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Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission

The Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission was established in 1965 by the Ohio General Assembly and placed in the Office of the Attorney General. The Commission's primary charge then and now is to improve Ohio peace officers' professional capabilities through the careful oversight of law enforcement training within the state. The Commission has also been given the same responsibility in regard to private security, local corrections, jail personnel, bailiffs, and public defender investigators. Commission members are appointed to serve a three-year term.

The Commission consists of nine members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Ohio Senate. The Ohio Revised Code requires the Commission's membership to consist of:

  • two incumbent Sheriffs
  • two incumbent Chiefs of Police
  • one representative from the general public
  • the Special Agent in charge of one of the field offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • a representative from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation
  • a representative from the Ohio State Highway Patrol
  • a member from the Ohio Department of Education, Trade and Industrial Education Services

To fulfill its statutory responsibility and improve law enforcement training in Ohio, the Commission may recommend to the Attorney General:

  • rules for approving peace officer, private security, corrections, public defender investigator, bailiff, canine, and firearms training and certification
  • the curriculum, minimum attendance, equipment and facility requirements necessary for approval of training programs
  • minimum qualifications required for instructors at approved training sites
  • categories or classifications of advanced in-service training programs for peace officers
  • minimum requirements for the certification of canines utilized by law enforcement agencies

In addition, the Commission is authorized to:

  • recommend studies, surveys, and reports designed to evaluate its own effectiveness
  • visit and inspect any peace officer training school within the state
  • establish fees for the services the Commission provides
  • make recommendations to the Attorney General or the General Assembly with respect to the fulfillment of its statutory responsibilities
  • reports its progress to the Attorney General throughout the year and to the Governor and the General Assembly annually

Certification and Standards Division

The certification and standards division is responsible for ensuring all basic training certification programs meet the applicable minimum standards established in the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio Administrative Code. These programs include peace officer basic training, peace officer refresher training, corrections and jailer training, bailiff training, private security training, canine unit certification, and firearms qualification.

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