The YCSO DOTA was dedicated to providing all detention officer recruits with the skills and knowledge they needed to provide care, custody, and control of various custody levels within the detention center. The Basic Training Certification consisted of two hundred eighty (280) hours of classroom and practical application instruction in basic inmate supervision and unit management. The 7-week academy also included training in subjects such as defensive tactics, correctional law, and interpersonal communication. Upon their graduation, the newly certified detention officers received 80 hours of field training with a Field Training Officer.
The YCSO DOTA was comprised of an Academy Director, an Academy Class Advisor, and various instructors/trainers that assisted throughout the course of the academy. Field Training Officers provided training within the academy as well as in the Detention Bureau’s in-service training program. The DOTA also received support from the Patrol Bureau’s General Instructors that were certified by the Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board.
For many of our detention officers, the DOTA was their first step into a career in the law enforcement field. Over the years, many of our detention officers made the decision to become sworn peace officers after gaining valuable experience working inside the Detention Center. This greatly benefits the Sheriff’s Office because by the time they apply to become a Deputy/Reserve Deputy, we already have some insight as to the officer’s character, demeanor, and integrity. While the officer still has to submit an application for Deputy Sheriff or Reserve Deputy Sheriff and go through the rigorous hiring process, the process takes about half the time that it would for a civilian new hire, which in turn saves the Sheriff’s Office time and money.
On December 16, 2021, the YCSO Detention Officer Training Academy graduated its last class of Detention Officers, Class #103.
From the 1994 through 2021, the YCSO Detention Officer Training Academy graduated over 900 Detention Officers.
The AWC Detention Officer Training Academy graduated its first class of cadets on Thursday, May 26, 2022.