The Peace Officer Academy Short-Term Technical Certificate is also known as the Basic Peace Officer Academy. Edison State awards 16 credit hours for completion of the Academy. These credit hours can be applied toward an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice degree at Edison State or transferred to other institutions. The Academy curriculum is certified by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission (OPOTC) and covers all aspects of law enforcement training including legal, human relations, firearms, driving, subject control, first aid, patrol, civil disorders, traffic, investigation, physical conditioning and homeland security.
Students will register twice during the Academy, taking 8 credits hours each semester. The Academy will satisfy or exceed the training hours required by the OPOTC and will prepare students for all areas of the State Peace Officer Certification Examination. Physical fitness conditioning is also a requirement; the criteria for minimum standards are set by the OPOTC. NOTE Students must satisfactorily pass the entire Academy course to qualify to sit for the state exam required to become a peace officer in the State of Ohio.
NOTE Federal Financial Aid is not available for Short-Term Technical Certificates programs, but scholarship assistance may be available.
NOTE Students pursuing a Short-Term Technical Certificate may need to satisfy course prerequisites which may include placement testing.
►Click here for Peace Officer Academy Application .
Four academies are scheduled per year ►
►One day and one evening Academy beginning in January
►One day and one evening Academy beginning in July
Day Academy Hours ►
Monday through Friday | 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Saturdays, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | Periodic Sunday attendance is required. Academy hours are subject to change.
Evening Academy Hours ►
Monday through Friday | 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. | Saturdays 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | Periodic Sunday attendance is required. Academy hours are subject to change.
Each academy runs for approximately 21 weeks and includes more than 712 hours of instruction.
Training is held at the Edison State Community College Piqua Campus. Other locations may be utilized for practical training blocks of instruction. For example, some physical training is held outdoors and firearms training is held off campus.
Basic Peace Officer Academy Applicants ►
Academy applications are available three months prior to the start of each Academy and must be completed and returned no later than four weeks prior to the start of the Academy you wish to attend. To maintain safety and provide a quality training environment, each Academy class size is kept between 15-36 students. The Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission (OPOTC) requires a minimum number of students to hold an Academy.
Individuals wishing to enter the academy, who do not hold a current oath or commission with an Ohio law enforcement agency, are eligible to enroll under Open Enrollment. Four weeks prior to the start of the Academy, each Open Enrollment applicant must complete a multi-page application and submit to a short interview with a review committee for a seat in the Academy.
In addition to complying with the College’s general admission procedures, Open Enrollment Academy applicants must
►be 21 years of age at the conclusion of the Academy;
►have a valid Ohio driver’s license; and
►not have any felony or domestic violence convictions.
Sworn officers holding a current oath or commission with any Ohio law enforcement agency are eligible to enroll and are automatically accepted into the Academy. If a sworn officer only needs to complete part of the curriculum, the Academy Commander will work with the officer to schedule the appropriate attendance dates.
Equipment required for the program can be included in your request for financial aid. Get pricing before you apply and discuss this with the Financial Aid department. Financial aid is available for Academy students who pursue and officially declare a Criminal Justice degree major.
