Certificate of Achievement
Career/Technical (Major Code: 02711)

The Basic Police Academy is a Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) certified training academy for California law enforcement. It meets the basic requirement for employment as a municipal, county, and state law enforcement officer. (State law requires completion of a POST-certified basic course for employment in law enforcement.) The academy is made up of two phases; phase I takes place during the fall semester, phase II during the spring semester.

Student must apply to the Police Academy office (Room 4315) at the Higher Education Center at Otay Mesa approximately two months prior to the beginning of phase I.  Acceptance into the academy requires that the student meets both College and State mandates. Those not meeting the mandates will not be allowed to enroll.

The units earned in the academy may be used towards graduation, and, in addition, a certificate will be awarded. The academy meets the requirements for veterans’ benefits.

Note: This is a two-phase program, which requires 10 months to complete.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

• Upon completion of this program, the student will demonstrate proficiency in multi-faceted communication skills, interviewing, assessing, interpreting data and making judgments related to potential and actual criminal events.
• Upon completion of this program, the student will demonstrate proficiency in all aspects of basic law enforcement procedures.
• Upon completion of this program, the student will demonstrate proficiency in working collegially with a diverse population in stressful environments.

Gainful Employment

The U.S. Department of Education requires colleges to disclose a variety of information for any financial aid eligible program that “prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.”

Students who complete this program will have acquired the necessary analytical tools to successfully secure gainful employment in the field of study.

For more information regarding the data provided for this program and what it means to you as a student, please feel free to visit our SWC Gainful Employment website at: www.swccd.edu/gainfulemployment.