OUR HISTORY

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Academy was certified as a law enforcement academy by the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC) in 1993. At that time the academy began training reserve deputies. In 1997 the Deputy Sheriff’s Academy began training deputies in full time academy classes. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Training Academy is the only APOSTC certified academy to provide specialized Deputy Sheriff's training. Deputy Sheriff’s, attending the Basic Academy, receives the 520-Hour APOSTC Minimum Standards Curriculum and a specialized Deputy Sheriff’s curriculum, which emphasizes the special responsibilities given to the Office of Sheriff by the State of Alabama. Our Reserve Academy is open to all reserve/auxiliary officers in the State of Alabama. The Reserve Academy consists of the 520 hour APOSTC curriculum and classes are held on weekends (usually every other Saturday and Sunday). It takes one year to complete this training and a recruit can only miss 24 hours of training. These courses are available to all sworn law-enforcement officers throughout the state. 

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Our Advanced Training courses can be designed to meet the specific needs of any agency.

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The Academy provides training for law enforcement which includes the Basic Sheriff's Academy, Reserve Academy, Firearms Training, Continuing Education, In-Service and Advanced Training.  The Academy offers civilian firearms training several times a year on Saturdays.  

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Every Jefferson County Sheriff's Academy Instructor is APOSTC certified.  One of our greatest assets is our instructors.  We are privileged to have the cooperation of many other agencies that provide us with instructors in areas of their expertise.

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The Jefferson County Sheriff's Basic Academy is the only one of its' kind in the State of Alabama.  Our goal is to provide deputy sheriff's with the knowledge, information and expertise that will allow them to become professional and proficient law enforcement officers.  Academy applicants must be sponsored by an Alabama law enforcement agency.