Basic Academy

 

Basic Academy

The Criminal Justice Academies at Santa Ana College has one of the finest reputations for law enforcement training in the nation.  This is an extremely difficult and trying six months of instruction which test recruits in every way imaginable. ​

The college has been affiliated with the Orange County Sheriff's Department since 1970 and provides training not only in the Basic Academy but also in many other advanced officer training classes.

The academy is certified by the Peace Officer Standards on Training (POST) to provide the required 664 hours of training to be considered as a California Law Enforcement Officer. Along with those minimum standards are additional requirements of various law enforcement agencies in Orange County, which bring the total training time to approximately 1,000 hours.

Three to five Academy classes are normally conducted during the calendar year, with an average class size of 40 recruits, the majority of who are already hired and sponsored by an agency. As a non-sponsored recruit, or as commonly referred to as an "Independent", each individual receives exactly the same level of instruction as anyone else in an academy class.

Individuals who will attend the basic academy sponsored by an agency will be notified by the hiring agency about acceptance. Independents (Self- sponsored) will have to be approved into the program by the Criminal Justice Academies Associate Dean and Academy Commander and will be affiliated with Santa Ana College. To start the screening process, contact any member of the Criminal Justice academies office at (714) 566-9200 to make an appointment.