Training & Education

Effective January 1, 2006, every peace officer certified under RCW 43-101-095 is required to complete a minimum of 24-hours of in-service training annually. 

On this page you will find various online training courses and supplemental training resources available for law enforcement, corrections, and other public safety personnel.

An increased understanding of the neurobiological impacts of trauma on victims of sexual violence have led to more effective law enforcement tactics for engaging with victims of these crimes. A trauma-informed approach by patrol officers, as prescribed in this two-hour training, can lead to increased criminal justice participation by victims and therefore higher rates of accountability for offenders.

The WSCJTC Instructor Certification Program is a WSCJTC initiative to give individuals the knowledge, skills, and experience to instruct Criminal Justice courses effectively and competently.

The Statewide Regional Training Coordinator program provides our stakeholders with a centralized contact for training. The Regional Training Coordinator's focus is to provide all different avenues of training information.

Notice: The 2025 CIT 2-HR Online Annual Training Course, to be completed by all law enforcement, will close by 3:00 pm on December 31, 2025. Click here to access the Acadis Portal.

The Corrections Officers Academy (COA) is Washington State’s mandated training academy for all entry-level corrections officers. This 400-hour academy is designed to provide training for employees whose primary job functions are to facilitate the custody, safety, and security of adults in jails. The COA provides participants with the basic knowledge and skills needed for safe and effective service. Training Coordinators act as coaches and mentors to individuals and the group as a whole. Professionalism and decorum are encouraged to foster officers’ pride and ownership of conduct. Students are also organized into teams with Team Leaders serving to enhance group performance.

After approval, you can find available Basic Law Enforcement Reserve Academy sessions in the ACADIS list of Available Training. 

As specified in WAC 139-05-210, a Law Enforcement agency hiring a lateral entry officer is required to complete the equivalency certification process . This includes the successful completion of the Basic Law Enforcement Equivalency Academy [BLEEA]. In compliance with the Law Enforcement Training and Community Safety Act and education about current laws and patrol tactics, the BLEEA provides instruction on the Washington Model of Policing.

The Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) is Washington State’s mandated training academy for all entry-level peace officers. Through a centralized training model and with a focus on a guardian model of policing, students attend a wide array of best-practices courses throughout their 720 academy hours. WSCJTC is committed to developing new officers to high standards by providing exceptional community-oriented law enforcement training that imparts the knowledge and skills to safely and effectively protect the life, liberty, and property of those they serve.

This class is 40 hours in length and teaches basic techniques to investigate collisions.

This class is 80 hours in length and expands on the teaching of the Basic course, and provides new material.

This class is 120 hours in length and will provide students working knowledge of all skills gained in both the Basic and Advanced courses.

This course is directed toward Law Enforcement Officers recently assigned to a specialized SWAT or emergency response team. This course will provide the participants with an understanding of contemporary theories and concepts used during Law Enforcement tactical operations. Participants will gain practical experience operating as a member of a team during practical and scenario-based field exercises designed to develop both individual and team tactics. Participants will gain practical experience planning, developing & executing missions.

This class is 4-hour online training is for staff either commissioned or civilian that work for the sheriff in the capacity of handling the mandated civil functions of a Sheriff’s Civil Unit. These include service of process, protection orders, seizure and forfeiture of personal or real property and how to properly execute a Sheriff’s Sale.

This class is 24 hours in length. Course content will include:

• Sheriff's history
• Duties and responsibilities
• Service of process, statutes, fees and terms, legal issues
• DV "front office papers"
• Domestic violence legal issues
• Habeas corpus
• Personal property, attachment, replevins, bonds
• Personal property executions
• Real property
• Officer safety and domestic violence
• Restitution

The course is 16 hours in length and is taught in seminar style. Students are expected to have a good grasp of the basics of Sheriff Civil Function. This course will cover advanced interpretations of:

• Duties and responsibilities of the Civil Unit
• Service of process, statutes, fees and terms, legal issues
• DV "front office papers"
• Domestic violence legal issue
• Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs)
• Habeas corpus
• Personal property, attachment, replevins, bonds
• Personal property executions
• Real property
• Officer safety and domestic violence
• Restitution

This 40 hour course is designed for persons with designated responsibilities associated with the property room. Course content includes:

• Washington State laws pertaining to property and evidence
• Job description and responsibilities
• Storage and organization methods
• WASPC accreditation standards
• WSP crime lab packaging and submission guidelines
• Audits and inventories
• Best practices: Policies and Procedures
• Retention guidelines and disposition projects
• Evidence in Court

This 40 hour course is designed for persons with designated responsibilities associated with the property room. Course content includes:

