Can I attend the Academy and just pay the expenses myself?
No. Attendance, at the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy, is restricted to people who are employed by Law Enforcement Agencies.
What is the Veterans to Law Enforcement Program?
The program allows qualified veterans to attend the course without being employed by an agency. A veteran must have served at least six months active duty and meet other state and program requirements. Payment is the responsibility of the student however; most students have been successful at using Veterans Administration Education Benefits to pay the fee. The fee covers all costs for tuition, lodging, meals, and other supplies for the thirteen week course. Please contact ALETA supervisor Charles Ellis for additional information and how to apply.
How old do I have to be to become a policeman?
The minimum age to be employed by a law enforcement unit is 21 years of age. The Minimum Standards for Employment or Appointment by a law enforcement unit are outlined in Regulation 1002.
How long is your Basic Training Course?
The Basic Police Training Course is 13 weeks long.
What is the maximum age for entry into law enforcement in Arkansas?
The Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training does not have a maximum age limit.
Where do I stay during basic training?
The Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy – Camden provides dorm rooms and meals for Students attending classes at the Academy. NW ALETA and Central ALETA are non-residential and meals are not provided.
What academic average do I have to maintain in order to successfully complete training?
In order to successfully complete training, a minimum academic average of 70% must be maintained.
What happens to students who fail an exam?
If a student fails to achieve the minimum grade (generally 70% or higher for some subject areas) on a course exam, the student is allowed to take a re-test. Failure to achieve the minimum grade on the re-test will result in dismissal from the Academy.
If I fail academically/firearms during Basic Training, can I come back and try again?
Regulation 1005 (f) states: If an officer fails to satisfactorily complete the required training in a total of nine (9) months from the original date of employment or appointment, he shall not be eligible to be retained as a law enforcement in this State. Reappointment or reemployment as a law enforcement officer will be considered only after the person has been separated from law enforcement for at least twenty-four (24) months. Upon re-appointment or re-employment, an officer would be eligible to begin a new probationary period. Should the officer fail to meet the minimum training requirements a second time, he or she will not be eligible for certification as a Full-time, Part-time, Auxiliary or in any other law enforcement officer position.
If I get sick/injured during basic training, do I have to drop out?
This would depend on the seriousness of the illness or injury. Students attending Basic Police Training are required to participate in Physical Fitness, Defensive Tactics, Practical Exercises and Firearms Qualification. Should the illness or injury, prevent the student from satisfactorily passing in these areas, it may be recommended that the department withdraw the student and allow them to return at another time to complete their Basic Training.
Can our department conduct it’s own Radar Course?
Yes, as long as the course is taught by a Certified Police Traffic Radar Instructor and the course curriculum has been approved by the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards.
How do I acquire the Radar exam?
To receive the Radar exam submit a request, on department letterhead to the Training Supervisor at the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy, P.O. Box 3106, E. Camden, AR 71711. Include the Certification number of the course, the date(s) of the class and the date(s) of the test. The exam will be mailed to you.
Do I have to send test scores to you from our Radar Course?
Yes. Test scores are submitted on Form F-18 (Attendance Roster) to the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, #4 State Police Plaza Dr., Little Rock, AR 72209. (See Specification S-18).
My radar operator certification has expired and I have been unable to find a course being offered, do I have to attend the entire course again?
Radar certificates issued after March 3, 2016 do not have an expiration date. The radar refresher is no longer required. If your radar certificate has an expiration date, then simply submit the F-7 form before the expiration date and have it renewed. As long as you are not separated from a law enforcement status that is eligible for radar certification for more than three years, then the radar certificate will not expire. Please be aware that CLEST is no longer issuing a wallet card along with the certificate. In addition, the full radar class is now eight (8) hours.
What do I have to send to Standards to get my Radar Operator Certification?
Submit the Application for Award of Law Enforcement Officer Certificate Form (F-7) to the Standards Office. The F-7 form can be found on the CLEST website in the Standards sections.
If I hold my own Radar Course, who provides the certificates for my students?
You can produce your own certificate or you may use the Notice of Course Completion Form (F-6) which can be found on the CLEST website. Please do not send the F-6 or the certificate to Standards. Credit for completing CLEST certified courses is given from the Attendance Roster Form (F-18), which can be found on the CLEST website.
