West Virginia State Police Academy

The West Virginia State Police Academy is a paramilitary law enforcement training institution, operated by the West Virginia State Police, located in Institute, a small town in West Virginia. The academy trains West Virginia Troopers for the state police force but also all newly-hired municipal, university police officers, Sheriff deputies, Motor Carrier Enforcement and conservation officers from across the state. It is the only law enforcement training school in West Virginia.The State Police Academy, founded by Captain Charles Ray, held its first training class in 1953. The school sits on 24 acres of land and can be located using satellite images from Google Earth.

Inside the academy

The school has four 50-seat audiovisual instruction rooms for classes, a library, a cafeteria for trainees and their staff, a gymnasium, a computer lab and dormitories. The academy also has an outdoor firing range that is equipped for rifle training at a distance of up to 100 yards.

The school doesn't, however, have an Emergency Vehicle Operation Course (EVOC) area for cadets and basic class officers to practice in near-real simulation of car chases and speed driving. Trainees must currently take driving courses on a parking lot and at a nearby local airport runway. However, long-term remodeling plans for the academy include provisions for a vehicle training area.

Cadet training

The West Virginia State Police Academy trains its own cadets accepted by the state police after a five-phase hiring process. Those cadets stay on academy grounds Monday through Friday during the 30-week training period. They can leave the campus on week-ends but are required to come back on Sunday nights to get ready for the following week. Cadets are promoted to the rank of "Trooper" after successfully completing training. To be accepted into the academy for cadet training, state police recruits must be able to perform at least 27 push-ups/minute, 29 sit-ups/minute and be able to run 1.5 mile in no more than 14:52 seconds during the initial physical test. These requirements are set by the West Virginia State Police and exceed state standards. Applicants must also pass all the remaining phases during the hiring process. Training for cadets usually occur once a year.

Basic Class Training

Like cadets, all would-be city, campus police officers, county sheriff deputies along with Division of Natural Resources conservation officers and Motor Carrier Enforcement new hires observe the same academy rules and policies. Their curriculum is however shorter but similar in intensity.

Basic class students train for 16 weeks. Some of these law enforcement officers bring with them police cruisers from their sponsored agency while at the academy, unlike cadets who don't get to see their assigned vehicles until after graduation. To be accepted for basic class training, students must be able to perform 18 push-ups/minute, 27 sit-ups/minute and run 1.5 mile in a maximum time limit of 15:20 seconds. These are requirements established by the West Virginia Division of Criminal Justice Services. Basic class training sessions are spread throughout the year.

The academy also houses the West Virginia State Police K-9 unit and the Professional Development Center which serves as an in-service learning facility for all law enforcement officers.

The West Virginia State Police Academy is often nicknamed "the hill" by its alumni.

ee also

*West Virginia State Police
*List of law enforcement agencies in West Virginia
*Police academy

References

*wvstatepolice.com

External links

* [http://www.wvstatepolice.com West Virginia State Police website]
* [http://www.wvtroopers.org West Virginia State Police Association website]