• Washington State laws pertaining to property and evidence
• Job description and responsibilities
• Storage and organization methods
• WASPC accreditation standards
• WSP crime lab packaging and submission guidelines
• Audits and inventories
• Best practices: Policies and Procedures
• Retention guidelines and disposition projects
• Evidence in Court

This 40 hour course presents the FTO model (sometimes called the San Jose Model program) to field trainers engaged in training those who have recently completed the BLEA, Corrections or Equivalency academies. Classroom topics will include:

This 40-hour course provides a practical overview of law enforcement records handling, designed to give participants a solid foundation in the legal standards and responsibilities essential to records operations including but not limited to the following material:

• An introduction to the criminal justice system
• State and Federal criminal history guidelines
• Records dissemination
• Media relations
• Firearms laws
• Property and evidence
• Licensing

The Corrections Officers Equivalency process is 80 hours in length and represents an alternative challenge to the regular Academy program. It is available to previously employed corrections officers upon the request of the respective agency head.

The MPCA is 80 hours in length and is designed to provide training for adult probation officers. The course will include, but is not limited to, the following topics:

• Professionalism and ethics
• The criminal justice system
• Community and personal safety
• Risk assessment tools
• Specialty courts
• Motivational interviewing and models for change

Per WAC 139-10-237, the Juvenile Services Academy is a 40-hour course designed to train employees whose primary job function is to assess, case plan, and/or manage, counsel, and/or monitor juvenile offenders.

Per WAC 139-10-240, the Juvenile Corrections Officers Academy (JCOA) is an 80 hour academy designed to train corrections personnel responsible for the care, custody, and safety of juvenile offenders in county facilities.

This 40 hour class teaches the basic skills necessary to prepare and present knowledge and psychomotor based training in a classroom environment. This class is best suited for students who have less than two years in course delivery and no formal training in instructional techniques, but is open to those of all skill levels. A high level of student participation is required.

The 40-hour CJTC Patrol Carbine Instructor Course is designed to teach law enforcement and corrections personnel the skills required to lead safe and effective patrol carbine training at the agency level. Participants should be proficient public speakers with above average marksmanship and weapons manipulation skills. This course is a blend of classroom and range to give the participant information related to the carbine platform and instructing the same, while also giving them practical range time to further develop their skill in operation and teaching the patrol carbine.

A prerequisite to attend the course is successful completion of the CJTC Handgun Instructor course, or comparable Handgun Instructor certifications. Comparable certifications are to be evaluated by the Firearms Program Manager.

All students must pass the Patrol Carbine Instructor Entry Test with a score of 90% or better on day one of the course. Failure will result in the student being released from the course.

This 16-hour CJTC Handgun Instructor Recertification course should be attended within 5 years of the last certification. This class serves as a recertification for CJTC Handgun Instructors and CJTC Handgun Optics Instructors. This course will provide the current firearms instructor with contemporary techniques and theories as well as a review, along with updates on handgun optics technology and training standards. In addition, this course will provide a review of federal and state laws and contemporary legal standards relating to the use of deadly force.

Our EVOC Instructor Basic course is designed to train officers to instruct students by conducting commentary drives and offering remedial driver training. Officers will be able to teach the laws of physics relating to vehicle motions (which affect vehicle operation) and identify common driving errors, improper attitudes, and unsafe driving techniques. Subject matter experts present our course with interactive exercises and opportunities to practice skills and receive constructive feedback.

This 16-hour CJTC Patrol Carbine Instructor Recertification course should be attended within 5 years of the last certification. This course will provide the current firearms instructor with contemporary techniques and theories as well as a review, along with updates on technology and training standards. In addition, this course will provide a review of federal and state laws and contemporary legal standards relating to the use of deadly force.

This 8-hour CJTC Shotgun Instructor Recertification course should be attended within 5 years of the last certification. This course will provide the current firearms instructor with contemporary techniques and theories as well as a review, along with updates on technology and training standards. In addition, this course will provide a review of federal and state laws and contemporary legal standards relating to the use of deadly force.

The 40-hour CJTC Shotgun Instructor Course is designed to teach law enforcement and corrections personnel the skills required to lead safe and effective shotgun training at the agency level. Participants should be proficient public speakers with above average marksmanship and weapons manipulation skills. This course is a blend of classroom and range to give the participant information related to the pump and semi-automatic shotgun platforms and instruct the same, while also giving them practical range time to further develop their skill in operation and teaching the shotgun.

A prerequisite to attend the course is successful completion of the CJTC Handgun Instructor course, or comparable Handgun Instructor certifications. Comparable certifications are to be evaluated by the Firearms Program Manager.

