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Male and female law enforcement students

Peace Officer Academy

Earn a Peace Officer Academy Certificate at Aims

Are you interested in a challenging and rewarding career in law enforcement that can make a positive impact in your community? With excellent pay and benefits and police departments and other agencies in great need of new recruits, now is the time to start your career in this field.

The Aims Peace Officer Academy Certificate program gives you the expert training to become a police officer at one of the lowest tuition rates in Colorado. The academy will also prepare you to take the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) exam, which is required in order to work as a police officer. In addition to offering skills-based training, the Aims police academy training is academically rigorous, with high expectations for students. 

During the three-year period between 2018 and 2020, an average of 94.95% Aims students passed the POST exam on the first try. During that same time period, 100% of Aims students ultimately passed the exam on subsequent attempts.

The academy is located at the state-of-the-art Aims Public Safety Institute (PSI) on the Windsor Campus. A new “simulation city” is slated to open in the spring of 2024. A collaborative effort between the Aims fire, EMS and police programs, the simulation city will include several buildings with a traffic intersection. This new feature will be the only one like it in the region, allowing you to practice arrest control and other police training exercises in realistic scenarios.

The Aims Peace Officer Academy has full- and part-time options available and is open to applicants who are sponsored by a department as well as those who are non-sponsored.

Are you ready to take the next step toward starting an exciting career in law enforcement? 

Police academy students participate in active shooter drill

Get your costs covered

You may be able to attend the Police Academy for free through Career Advance Colorado, a program offering no-cost training.

See if you qualify for free career training

Turn Your Desire to Help Others into a Rewarding Career

Gain the Skills You Need to Become a Police Officer

Much of the curriculum of the Aims Peace Officer Academy is regulated and required by the Colorado POST board. Aims takes these requirements a step further and offers additional hours beyond the minimum requirements to ensure you get the police training you need to become a police officer.

Skills you will learn in the Aims Peace Officer Academy include:

  • Arrest control
  • Traffic stops
  • Firearms
  • Driving
  • Writing tickets and reports
  • Obtaining search warrants
  • Building and vehicle searches
  • Collecting evidence
  • Community engagement
  • Preparation for POST certification in Colorado

During my field training days as a police officer, my field trainer complimented me numerous times on my officer safety. That’s a big piece of our job, and Aims prepared me extremely well for that.

Megan Moore
Patrol Officer, Eaton P.D. and Aims Peace Officer Academy Graduate
Aims alum Megan Moore, a uniformed police officer, talks about the positive experience in the Aims Peace Officer Academy

Earn an Associate Degree in Police Studies at Aims

Many police departments and agencies are now seeking candidates with academic degrees. After attending the Aims Peace Officer Academy, you can go on to earn a two-year police studies or criminal justice degree at Aims. The academy is a prerequisite for the police studies associate degree program, and your credit hours will count toward your associate degree.

If you want to take your education further, the Aims police officer degree transfers to CSU Global, where you can go on to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in criminal justice. 

Careers in Policing

As you advance in your career, there are a wide array of fields and positions you can pursue, including: 

  • Uniformed officer
  • District attorney investigator
  • Detective
  • Fraud investigator
  • K-12 educator
  • School security officer
  • Insurance investigator
  • Private consultant
  • Emergency management consultant
  • Disaster preparedness and response leader
  • Police academy instructor
  • SWAT team member
  • Hostage negotiator
  • Search and rescue lead

Peace Officer Academy Faculty and Staff

The Aims Peace Officer Academy faculty have law enforcement experience and are dedicated to student success. Faculty actively recruit specialized instructors who have deep field experience. Many of these instructors currently work in law enforcement, so you’ll have ample opportunities to learn about multiple departments and agencies. Part-time instructors include current and former law enforcement staff from multiple organizations, judges, district attorneys, and psychologists. 

  • Ross Perkins headshot

    Christopher Ross Perkins

    Program Director III, Public Safety Institute
    Interim Program Director, Police Academy, Police Studies & Criminal Justice
  • Clay Fuller

    Clay Fuller

    Lead Police Academy Instructor