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Area of Study

Police Academy

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Law enforcement officers have an opportunity to help people, save lives and make a difference every day.

If you want a rewarding career with the opportunity to make a difference by saving and protecting others, where you enjoy team camaraderie and don't sit behind a desk, law enforcement could be an excellent career choice for you.

You must be in good physical condition, possess solid communication skills and have the decision-making abilities and temperament to successfully manage stressful and often dangerous situations. Jobs in this field are generally stable and have good healthcare and retirement benefits.

Northland Pioneer College partners with the law enforcement agencies of Apache and Navajo counties to offer intensive police officer training through NPC's Northeastern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy (NALETA). The only police academy northeastern Arizona.

Our program is designed to meet the official state law enforcement officer certification standards set by the Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training (AzPOST) agency. NALETA can only enroll trainees sponsored by a local law enforcement agency.

Contact NALETA for more information about this program and the date of the next Academy.

Read our story about police academy graduate, Stratton Hatch.

Labs and Classrooms

The Northeastern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy (NALETA) meets at NPC's training center in Taylor, which includes a 10-acre defensive driving course, shooting range and physical training facilities.

NPC's police academy offers an intensive 18-week curriculum that meets Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Contact NALETA for the date of the next Academy.]
Classes are divided between lecture and hands-on training and provide 700 hours of classroom instruction.
Graduates earn 36 hours of NPC college credit.
Faculty members include certified law enforcement officers and staff from the Navajo County Attorney’s Office.

Program Locations

Jake Flake Emergency Services Institute
Northeast Arizona Training Center (NATC)
1840 Papermill Road
Taylor, Arizona 85939

Entry Requirements

You MUST first be sponsored by a local law enforcement agency to enroll in NALETA.

Potential recruits must first apply to a police department or sheriff’s office where they wish to begin their law enforcement career. The selected agency determines applicant eligibility. Basic minimums require applicants be U.S. citizens, 21 years of age (or be 21 by the end of academy training) who have a high school diploma or GED. For a complete list of Arizona eligibility requirements, visit the AzPOST website and select “Certification Process” in the header.

Determining academy eligibility can take from four to eight weeks, so applicants should contact their selected law enforcement agency well before the start of classes.

Work Environment

Law enforcement work can be physically demanding, stressful and dangerous. Officers must be alert and ready to react throughout their entire shift. Officers regularly work at crime and accident scenes and deal with the death and suffering they encounter there. Although a career in law enforcement may be stressful, many officers find it rewarding to help members of their communities.

Job Outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a stable outlook for jobs with local law enforcement agencies. However, openings at the state and federal level are regarded as exceptionally competitive. In Apache and Navajo counties, the chances for employment are enhanced by the presence of this centrally-located academy training, as most law enforcement agencies prefer previously certified applicants. NALETA graduates who become POST-certified generally may gain initial employment as reserve officers and enjoy a decisive hiring edge when regular officer positions become available.

Salary

Smaller agencies in non-metropolitan areas of northern Arizona pay, on average, about $61,000 a year, plus insurance and retirement benefits

Potential Job Titles

Patrol officer, deputy sheriff, fish and game warden, detective, transit officer, park ranger, border patrol agent

Accreditation/Affiliations

NALETA is designed to meet the official state law enforcement officer certification standards set by the Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training (AzPOST) agency.

Employment