About the Program
A career in law enforcement is a committment to the ideals of justice and service to others. Many people who work in law enforcement have innate skills in communication and empathy and are able to combine these skills with intensive law enforcement training to serve and protect their community. While at times this occupation can be dangerous, few professions are as dynamic and rewarding as this field.
Otero’s LETA (Law Enforcement Training Academy) program will not only prepare you for your POST (Peace Officer Standards & Training) certification, but will also provide you with a foundation in career management skills such as resume and interview preparation to turn your passion for public service into a career.
Why choose law enforcement training at Otero?
The added “PLUS” students receive by attending the Law Enforcement Academy at Otero includes specialized advanced training and additional training hours in traditional law enforcement basics:
- An overall focus on Sponsored Cadets and integrating their learning into the Field Training Process.
- Drone integration into key coursework.
- Virtual Reality Simulator from ApexOfficer integrated into classroom sessions.
- Additional hours in officer survival, command Spanish, police procedures, criminal investigations, and scenario-based training.
- Advanced communication training in handling persons in crisis and emotionally-charged individuals.
- Driving training exceeding the POST requirement. with an additional Radar User certification.
- Hands-on/ scenario-based evidence and crime scene processing.
- DUI roadside sobriety testing /SFST with two “wet’” labs.
- OC (pepper) spray certification.
- TASER certification.
- PEPPERBALL certification.
- Additional hours in Colorado Criminal Code & search and seizure topics.
- Multiple interactive study halls to enhance student learning and retention.
- Career management course to set you up for success in applying for law enforcement jobs.
- Applicants must be 20 years old and possess a high school diploma or a GED.
- Students must undergo background checks to document they do not have any felony, section 24-31-305, C.R.S. convictions without a POST variance, domestic violence convictions, including on-going or open charges and no violations of the Child Support Enforcement Act.
- Students must have a valid driver’s license with a driving record free of drug and driving revocations.
- Students are required to posses a valid Colorado Driver’s License prior to completion.
All registrants must be law enforcement career oriented. Registration is open to peace officers seeking certification, recertification, reserve officers seeking certification training and individuals in law enforcement careers needing supplemental training. Otero insurance doesn’t allow students to “sit-in” or “audit” a class without registration.
The Pathway to Criminal Justice Program is focused on students that want to attain an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice, or a related field, and then focus in the Law Enforcement area. For example; if you want to work with protecting our natural resources, your advisor may recommend attaining an Associate of Science in one of the sciences and then attending the Law Enforcement Certification Program. This would put you on the path towards working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
For students that don’t yet meet the age requirement of 20 years old for the Law Enforcement Certificate Program, you can attain an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice and have a slot secured in the Otero Law Academy. After attaining state peace officer certification this pathway would allow you to seek jobs with the backing of the basic certification and a specialized associates of arts degree.
The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree combines the Law Enforcement Training Academy with related general education courses to enhance your future career advancement.
The AAS degree articulates into Colorado Mesa University’s (CMU) Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Administration/Public Safety degree program. Please talk to an advisor for more information.
The Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA) is staffed with experienced instructors who are experts in their areas of instruction and who have applied and practiced what they teach on the street. Otero Law Academy classes are taught by forty career law enforcement professionals with 400 plus years of combined law enforcement and training experience. The Otero instructors represent, or have retired, from 15 different state and local criminal justice agencies, plus one federal agency.
All Otero instructors are certified in their instruction area and regularly refresh their training. You’ll be learning from proven experts who have applied and practiced on the job everything they teach in the classroom. This “apprenticeship” type training provides you with the strongest and most up-to-date training available from a wide range of instructor experiences.
Students are advised to review the information on the Professional Licensure Disclosure page BEFORE beginning a program that leads to professional licensure with the intent to be licensed outside of the state of Colorado. Review the licensing information provided for the applicable program. While CCCS colleges endeavor to ensure this information is up to date, changes in licensure requirements of any state can change at any time. Contact the appropriate licensing agency in the U.S. states and territories where licensure is intended. This will enable you to obtain the most up-to-date information about licensure requirements and confirm the CCCS college program meets those requirements.
Law Enforcement Training Academy Contact
Academy Director
McBride Rm 128
(719) 384-6867
otero-lawacademy@otero.edu