Application Process: Police Academy
√ Click here to watch our informational video on the Academy!
Thanks for inquiring about becoming a cadet at the Community College of Aurora, CO Basic Law Enforcement Training Academy and starting on your path to a career in the best profession in America!
We offer two 39-week long, 800+ hour, part-time academies for the 2020 calendar year.
The “Spring” 2020 P.O.S.T. Academy that starts on January 21st, 2020, will be a part-time 39-week/800+ hour academy, running Monday through Thursday nights from 6 to 10 PM AND all day on Saturdays from 8 AM to 5 PM. This academy has a projected graduation date of October 28th, 2020. A mandatory orientation for the SPRING 2020 academy will be held for all accepted applicants on Thursday, January 9th, 2020, from 5:30 to 8:30 PM. Packets for this academy must be received, in person, by the Director by 5 PM on January 7th.
Our “Fall” 2020 P.O.S.T. Academy will start July 13th, 2020. It will also be a part-time 39-week/800+ hour academy, running Monday through Thursday nights from 6 to 10 PM AND all day on Saturdays from 8 AM to 5 PM. This academy has a projected graduation date of May 5th, 2021. A mandatory orientation for the FALL 2020 academy will be held for all accepted applicants on June 25th, 2020, from 5:30 to 8:30 PM.
- Candidates are preferably 21 years old or older; though those who are 20 1/2 may apply as long as their birthday is before the academy POST exam date.
- Candidates must be able to work in the U.S.; possessing U.S. citizenship, Naturalized or Permanent Resident status, or a valid, work permit. Certain restrictions, set by the federal govt., may apply that restrict academy entry.
- Candidates must possess a high school diploma or GED certificate.
- Other restrictions apply; see the Academy Application Packet, the Academy FAQs and the State P.O.S.T. site FAQs for more information.
- Academy costs (except for note-taking supplies, a pair or two of black duty boots, a black belt to hold up your pants, a police flashlight and optionally, wrestling shoes) in their entirety for an "In-state , COF-qualified applicant" are approximately $8,600.00 (see our informational letter and packet for information about the costs for out-of-state applicants or those in-state residents who do not qualify for COF). Included in the academy costs are 39 Criminal Justice credits hours that all apply directly to the AAS/CRJ degree AND are transferable to two separate in-state Bachelor's degree programs; all books; uniforms; equipment; your academy weapon (we use Gen 4 Glock 17s and Safariland Level II rotating thumb break holsters); ammo and other associated items EXCEPT, as mentioned, for the following you supply: a pair or two of black police-style boots or shoes, a black belt for your BDU pants, a police-style flashlight, note-taking supplies, and, optionally, wrestling shoes to use on the gym mats.
- Apply online to be accepted as a student at CCA (this is not the application process below you also need to complete to apply to the law enforcement training academy) or in person at either the CentreTech or Lowry campus. WHEN ENROLLING TO THE COLLEGE ITSELF, YOUR "MAJOR", WHEN ASKED ON THE FORM, WILL BE THE "AAS/CRJ", or "ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE/CRIMINAL JUSTICE" MAJOR. IF YOU ONLY APPLY FOR THE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM, YOU WILL BE APPLYING FOR THE "BASIC LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ACADEMY" CERTIFICATE!
THEN:
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- If you are a Colorado resident, apply for the Colorado Opportunity Fund (COF) - we will help you designate it to apply to your tuition at the time of entrance to the academy.
- Start the Financial Aid process now. Call 303-360-4709 for more information.
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Those who qualify for VA assistance will need to contact our Military and Veterans Services department. The Military & Veteran Services website is: https://www.ccaurora.edu/students/military-veterans. Qualified family members of honorably discharged veterans can also qualify for the in-state tuition rate. IN-STATE tuition may be available to other discharged military service members with a DD-214 and “Honorable Discharge” status. Please contact: https://www.ccaurora.edu/students/military-veterans/Tuition or Karen Hurtado (303-361-7363) if you have questions about eligibility.
- Take the college Assessment entrance test and submit your reading and writing assessment scores to the academy with your application.