Can our agency conduct it’s own Jailer Course?
Yes, as long as the course is taught by a Certified Instructor and the course curriculum has been approved by the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards & Training.
What do I have to do to acquire the jailer exam?
To receive the Jailer exam submit a request, on department letterhead to the Training Supervisor at the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy, P.O. Box 3106, E. Camden, AR 71711. Include the Certification number of the course, the date(s) of the class and the date(s) of the test. The exam will be mailed to you.
Do I have to send test scores to you from our Jailer Course?
Yes. Test scores are submitted on Form F-18 (Attendance Roster) to the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, #4 State Police Plaza Dr., Little Rock, AR 72209. (See Specification S-18).
If I hold my own Jailer Course, who provides the certificates for my students?
A form Notice of Completion Form ( F-6) can be used in lieu of a certificate for your students or you can provide your own certificate. Please do not send the F-6 or the certificate to Standards. Credit for completing CLEST certified courses is given from the Attendance Roster Form (F-18), which can be found on the CLEST website.
What do you require in order to become an F.T.O.?
A Field Training Officer (FTO) must have a minimum of three years of experience as a full-time law enforcement officer, a General Certificate, and successful completion of a 32 hour CLEST approved Field Training Officer course. Application to Standards for the Field Training Officer Certification is made on the Application for Award of the Field Training Officer Certificate Form (F-12), which can be found on the CLEST website. See CLEST regulation 1014 and Specification S-19 for further information.
What is required to be a certified instructor?
The CLEST rules for certification of instructors are contained in Regulation 1016 and Specification 16. The application is made to the Standards Division on the Request for Instructor Certification Form (F-8).
Can our department conduct it’s own Firearms Instructor Course?
Yes, as long as the course is taught by a Certified Firearms Instructor and the course curriculum has been approved by the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards & Training.
Who provides the exam for the Firearms Instructor Course?
The instructor providing the training will also provide the exam for the Firearms Instructor Course.
I am a certified instructor, does that entitle me to teach anything our department requires or am I limited in what I can teach?
Instructor certification is covered in Regulation 1016 and Specification S-16. If there is a question regarding what you may be able to instruct, contact the Standards Office at 501-682-2260.
What do I have to send to Standards to certify a course?
The Commission on Law Enforcement Standards will require an outline and course description of the subject material being offered, a schedule of classes, brief background showing qualifications of instructors and the name of the school director or coordinator. A request of course certification will be made in writing and submitted on Form F-5 (Application for Certification of Course) thirty (30) prior to the start of the course. (See Regulation 1017 and Specification S-18).
Do I have to send applications to ALETA when our department conducts a course?
No. Applications for the course your department conducts should me maintained at your department.
How many hours of training are required annually for all law enforcement officers?
All classifications of law enforcement officers, including auxillary officers, must complete twenty-four (24) hours of CLEST approved training annually. Firearms qualifications and racial profiling training are included in the twenty-four hour minimum standard requirement.
I just completed Instructor Development Training, where do I get copies of the Jailer/Radar Instructor Manuals and films?
To receive the Jailer/Radar Instructor Manuals submit a request, on department letterhead to the Training Supervisor at the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy, P.O. Box 3106, E. Camden, AR 71711.
How often do you send new training schedules out to the departments?
All Training information is located on our website.
I am coming to an advanced course there at ALETA-Camden; do I have to stay in the dorm?
No. Students that attend advanced courses offered at ALETA are not required to stay in the Academy dorm. However, lodging and meal expenses outside the Academy are not paid for by the Academy.
What happens if I miss class time due to sickness/injury during training?
Students are allowed to miss only 10% of the overall instruction time due to illness/injury. Therefore if the time missed exceeded the allotted 10% you would have to be withdrawn from the class.
Can I attend any Academy courses before I attend a Basic Course?
It would depend on the course you wanted to attend. Some courses, offered by the Academy, have a pre-requisite, those pre-requisites must be met before any student is allowed to attend the class. Courses that do not have pre-requisites would be open to all law enforcement personnel.
I would like for ALETA to conduct a course here at our department, to whom do I make that request?
If you would like for ALETA to conduct a course at your department or in your area, write to the Training Supervisor at the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy, P.O. Box 3106, E. Camden, 71711 and state which course you would like to have taught in your area.