Make Your Law Enforcement Career Happen

About the East Valley-based Law Enforcement Training Academy
Chandler-Gilbert’s Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA) is a fully certified police academy located at our Williams campus. CGCC is home to one of just two LETA programs in the Maricopa County Community College District.

LETA is an intense, highly accountable and challenging training program certified by the Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board (AZ POST). The program meets Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 6 – 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. for 11 months.

The program is designed to develop skills in eight functional areas: introduction to law enforcement, law and legal matters, patrol procedures, traffic control, crime scene management, community and public relations, report writing and police proficiency. Graduates who pass the AZ POST comprehensive exam at the completion of the 11-month program will be eligible to be a certified peace officer in Arizona.

Respected East Valley Program with Benefits to Graduates
LETA is a part-time program, meeting for 17 hours per week during the evenings and weekends. This gives recruits the flexibility to attend the academy while keeping a full-time job, unlike other police academies that require a full-time commitment. LETA is open to those not currently affiliated with a police department, allowing non-sponsored recruits to enter the academy and be hired upon completion. LETA recruits benefit from the same, low-cost tuition ($85 per credit hour) as all CGCC students.

LETA is a widely known and respected program in the East Valley and across Arizona. Our relationships with local police departments provide LETA graduates with opportunities at top agencies. Our faculty consists of current and retired commanders and officers with more than 80 combined years of law enforcement experience. Students are consistently trained on current POST standards and real-world scenarios

“Law enforcement is a career where you can give back to the community you serve,” said Jon Terpay, Director of CGCC’s LETA. “It's made up of men and women who made a commitment to serve with honor and integrity. CGCC-LETA has a 97% hire rate with agencies all over the State of Arizona, and the average starting salary for law enforcement is more than $50,000 per year with a 25-year retirement. It’s a fast-paced, rewarding and noble career.”

Survival of the Fittest 
Not only do recruits need to excel in the classroom, but they must also have the ability to meet the physical demands of law enforcement. Program candidates should be able to run 1.5 miles in less than 15 minutes and complete a minimum of 25 push-ups and 30 sit-ups prior to entering the academy. Students must pass the Peace Officer’s Physical Aptitude Test prior to certification. This test includes five timed events: 6’ solid wall climb, 6’ chain-link fence climb, 99-yard obstacle course, body drag and 500-yard run.

Application Process
“One of our goals is to encourage a diverse group of applicants to enter LETA,” said Gabriela Rosu, Dean of Instruction at CGCC. “We believe police departments should represent the communities they serve to build trust and relationships with their constituents.”

Students can be sponsored by a law enforcement agency or enroll as a non-sponsored recruit. Sponsored recruits are required to undergo a background investigation by their respective agency. Non-sponsored students must complete a background investigation through the academy. Recruits must be at least 21-years-old at the completion of the program. Learn more about the application process here. You’ll also find FAQs here.

LETA applications are due on August 5. For more information and to request an application packet, visit cgc.edu/LETA.