Law Enforcement Academy Starting Soon!

LIBERTY, October 9, 2009 - The Liberty Police Department (LPD) is announcing its new Law Enforcement Academy for basic peace officer certification. LPD operates the academy through College of the Mainland. The academy is designed to meet the requirements of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) and to prepare students for the state peace officer licensing exam.

Classes begin on March 1, 2010, and run through mid-November 2010. Students attend classes Monday through Friday, from 6 – 10:00 p.m., with occasional training on Saturdays. Tuition for the academy is $1500, with an additional $300 (approximately) for textbooks, uniforms, college ID, fingerprint processing and class materials. Those fees have to be paid by February 15, 2010. All applicants must have physical and psychological exams completed by February 15, as well as a criminal history/background check to be performed by College of the Mainland.

Interested persons must be 21 or older, and have a high school diploma or GED. Applicants with a GED must have at least 12 college credit hours or, in lieu of college hours, military experience. TCLEOSE rules state that a person with any felony convictions can not be accepted. If a person has a Class A or B Misdemeanor conviction, it has to be at least 10 years old before their application can be accepted.

The 769 hours of instruction will be provided by LPD personnel and other local professionals in the law enforcement and criminal justice fields. Some of the topics of instruction include: Texas Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure, Traffic Law, Accident Investigation, Emergency Vehicle Operation, Firearms, Search and Seizure, Crisis Intervention, U.S. and Texas Constitutions, and Report Writing.

LPD Chief Billy Tidwell, along with officers Hugh Bishop and Debbie Manchaca, are pleased to be working with College of the Mainland for the third time, in bringing a police academy to the Liberty area.

Chief Tidwell explains, “The police academy requires a great deal of commitment from the students and instructors. But the end result- graduating qualified peace officers and potential applicants- is worth the effort.”

Persons interested in attending the police academy should come by the Liberty Police Department, 1914 Lakeland Drive, to start the application process. Prospective applicants will need to speak with either Hugh Bishop of Debbie Manchaca for additional information on academy requirements.