Course Descriptions
Basic Course for Police Officers: DCJS mandated training program that every police officer must successfully complete within one year of hiring date. 510 hours minimum, the Otsego Academy completes 720 hours, with the addition of SFST and increased hours in areas such as: felony stops; building searches; counter-terrorism, NIMS and 160 hours of FTO.
Basic Active Shooter/Critical Incident Response: 24-hour course that focuses on response to active shootings, including schools, colleges and businesses, tactical maneuvers with handguns, carbines and shotguns. Practical scenarios with "Simunitions" and fire power demonstrations are included in this course.
Standardized Field Sobriety Testing: DCJS 32-hour course that includes all of the standard DWI field tests, including gaze nystagmus. Eight hours exclusively on DWAID with a certified DRE instructor.
PATROL RIFLE OPERATOR: 24 hour DCJS certified course for all officers using a long gun/carbine on patrol. This course covers; Ar-15, Ruger PC's and many other types of carbines.
Basic Radar: DCJS 32-hour certification for radar/lidar operators.
Emergency Vehicle Operators Course (EVOC): 24-hours of basic emergency vehicle operation, including pursuits. Oneonta Municipal Airport is used for higher speed exercises. An EVOC computer simulator will also be available soon and will be added to both EVOC courses, the basic and refresher.
EVOC Refresher: Eight hour update for veteran officers who have not had an EVOC course within the last five years. Specific courses for Dodge Charger as well as other types of SUV patrol vehicles.
"Counter-Terrorism Awareness": New 24-hour DCJS certified basic level course that every officer should complete. This program covers suicide bombers, terrorist operations, weapons of mass destruction and safety for first responders. This course was put together with the assistance of the N.Y. State Office of Public Security.
Instructor Development Course (IDC): 80-hour DCJS course for certification as a general topics police instructor.
Instructor Development Evaluator Course: DCJS four hour certification to re-certify general topics instructors.
BASIC SWAT: 40 hour basic tactical course for those agencies having or in the process of starting an SRT, ERT or SWAT type of team. Instructed by Federal and State certified instructors.
Field Training Officer: 28-hr DCJS certified Field Training Officer course outlines all aspects of the Field Training Officer program.
Tactical Shotgun Course: 24hr course involving both classroom and range drills. Participants should be familiar with the shotguns operation and be prepared for its use in the tactical and range drills.
A variety of in-service training courses including NIMS and ICS, are also offered periodically by the Academy, covering a myriad of topics including, but not limited to, sex crimes investigations, bias crime/multi-cultural diversity, sexual harassment, basic firearms and firearms re-qualifications, one day basic bike officer course, OC aerosol spray certification, tactical handcuffing eight-hour course. ASP and baton certification and re-certification, basic criminal investigation, legal update - search and seizure; stop and frisk; and many other courses.
The Academy is also a registered Security Guard Training school, offering the entire line of DCJS certified security courses including: pre-employment course, on-the-job training course, annual in-service training and the security guard firearms program.