All students must pass the Shotgun Instructor Entry Test with a score of 90% or better on day one of the course. Failure will result in the student being released from the course.

The 40-hour CJTC Handgun Instructor Course is designed to teach law enforcement and corrections personnel the skills required to lead safe and effective handgun training at the agency level. Participants should be proficient public speakers with above average marksmanship and weapons manipulation skills. This course is a blend of classroom and range to give the participant information related to the semi-automatic handgun platform and instructing the same, while also giving them practical range time to further develop their skill in operation and teaching the semi-automatic handgun.

All students must pass the Handgun Instructor Entry Test with a score of 90% or better on day one of the course. Failure will result in the student being released from the course.

The 24-hour CJTC Enhanced Patrol Carbine Optics Instructor course is designed to provide law enforcement, corrections, and private security firearms instructors with a basic understanding of the operational capabilities of a standard semi-automatic patrol carbine/rifle equipped with an enhanced optic for patrol use. The focus of this course will be maximizing speed and precision at distance and from hasty shooting positions. Students will use either a Low Power Variable Optic (LPVO) or 3x-5x Optical Sight Magnifier to scout and effectively identify threats at varied distances in a patrol environment. Students will learn techniques to transition from the use of the LVPO/Magnified RDS at distance threats to close engagements. This course is a blend of classroom and range to give the participant information related to enhanced patrol carbine optics, concepts, principles, and training methodologies while also giving them practical range time to further develop their skill in operation and teaching the enhanced patrol carbine.

This course is not a "sniper" course. It is intended for patrol level operations with a patrol carbine/rifle. This course will not address topics such as scope reticles, spotters, bolt actions rifles, barrier penetrating rounds, fieldcraft, etc.

A prerequisite to attend the course is successful completion of the CJTC Patrol Carbine Instructor course, or comparable Carbine / Rifle Instructor certifications. Comparable certifications are to be evaluated by the Firearms Program Manager.

The 24-hour CJTC Handgun Optics Instructor course is designed to bring current law enforcement, corrections, and private security firearms instructors up to date on the fundamentals of teaching and integrating handgun optics into their training curriculum or agency program.

Successful completion of this 80- hour train-the-trainer course will prepare and certify each student in the instruction, administration, and logistical aspects of the required 24-Hour In-service De- Escalation Training curriculum established in WAC 139.11. 

The participant will learn tactics, actions, and communication methods that de-escalate situations when appropriate. This is accomplished in order to reduce the likelihood of injury to all parties involved, avoid escalating situations that may lead to violence, and avoid unnecessarily placing officers in situations that require or the use of force.

This course is limited to current Patrol Tactics Instructors who need to be recertified. 

This course is composed of skills based on vehicle contacts, person contacts and structural clearing. The course will involve the following skills:

• The Five Overarching Principles of Patrol Tactics 
• The concept of Contact and Cover 
• Perceptual Narrowing and its possible effects 
• The L.E.E.D. model 
• Emotional Intelligence and list the domains involved 
• Tourniquet application and occlusive bandage application 
• The Behavioral Influence Stairwell Model 
• The TEB model 
• The components of a learning goal 
• The components of a performance objective 
• The definition of De-escalation 
• The definition of Good Faith  
• Skill Mapping 
• C.R.E.S.T. 

This course serves as 24-hours of training for the LETCSA requirements for patrol tactics for commissioned law enforcement officers in Washington State in accordance with WAC 139.11. This course is designed to increase the likelihood of a favorable outcome for all persons involved in critical incidents. Students will learn the principles and concepts involved in controlling the pace of an event as well as enhanced situational comprehension.

At the conclusion of this training event, the successful participant will be able to demonstrate the skills associated with Legal Authority, Communication, Threat Management, Position and Movement, and Equipment Management, as they apply to person contacts, vehicle stops, and structure clearing.

The Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) and Washington Animal Control Association (WACA) have partnered together to offer the Animal Control Officer Academy. This 80-hour intensive course is held at the WSCJTC center in Burien, Washington and is specifically designed for Animal Control Officers. Instructors consist of WACA personnel who will cover a variety of topics to satisfy Washington state’s Animal Control Officer requirements.

The Core Medicolegal Forensic Investigation training course is designed for coroners, medical examiners, and medicolegal investigative personnel and is intended to provide a solid foundation of medicolegal topics. This course will teach and establish standards of practice for personnel in Washington State. During this training, participants will gain an in-depth understanding of topics such as medicolegal death investigation systems, death scene investigation, and identification procedures.