If you have not already taken ENG 121 AND passed the course with a "C" or better, to be admitted to the academy you must score high enough on the language and writing components of the college assessment placement test to be able to take ENG 121.
Academy Times, Requirements, and Application
- The part-time academy will run Monday through Thursday NIGHTS from 6 PM to 10 PM AND all day on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for approximately 39+ weeks.
- 100% attendance is required at the academy. No waivers to miss class will be issued, except for illness, family emergencies, military and jury duty. ALL MISSED CLASS must be made-up, and depending on the circumstances under which a class was missed, the cadet may be obligated to pay for the instructor(s) and any additional fees the college may incur to run the make-up class for the cadet.
- Students are preferably 21 years of age or older, though entry can be made if one is 20 1/2 and will be 21 by the time of the POST exam, to apply to the academy and possess a high school diploma or GED cert. All cadets must be 21 before graduation.
- Students must not have any felony convictions (to include deferred convictions or convictions where a juvenile was charged as an adult); general court martials or a Dishonorable Discharge; or convictions involving domestic violence; or have been convicted of any of the CO P.O.S.T. 42 disqualifying misdemeanors listed in the FAQ link; and not have been arrested and convicted for any misdemeanors in the past 5 years to include DUIs and DWAIs.
- A student's driving record must be satisfactory (no more than 4 violations in the past two years).
- NO illegal drug usage in the past 3-5 years, depending on the drug used. This includes no marijuana use for any reason, medical or recreational, in the past 18 months, even after the date the state legalized its use. Students must be able to pass a standardized drug screen test.
- Students must be physically and emotionally fit to handle the physical training and stress of the academy program.
- Students must be able to physically comply, per state and federal guidelines on the physical fitness and physical abilities requirements for law enforcement officers, with all CO P.O.S.T. requirements for the Skills Courses to include Arrest Control; Driving; and Firearms. Students must be able to pass an academy-run physical fitness test prior to the start of the academy; cadets will be expected to meet certain fitness requirements while in the academy.
- You MUST read the FAQ link for further restrictions and information prior to application.
- Applications that are incomplete or indicate past disqualifying behaviors, that are listed in the FAQ, will be rejected.
- Complete the academy application form and also complete the online Background Check process (online background check process instructions are in the application packet) and sign the application. CALL the academy phone number (303-340-7076 or 303-880-2088) to make an appointment for a mandatory interview and bring your application, and required documents listed below, in person to the academy to your interview appointment located at the address below.
Include the following documents with your application:
a) Copy of Birth Certificate.
b) Copy of High School Diploma or GED.
c) Copy of college transcript; copy of college diploma, if applicable.
d) Copy of Driving Record (available at any Division of Motor Vehicles Office).
e) Copy of Driver's License.
f) Copy of Health Insurance Card (all students must have some form of health insurance).
g) Students with Citizenship papers must present the original for verification by Academy Staff.
h) Students who are agency sponsored: please attach a letter on agency letterhead from your agency head stating that you are sponsored. This letter must also contain information regarding your CBI and DMV record.
i) Letter from physician stating that you are in good physical and mental health and able to participate in the physical fitness aspects of the academy (similar to a sports physical) - must have been completed in the past six months prior to application.
j) DD214 if you have served in the military service.
After completing the necessary paperwork and obtaining all the documents, your application needs to be returned in person to:
(you must call the Academy Director at 303-880-2088 and make an appointment to drop off your application and meet with us - you can find the building by using GOOGLE MAPS and typing in "Center for Simulation, Aurora, CO" in the GOOGLE MAPS SEARCH box - it will show you our building on the Lowry campus)
Basic Law Enforcement Training Academy
Lowry Campus/Director Michael Carter
"Center for Simulation"
9235 East 10th Drive
Building 859, Room 143
Denver, CO 80230
If you would like an application packet mailed to you contact the Academy Director, Michael Carter at 303-880-2088; or his Program Assistant, Cindy Smith, at (303) 340-7070. You can also email Cindy Smith at cindy.smith@ccaurora.edu. Please include your name, address, phone number, and a detailed message. If she cannot be reached, please email the Academy Director, Michael Carter, at michael.carter@ccaurora.edu.
Copyright © 2019 Community College of Aurora.
