Peace Officer Basic Training

Short-Term Certificate

Overview
Standing man addressing seated cadets around table in conference room

COTC’s peace officer basic training academy exceeds the requirements of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission and positions students to excel on the state certification exam to become a peace officer in Ohio. Graduates also earn credits toward an associate degree in law enforcement technology.

Why choose COTC?

State of Ohio approved OPOTC STAR Training Center

Man in suit holding star shaped sign next to man in polo shirt holding certificateCentral Ohio Technical College has received designation by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office as an approved STAR Training Center. This designation creates a professional standard and an incentive for excellence among current, or future, Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission (OPOTC) Approved Basic Academies in the State of Ohio. OPOTC Approved Basic Academies, who voluntarily seek the STAR designation, demonstrate their belief that “Raising the Bar” is essential in producing top cadets to the law enforcement agencies who employ them, and the communities that they serve.

COTC is the only central Ohio academy to receive this designation and fifth in the state of Ohio.

Flexibility

The peace officer basic training academy has three schedule options a student can choose from:

Accelerated Program
  • Complete in one semester (15 weeks).
  • Classes are held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (with some weekend and/or evening classwork as needed).
  • Academy begins every January (spring semester) at the Newark campus.
Part-time Program
  • Complete in two semesters (approximately nine months).
  • Classes are held Monday through Friday from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. (with some weekend classwork as needed).
  • Academy begins every August (autumn semester) at the Newark campus.
College Academy
  • Complete in approximately 20 weeks.
  • Classes are held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (with some nights and weekends required).
  • Academy starts in May (summer semester) and ends in October.

Student Success

Peace Officer Basic TrainingSince 2014 all COTC peace officer basic training graduates have passed the state certification exam — that’s a 100% pass rate. COTC has also ranked in the top two open-enrollment police academies for passing the state certification exam since 2017.