|

About LETky

Mission Statement

The Distance Learning Program mission is to provide Kentucky’s law enforcement personnel with quality, accessible training that utilizes technology to enhance presentation and availability of professional training courses that advance the delivery of law enforcement services in Kentucky.

About the Distance Learning Program

In 2005, the executive staff of the Department of Criminal Justice Training identified integrating distance learning technology into our professional development training programs as one of its goals for the following year.

With the continued support of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council, the department launched a pilot project including one course from Telecommunications and one course from Professional Development for our clients to evaluate online in 2005. The pilot project was a success and the department developed additional courses for the convenience of our clients in 2006. As of to date the Distance Learning Program has trained more than 2300 students, and with new classes projected to go online each year, we believe Distance Learning will continue to be a valuable resource for Kentucky’s Law Enforcement community.

Accreditation

In March 2003, the Department of Criminal Justice Training became the first public safety training academy in the world to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) under its newly created program: Public Safety Training Academy Accreditation. The DOCJT received this prestigious honor in Orlando, Florida during CALEA's March Conference. CALEA implemented this new accreditation in January 2002 to promote superior public safety training academy services and recognize professional excellence.

"The assessors collectively agreed that this training academy is the most professional of such organizations encountered," Jerry D. Stewart, the lead assessor, wrote in his report. "The facilities and equipment employed are truly state-of-the-art. By all appearances, recruit and professional development instruction is current, well-planned and continually monitored."

CALEA developed the Public Safety Training Academy Accreditation program in response to requests for this service from law enforcement training academies. The program has 182 standards that are organized into nine chapters or topic areas. These areas include organizational structure, human resources, instructional systems and student welfare. The purpose of the program is to foster the best training for public safety officers.

"CALEA accreditation symbolizes professionalism and excellence in our field," said David Hobson, accreditation manager for DOCJT. "After many months of hard work, utilizing a teamwork approach by agency employees, the Department of Criminal Justice Training is now recognized as the first public safety training academy in the United States and Canada to accomplish this goal."

DOCJT was first certified by CALEA in March 1998. The department became the second training academy in the nation to hold such certification. At the time, there was no program aimed specifically at accrediting training facilities. The Department of Criminal Justice Training, along with other training academies across the nation, worked with CALEA to create the new program that would meet that need.

"CALEA has provided many opportunities for DOCJT, its employees and the 10,000-plus clients we serve, to enjoy continuity in program, management, leadership and planning on behalf of the citizens and communities we serve throughout the state of Kentucky," DOCJT Commissioner John W. Bizzack said. "There is no question that CALEA standards and the process of assessment has advanced Kentucky policing and will continue to affect the developments of the Kentucky police community well into the future."