CTC police academy seeks cadets for upcoming peace officer course

The Central Texas College (CTC) Regional Police Academy will conduct its 2009 Extended Basic Peace Officer Course in October 2008. This 10-and-a-half-month course is designed to prepare the graduating cadet to take the State licensing examination for becoming a peace officer in Texas.

Anyone interested in peace officer course should attend one of the information/question and answer/background sessions to be held the last two weeks of August. During the session, potential cadets can receive all the necessary information about the peace officer course and licensing requirements for becoming a Texas peace officer. The application and background check process will also be held during these sessions so prospective cadets can be approved to register for the course.

Each session will be conducted at 7 p.m. in the Criminal Justice Building (Bldg. 113), Room 104 on the CTC Killeen campus. Interested persons can attend either session on Monday, August 18, Wednesday, August 20, Tuesday, August 26 or Thursday, August 28.

The Extended Basic Peace Officer course offers 740 instructional and training hours. In addition to prepping cadets for the State licensing exam, it also establishes the groundwork for the respective sheriff and police departments to provide additional field training. Individual blocks of instruction include multiculturalism and human relations, interpersonal communications, problem solving, ethics and professionalism, victims' rights, Texas Penal Code, Texas Traffic Code, Texas Family Code, use of force law and concepts, firearms, defensive tactics, police vehicle operation, criminal investigation, stress management and physical conditioning.

The course provides 23 college credit hours. Successful completion of sessions I-IV will award the cadet five semester hours of college credit per session. Successful completion of session V will provide the three remaining semester hours and an endorsement to be allowed to sit for the Texas Peace Officer licensing examination.

Basic information about the course can be obtained through the CTC web site www.ctcd.edu. Click on the “Students” link then scroll down and click “Instructional Departments.” Then click Protective Services (Criminal Justice) – Regional Police Academy.

Each potential cadet is also required to have either a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate and completion of at least 12 hours at an institution of higher education with at least a 2.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. If he or she is former military, they must have an honorable discharge after at least 24 months of active duty service in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Additional information about licensing, qualifications and requirements can be obtained at the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education website www.tcleose.state.tx.us.