Law Enforcement Training Academy

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Welcome to GCC LETA

The Glendale Community College Law Enforcement Training Academy is certified by the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AzPOST).

The mission of the Glendale Community College Law Enforcement Training Academy is to educate, train, conform, and inspire. The goal is to develop peace officers of character and commitment to duty and to provide them with the knowledge and skills needed to be competent and attain professional growth throughout their career. The academy program achieves this with a focus on the intellectual, physical, mental, and emotional growth necessary for professional excellence. 

The Glendale Community College Law Enforcement Training Academy conducts academies in two formats, full time and part time. The full time academy is approximately 18 weeks and recruits attend 40 hours per week to become fully certified as peace officers by AzPOST. The part time academy is approximately ten (10) months in length with recruits attending two nights per week and all day on Sunday. Recruits who attend the part time academy are sponsored by police departments or open enrollment recruits who are unsponsored. At the conclusion of the part time academy the recruits who are sponsored receive full peace officer certification. The open enrollment students await employment before full certification is achieved. The academy in either format is designed to meet the needs of West Valley Police agencies and prepare recruits to function as a peace officer in the state of Arizona.

Both academies require the recruits to adhere to the rules and regulations of the Glendale Community College Law Enforcement Training Academy as well as the policies of AzPOST and their agencies. Recruits are expected to fully participate in classroom lectures, practical exercises and physical fitness training. All aspects of the academies are designed to provide the recruits with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively perform the essential functions of their position as a peace officer.

Intellectual, physical, mental and emotional growths are stressed because of the demands placed upon peace officers serving their communities. The Academy’s intent is to provide the professional knowledge, skills and experience a Recruit needs to succeed as a peace officer and to create an atmosphere of integrity, loyalty and obedience. The training received at the Academy will ensure that a Recruit can count on his fellow officers as surely as he can count on himself.

Minimum qualifications to be a peace officer in Arizona are detailed in the AzPOST Rules and Regulations.  (See R13-4-105)

Individuals interested in the program can only register or attend if they have participated in the selection process of a qualified agency and have been appointed to a Reserve Police Officer position or are participating in the open enrollment program. Those interested will need to contact the agency they are interested in and inquire as to how to make application for the position of Reserve Officer or begin the Open Enrollment Process to become qualified.

The Academy meets at both the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center (GRPSTC) (pictured above) located at 11550 W. Glendale Ave. (2 miles west of the Loop 101) and the Glendale Community College Campus, 6000 W. Olive Avenue (corner of 59th and Olive Avenues). Class location is dependent upon the activity scheduled.

GCC has partnered with the City of Phoenix Police Department to administer a Reserve Officer Academy for them. Information regarding that program may be found here.

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