The Advanced Medicolegal Forensic Investigation training course is designed for coroners, medical examiners, and medicolegal investigative personnel and is intended to provide continuing education. Topics will vary and will focus on advanced death investigative concepts, new trends, and best practices. This course may be used to maintain Washington State Certification.

In this course officers will learn about the Sikh community’s cultural, religious, and social practices so that they are able to effectively communicate and serve members of their community who are Sikh.

Upon completion of this course, Officers will be able to:

• discuss the Sikh faith and community;
• describe the Sikh identity and articles of faith;
• illustrate the challenges Sikhs face; and

summarize best practices on how to interact with Sikh community members.

Stalking often goes unrecognized, and if it isn’t identified, it isn’t recorded. The Fundamentals of Stalking Course is a focused 9-hour training designed to provide law enforcement with the essential skills to identify stalking early, label it accurately, and ensure it is captured accurately for statistics and analysis. Their analysis is only as accurate as the data they receive. When stalking isn’t recognized at the patrol or investigative level, it never gets coded correctly, which means crime analysts can’t flag patterns, link cases, or alert your agency to escalating behavior. This course breaks down stalking behaviors, offender tactics, and victim experiences while addressing common misconceptions that lead to missed or misclassified cases. Participants learn practical, trauma-informed strategies to recognize patterns, understand the impact on survivors, and take effective action.

By strengthening your ability to identify stalking, you strengthen your agency’s ability to recognize it, track it, analyze it, and ultimately stop it. Accurate statistics start with accurate identification!

The Holocaust Center for Humanity, in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, provides the Law Enforcement and Society: Lessons of the Holocaust (LEAS) program to police agencies in Washington State. Officers will learn about the role of police in Nazi Germany and to reflect on their role in a democratic society today. Officers will learn to build more positive relationships with specific communities within areas they serve by understanding how biases, stereotypes, and a lack of understanding about varying cultural norms negatively impacts police interactions with the public.

This course is split into three parts that introduces the audience to the role of law enforcement during the Holocaust and the role law enforcement plays in society. In the first part, students are introduced to the Holocaust Center for Humanity, the course instructors, and will go through a virtual tour of the Center. In the second part, students will examine the role of law enforcement during the Holocaust. They will be asked to critically think about various scenarios by way of photo analysis and discussion. In the third part of the course students will go through a guided lecture and discussion about the role of law enforcement in today’s society, and more specifically their role in law enforcement and the communities they serve. Several questions will be asked to facilitate self-reflection and group discussion.

To register for the course, contact your Training Manager to assign the training to you via Acadis. Registration does not guarantee acceptance into the class. Selections will be completed six weeks prior to the class; those accepted into the class will receive a notification at that time. If you register for the class with less than six weeks until the date, please email the LETCSA team.

This course is a two-hour, fully online, and self-guided series that introduces the audience to the United States criminal legal system. The first module defines the term structural inequalities and provides examples of various disparate racial and ethnic outcomes in U.S. institutions. The second module describes the rise in U.S. conviction and incarceration rates from the mid-1970s through today.

In this self-paced course, officers will learn multiple strategies to apply when interacting with individuals in their community with differing backgrounds. This course provides supplemental methods to the LETCSA overarching principles of pace management which involves time, distance, and shielding. The development of this course was a partnership with the following organizations: Kitsap Support, Advocacy, and Counseling; Rebuilding Hope! Sexual Assault Center for Pierce County; Washington State Department of Social and Health Services; and Spokane Immigrant Rights Coalition.

This training equips participants with current and accurate information surrounding laws, the historical context around the relationship between the LGBTQ+ community and law enforcement, terminology, and more so that officers feel confident in their knowledge regarding the LGBTQ+ community. Other areas covered in this training will be gender identity, gender expression, and pronoun usage so that officers may effectively and respectfully communicate with LGBTQ+ individuals. After completing this training, officers will receive 2.5 hours of LETCSA credits.

In order to facilitate successful interactions with Black Americans in their community, students will learn about the generational trauma that impacts the experience of Black Americans in U.S. society. Fundamental concepts and principles of race and policing are taught to better understand perceptions, challenges, and relationships between law enforcement and Black Americans through lecture, self-reflection, and videos.

In this self-paced course, officers learn about concepts and challenges relating to recidivism and people experiencing homelessness with the goal of better serving these individuals. Lectures, self-reflection, and videos assist officers in developing more understanding of their community.

This self-paced course will provide an overview of the diversity and complexity of the Asian and Asian American communities in Washington and the United States. The course will examine the various social, cultural, and historical factors shaping the interaction between law enforcement and members of the Asian and Asian American communities. Cultural humility skills are emphasized throughout as they are essential when developing a deeper understanding of the complex identities of Asians and Asian Americans.