Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy

The Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy (NCLEA) at NCCC is the Niagara County approved training for law enforcement officers. The NCLEA currently operates a full-time academy for sworn police officers only. **The NCLEA is not currently accepting pre-employment applications.** We plan to restart our pre-employment program sometime in 2022. Further details about tuition, financial aid, application process, information for pre-employment Veterans, and student requirements will be answered as we move forward with setting up the Pre-Employment Program here at NCCC. Please continue to check our website or Facebook for updates.

The training is a partnership between the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, Niagara Falls Police Department, and Niagara County Community College. The current police academy is designed for sworn officers who are already hired by departments with daily training and classroom instruction.

The Pre-Employment program is designed for current civilians or non-sworn personnel who are interested in entering the law enforcement field as police officers in New York State. Although the program does not guarantee admission into a police department, standards are the same as the sworn police officers including physical fitness, attendance, and academics.

Upon successful completion of the Pre-Employment program, graduates receive a transcript and certificate indicating completion of Phase I of the Pre-Employment Police Basic Training. The certificate gives students two (2) years to secure employment in a police department and complete the Phase II portion of the training before being awarded a full Basic School Certificate from DCJS.

In the State of New York, police officers are appointed and attend the Basic Course for Police Officers at a regional academy. A typical course consists of a mix of police officers from a variety of police departments and sheriff’s offices in that region of the state.

The NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) approves all programs in law enforcement training for police officers. NCLEA at NCCC operates a full-time academy (Phase I and Phase II) and starting in 2022- a pre-employment academy (Phase I only).

Sworn Officers take both Phase I and Phase II while Pre-Employment candidates only participate in Phase I. Both provide the same educational and physical content in Phase l. Criteria for passing are the same for all students. Pre-employment recruits would be attending with the sworn police for most classes. They would not participate in firearms training or Field Training until they move on to Phase II.

The Pre-Employment Police Basic Training Course provides students with the opportunity to complete many aspects of basic police training before being appointed as a police officer in New York State. Pre-employment training is achieved through a collaboration between a municipality and an accredited college, junior college, or two-year college having an active criminal justice, public safety program, or other similar or equivalent program registered and approved by the Department of Education. (from DCJS web site https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/)

The 77th Academy began on 9/13/21. This is an academy for sworn police officers only.

We plan to restart our pre-employment program in 2022.

One extremely important note for the pre-employment candidates: If you are not able to commit to the intense schedule without absences or staying in top physical shape, you will not pass.

Both require full-time commitment in order to pass the high standards academically and physically.

Academy Schedule: Monday–Friday all day (start date determined by local police agencies)

• The academy is 24 weeks including the last 4 which consists of Field Training with sworn recruits back at their agencies
• Generally operates Monday through Friday from 7:30am-4:30pm. Excused absences from classes will be limited and reviewed by the co-directors on a case by case basis

All instruction is conducted by approved DCJS instructors and experts in law enforcement topics. Specialists in specific areas may also provide additional instruction only when approved by the NCLEA co-directors, and DCJS.

• Room G-218: Classroom
• Room G-223-227: Co-Director offices
• H-Building: Gym Facilities DT/PT locations
• Additional off-site locations: Not all training will be conducted on the campus of Courses such as Firearms Training, Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC), and others will be held off-campus and coordinated by the co-directors. Each student is responsible for their own transportation.

Physical standards for acceptance into the NCLEA are established. Also, for a student to receive a certificate of completion, certain physical and classroom standards must be met before the end of the training.

Physical

• Candidates must pass the 40% entry standard in order to be accepted into the Academy.
• Students must also meet more difficult physical standards by the end of the Academy.

PHYSICAL FITNESS STANDARDS
QUALIFYING PHYSICAL FITNESS SCREENING TEST (AGILITY)

Sit-up:  Muscular endurance (core body) – the score indicated below is the number of bent-leg sit-ups performed in one minute.

Push-up:  Muscular endurance (upper body) – the score below is the number of full-body repetitions that a candidate must complete without breaks.

1.5-Mile Run:  Cardiovascular capacity – the (time) score indicated below is calculated in minutes and seconds.

NOTE: Without prior training, it is very difficult to pass the PT test! Entry into the academy mandates that you pass all 3 portions of the test.

Entry Level Testing that Pre-Employment applicants must pass (40%) to be considered for acceptance.

Male

Female

Contact the office of the NCLEA Co-Directors (see below).

Lt Kratz/Det Berti 716-614-6830
Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy

DCJS website: https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/