Florida Law Enforcement Academy

Program Overview

Are you looking for a challenging and rewarding career? Do you want to make a difference in your community? If so, a career in law enforcement might be right for you.

Police officers play a vital role in our society, keeping our communities safe and secure. They investigate crimes, patrol the streets, and work to prevent crimes before they happen. A career in policing can be both demanding and rewarding, and it offers opportunities for personal and professional growth.

If you’re interested in becoming a police officer, check out our police officer training program. This program will provide you with the skills and knowledge to succeed in this demanding field. Don’t wait any longer; take charge of your future.

The SCJA at Suncoast Technical College offers the Basic Law Enforcement Officer Recruit Certification Program. Our program meets the requirements of the FL Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC). Students may be sponsored by an employing agency or apply for direct admission.

What to Expect:

Learn about the code of ethics, history, evolution, and legal procedures of the law. Receive an introduction to the criminal justice system; statutory authority of the FDLE Criminal Justice Standards & Training Commission (CJSTC); fundamental law and legal procedures; law enforcement operations; investigation knowledge and skills; rules of arrest; search and seizure; knowledge of the use of force; defensive tactics; physical fitness; controlling and restraining techniques; traffic control and direction; emergency preparedness techniques; communication skills; and human relations skills.

Practical skills and field exercises are an integral part and include courtroom demeanor and testifying; report writing; identification, collection, and preservation of evidence; interviewing and interrogation techniques; radio communications; patrol techniques; police vehicle operation; defensive tactics and arrest techniques; firearms training; chemical agent application fingerprinting; and sobriety testing.

Additionally, this program prepares students to provide initial care to sick or injured persons. A first responder is the first to arrive at the scene of an injury but does not have the primary responsibility for treating and transporting the injured person(s).

Instructional strategies require students to identify, organize, and use resources appropriately; work with each other cooperatively and productively; acquire and use information; understand social, organizational, and technological systems; and work with various tools and equipment. This program is approved by the Department of Education (DOE) utilizing standards jointly developed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and approved by CJSTC.

All instructors are certified by the FDLE CJSTC. STC is a CJSTC certified training center. Graduates are eligible to take the Law Enforcement State Certification Exam and earn credit hours toward an Associates Degree through local participating colleges in partnership with Suncoast Technical College.