For the second consecutive year, Ohio’s sworn peace officers and troopers will have the opportunity to further their education and hone their skills through 24 hours of continuing professional training (CPT).
That’s because the CPT pilot program that Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost launched statewide in 2022 has carried over uninterrupted into 2023, thanks to additional funding provided by state lawmakers at the end of last year.
“We demand a lot of the men and women who have taken on the responsibility of protecting our families and communities,” Yost said. “If we ever have to call 911, God forbid, we expect the cops who respond to be as well-trained as any in the country. CPT is an investment in them and in the welfare of our citizens.”
According to the requirements set by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission, the state’s 33,000+ sworn peace officers and troopers — full-time, part-time, reserve and auxiliary — must complete a total of at least eight hours in the following three categories in 2023.
- School Threat and Safety Training (three hours)
- Legal Updates (three hours)
- Arrest, Search and Seizure (two hours)
Each law enforcement agency will determine the coursework for the remaining 16 hours of required training, based on the jurisdiction’s specific needs.
Courses offered by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy can be taken either online or in person — at the OPOTA main academy in London or at any of the five OPOTA-Regional Provider educational centers, located in Springfield, Cincinnati, Lorain, Warren and Nelsonville.
Law enforcement agencies also have the option of teaching the OPOTA-developed courses themselves. (The curriculums are posted on OHLEG, the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway).
Additionally, agencies can develop and teach their own courses or contract with a third party, provided that the courses have been approved by OPOTA.
In a notable change from last year, the state will reimburse law enforcement agencies 100% of their officers’ base hourly rate of pay for 24 hours of CPT completed. Last year, agencies were compensated 50%.
The General Assembly is currently considering CPT funding for the next two-year fiscal cycle, 2024-25, which begins July 1. AG Yost, however, is looking even further down the road by working with legislators to come up with a permanent, sustainable source of annual CPT funding that isn’t tied to the budget process and, therefore, wouldn’t be dependent on the vagaries of the economy or the General Assembly.
“It’s time we got this done,” Yost said, “and I’ll be working like hell to see that it happens on my watch.”