As a cadet at the Napa Valley College Police Academy, you will be mentally and physically challenged! The Academy will provide you with the highest quality training and, in return, the Academy expects that you will apply yourself 110%.  The Basic Police Academy is not a career exploration course.  It is intended for those individuals who are committed and ready to invest in preparing for a career in law enforcement. 

This introduction will provide information on how to prepare mentally for the academy and Training Day One.  The Basic Police Academy requires a significant investment of time and money and it is critical that students come fully prepared for the demands of the program.  Experience has shown that cadets who arrive at the Academy in good physical condition experience less stress in all aspects of Academy training. The following information is intended to provide you with an understanding of the physical requirements of the Academy and of how to improve your physical condition prior to the start of the Academy.

Students returning to school after being gone for several years should consider reading as much as possible to enhance reading comprehension and vocabulary skills.  The basic academy requires a large amount of reading and writing.  For more information on building good study habits, click here.  

The academy also has a recommended reading list for students and veteran officers.  Visit the academy bookstore by clicking here.

A great way for students to prepare for entry to the Basic Police Academy and a successful career in law enforcement is to complete the Academy Orientation Course.  This class is designed to give students insight to the Basic Police Academy and how to prepare for the rigors of the program.  It will give students an edge.  This course is highly recommended for both students who are putting themselves through the academy as well as for those being sponsored by a department.  Click here to register.

The Basic Police Academy is presented in a "high discipline, moderate stress" environment.  Academy performance standards are high and uncompromising.  A team of core academy staff including the academy director, academy coordinator, recruit training officer, and drill instructors work together to create a balanced learning environment that is positive, energized, and enthusiastic which together allows every opportunity for students to be successful.  Students are challenged in a way that develops self-confidence, self-discipline, and courage.  The basic academy training team is motivated by excellence and demands nothing less from students.  

A positive and enthusiastic attitude are essential for success in the basic police academy.  Students choose to attend the academy from a desire to enter the law enforcement profession.  The basic police academy is the foundation of every successful law enforcement career.  Students should take advantage of every minute while in the academy to learn and develop.  This requires total commitment and focus and a life that is free from significant distraction.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people usually fail out of the academy?

From the first day of class, the most common reason people do not graduate is because they give up.  On average, 80% of the cadets who start the academy graduate.

What is the most common reason people fail out of the academy?

Failing a remediation test is the most common reason a cadet fails out of the academy.  However, the second most common reason is an act of dishonesty.  Not telling the truth under any circumstance will result in a cadet failing out of the academy.  On average, one student in every class fails out for this reason.  There are no second chances for telling a lie.

Grooming and appearance are always important for members of the law enforcement profession.  Students getting ready to enter the police academy should prepare for proper grooming and appearance immediately.  Law enforcement is a conservative profession and demands a clean professional image.  The following is an excerpt from the Cadet Handbook that describes part academy's grooming policy. 

HAIR MALE 

Hair shall not extend over the ear and shall not touch the collar.  Sideburns shall be neatly trimmed and shall not extend past the center of the ear.  No beards are allowed.  Mustaches shall be neatly trimmed and shall not extend beyond the corner of the mouth. 

HAIR FEMALE

Hair shall be worn so that it does not extend beyond the bottom of the collar.  It may be combed over the ears, but in no case will it be permitted to extend more than two inches below the bottom of the ear nor more than two inches in front of the ears. Hair that it styled or combed forward shall be no lower on the forehead than of an inch above the highest point of the eyebrows.  Long hair shall be pinned up and arranged so that it is above the bottom of the collar and lays flat on the back of the head.  No decorations shall be worn in the hair.  Hair clips or pins that match the color of the hair may be worn.  No hairpieces shall be worn. 

NAILS

Fingernails shall be clean and trimmed so that they will not interfere with classroom activities or pose a safety hazard to other Cadets during training.  Nails shall not extend beyond the end of fingertips.  Any fingernail polish used shall be a clear color.

JEWELRY 

Wedding bands, medical identification bracelets, and watches are the only items of jewelry that may be worn with the either the Class A or B uniform.  For safety reasons no jewelry shall be worn while in Class C uniforms.  No earrings or body piercing jewelry, visible or not, is permitted.

Tattoos of all kinds are generally not authorized to be visible while in uniform.  Many agencies require employees to cover tattoos while in uniform which means that employees with tattoos visible on the lower part of the arm must wear a long sleeve shirt at all times while on duty.  

Law enforcement officers are often placed in situations which place great demands upon them physically. In these instances, physical fitness is often the factor that spells the difference between success and failure and sometimes even life or death.

Physical training is conducted on an almost daily basis during the entire Academy. Physical training usually consists of anaerobic exercises, with alternating days of aerobic exercise. The P.O.S.T. job-related physical fitness test is given at least three times during the Academy and cadets are expected to pass each test.  Baton and weaponless defense training also places strenuous physical demands on each cadet. During this phase of training, cadets are required to demonstrate mastery of specific control holds and to qualify with a straight and side handle baton.  In addition, cadets participate in two sustained resistance exercises with an instructor that simulate a physical confrontation.

The Academy is physically demanding, and in order to get the maximum benefit of the Academy, cadets must be in good physical condition. The Academy's physical training program will be beneficial, but cannot overcome years of physical inactivity. Prospective cadets who are not in good physical condition should begin a personal fitness program immediately.