requisite language and study skills.
The Academy Preparation Course offers intensive training in essay and report writing, reading comprehension and study skills. Students in PS313 also complete numerous practice entrance exams.
A final advantage to taking the academy preparation course is a student may enter the next scheduled academy course directly if he or she passes the Academy Prep. Course and achieves a passing score on the Entrance Exam. Such students do not have to worry about being displaced by any higher scoring students.
ACADEMY COSTS:
Estimated expenses for attending the Basic Police Academy are listed in this website. Out-of-state fees are also included.
THREE-YEAR-RULE:
The student graduating from high school and immediately entering the Basic Police Academy has to be diligent in his or her efforts to gain employment in the law enforcement field after Academy completion. By administrative regulation, the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) will only allow the Academy graduation certificate to remain in effect for three years. If the candidate has not yet gained a full-time law enforcement position, the graduate will have to retrain in order to be qualified to enter the law enforcement field.
Most law enforcement agencies will not take applications from anyone who has not reached their twenty-first birthday at date of employment.
Subsequently, the 18-19 year old Academy graduate runs a high risk of losing the certification prior to reaching the age of employment.
We highly encourage recent high school graduates to enter a two-year AA or AS Degree Program at their local Community College, and then use the thirty units received in the Basic Academy as electives to complete their degree requirements. They are then highly employable in any law enforcement agency of their choice. Also, several semesters of experience with college level courses are excellent preparation for the study demands of the Police Academy.
We especially encourage interested persons to take college-level English courses, as this is a critical skill area both in the academy and the field.
Counseling sessions are easily arranged by contacting
the Public Safety Training Department at (559) 583-2600.