The Rio Hondo College Police Academy is one of around a dozen programs offered by the Division of Public Safety. The programs include two-year and transferable degrees and high and low-unit certificates of achievement.

Along with its Police Academy program, the Rio Hondo campus also has a shooting range in the Administration of Justice Annex (AJX) building up Canyon Drive, where cadets can train.

Rio Hondo’s Police Academy department is in the Administration of Justice (AJ) building just down Canyon Drive. The AJ building is at the bottom of the campus, along North Drive.

Rio Hondo College Police Academy Programs

The Rio Hondo College Police Academy trains cadets within the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) program. As a result, completion of the programs prepares cadets to become Reserve Peace Officers, from Level I to Level III.

The two Police Academy programs are high-unit certificates of achievement. So, completing either program requires more than 18 units and at least six months of training.

The Police Academy/Basic Police Academy – Police Academy Module 1 

The Police Academy/Basic Police Academy trains cadets for the highest level, Level I, of the Reserve Peace Officer Program (RPOP).

The program gives prospective officers a choice between two levels of academy training: the part-time Basic Course-Module (not currently available) and the full-time Basic Academy Intensive Modular. 

But the two 21.5-unit courses have different prerequisite requirements. The Basic Course-Module has multiple prerequisites, including POST Modules III and II. However, the full-time Intensive Modular only lists Module II as a prerequisite. 

Although both programs lead to the same result, the prerequisites and requirements are slightly different.

Police Academy/Basic Police Academy

In comparison, the Police Academy/Basic Police Academy prepares cadets for all three levels of the Reserve Peace Officer Program: Level I, Level II, and Level III.

The Police Academy/Basic Police Academy requirements are three-level courses, each with the options of a Basic Course-Module (not currently available) or Basic Academy Intensive Modular. 

All three courses must be completed in descending-chronological order, starting with Module III to Module I.

According to POST, “Level III reserve officers may perform specified limited support duties.” In contrast, “Level I reserve officers may work alone and perform the same duties as full-time regular officers.”

The Police Academy/Basic Police Academy 37-unit certificate of achievement. 

Upcoming Police Academy Classes

Rio Hondo College still has the Basic and Intensive modules listed as available on the programs’ advising sheets.

However, as of this writing, the Rio Hondo Police Academy is only offering the intensive training format of the program. Thus, prospective cadets have to take the Basic Academy Intensive Modular courses.

Class 214 started on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. The class is set to graduate in May 2023. Then, on June 7, Class 215 begins. The class will lead into next November.