Law Enforcement Training Academy

Upcoming

January 13, 2025
April 10, 2025
May 20, 2025

Upcoming Courses

Class 2024-B:  August 19 - November 14, 2024

The graduation ceremony will be in the Randolph County Development Center on the BRTC campus.  The ceremony will begin at 6:30 pm.

Class 2025-A: January 13 - April 10, 2025

Click here to see more information about the application process

Contact LETA's Administrative Specialist at 870-248-4190 or email bridgette.rose@blackrivertech.edu for more information or to inquire about a spot on the roster.

All students registered for Basic Police Training must be cleared by the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST) before they are allowed to attend classes.  CLEST’s number is 501-682-3601 if you need to check or update your officer’s file.

Glock Armorer's Course: May 20, 2025

Students will learn how to properly service and maintain Glock Gen 5 and previous generations in an eight-hour class.  For more information or to register, visit https://glocktraining.com/RegWizard.aspx?classid=111716

Glock Modular Optic System (MOS) Instructor Workshop: May 21-23, 2025

This course is designed to assist Law Enforcement and Military Firearms Instructors with instructing shooters on the use of the Glock pistol with Red Dot Optics.  This is a 2 1/2 day (20 hour) course.  It is a dynamic shooting course that requires the ability to stand for long periods of time, shoot on the move, move into and recover quickly from the kneeling and prone positions.  This course is continuing education for current Law Enforcement and Military Firearms Instructors.  For more information or to register, visit https://glocktraining.com/RegWizard.aspx?classid=111717

Class 2025-B: August 18 - November 13, 2025

Click here to see more information about the application process

Contact LETA's Administrative Specialist at 870-248-4190 or email bridgette.rose@blackrivertech.edu for more information or to inquire about a spot on the roster.

All students registered for Basic Police Training must be cleared by the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST) before they are allowed to attend classes.  CLEST’s number is 501-682-3601 if you need to check or update your officer’s file.

Class 2026-A: January 12 - April 9, 2026

Click here to see more information about the application process

Contact LETA's Administrative Specialist at 870-248-4190 or email bridgette.rose@blackrivertech.edu for more information or to inquire about a spot on the roster.

All students registered for Basic Police Training must be cleared by the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST) before they are allowed to attend classes.  CLEST’s number is 501-682-3601 if you need to check or update your officer’s file.

LETA Transparent

LETA Training

BRTC's Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA) provides basic as well as advanced training for officers across Arkansas.

Basic Police Training

BRTC's Basic Police Training course is composed of approximately 600 hours of classroom and lab experiences as accredited by Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST). The program is open only to law enforcement officers approved by CLEST for enrollment and eligible veterans. Successful completion of the program signifies graduates meet statutory training requirements and are eligible for state certification as law enforcement officers.

The Basic Police Training program is offered twice per year. It consists of intensive instruction in standard police tactics, firearms, legal, educational, technical and tactical skills, physical education and conditioning, community relations, traffic crash investigation and enforcement, criminal justice system, first aid and safety, and ethics.

Certificates

Graduates of LETA's Basic Police Training course receive both of the following:

  1. Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST) certification and
  2. BRTC Technical Certificate in Law Enforcement Training, approved by the Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE), which is stackable toward BRTC's Associates of General Studies (AGS) or 12 credit hours applied to an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice.

Degree Plans

This certificate was replaced by the Technical Certificate in Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA) in the Spring of the 2022-2023 academic year. 

Veterans to Law Enforcement Program

The Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST) and the Black River Technical College Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA) are happy to assist qualified Military Veterans interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement. More information is listed below.

 

How to Apply to the Basic Police Training Academy

Available only to full-time law enforcement officers approved to attend the Basic Academy.

The online application will ask you to upload or send the following documents.  Upload these documents before hitting Submit Form.  You can save a draft copy to complete later.

  1. Upload Physical Training Information Form, signed by a physician and dated (click the blue form name to download this document)
  2. Upload Waiver of Liabilities and Information Form, signed and dated (click the blue form name to download this document)
  3. Upload DD214, if applicable
  4. Upload Placement Test Scores
    • ACT, SAT, or ACCUPLACER scores. (needed if you have less than thirty earned college hours)
    • ACCUPLACER scores are needed for these three sections:
      • Next-Generation Reading;
      • Next-Generation Writing;
      • Next-Generation Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics.
    • Testing may be done at BRTC or any local 2 or 4-year college or university. To schedule the ACCUPLACER test on the Pocahontas campus call the BRTC Testing Center at 870-248-4156.  For ACCUPLACER testing on the Paragould campus, please call Student Services at 870-239-0969.
  5. Upload Immunization Records
    • For all students born after January 1, 1957, BRTC needs proof of immunization against the following:
      • Measles, Mumps & Rubella, and
      • an MMR Booster. 
  6. Send High School Transcript or GED Scores to BRTC.
    • Submit an official copy of your high school transcript (with an official signature, school seal, and graduation date) or a copy of your GED scores to BRTC.  (needed if you have less than fifteen earned college hours).  
      • You may bring the transcript to BRTC in a sealed envelope.
      • You may mail the transcript to BRTC.
        Black River Technical College
        Attn: Admissions
        P.O. Box 468
        Pocahontas, AR 72455
  7. Send College Transcripts to BRTC.
    • Submit an official transcript from all colleges previously attended.
      • If delivering in person, transcripts must be brought to BRTC in a sealed envelope.
      • If sending electronically, choose Black River Technical College or admissions@blackrivertech.edu
      • If mailed directly from the transferring institution:
        Black River Technical College
        Attn: Admissions
        P.O. Box 468
        Pocahontas, AR 72455

Have all documents uploaded before clicking Submit Form.  Once you submit the application you cannot go back and make corrections or updates.  You can save your progress and update it as needed until the application is complete.  Email any forms that were not uploaded to bridgette.rose@blackrivertech.edu.  Transcripts must be official and sent using the methods listed above.

For more information about the required documents click here.

Click here to see an example of the online application.

LETA Basic Training Application

Administrative Specialist can help you with any questions.
870-248-4190 or Bridgette.Rose@blackrivertech.edu

VETERANS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM

The Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST) and the Black River Technical College Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA) are happy to providing assistance to qualified Military Veterans who are interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement.

To be eligible, CLEST Regulation 1005 says applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Have served at least 6 months active duty in the Armed Services within ten (10) years prior to application.
  • Meet minimum standards as required by an Arkansas Law Enforcement Officer as specified in CLEST Regulation 1002*.
  • Have successfully completed an oral interview.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS:

FIRST STEPS
  1. Contact the LETA Director for information regarding the program and to begin the application process
  2. Psychological evaluation conducted by a psychiatrist or psychologist and CLEST Form F2-b: Conformation of Psychological Evaluation
  3. CLEST Form F-3: Personal History Statement
  4. short essay explaining why you are interested in becoming a law enforcement officer and listing the qualifications and experience you possess that would help you in this endeavor.
  5. Fingerprint card. Arrangements made with BRTC LETA staff.
LETA APPLICATION
  1. Complete the LETA Application Make sure to upload the identified documents before hitting Submit Form.  You can save a draft and update it later before submitting.
  2. Upload the following into the LETA application
  3. Submit the application. Once you submit the application you cannot go back and make corrections or updates. 
SUBMIT DIRECTLY TO BRTC

     1. Official high school transcript or GED scores

    • Submit an official copy of your high school transcript (with an official signature, school seal, and graduation date) or a copy of your GED scores to BRTC.  (needed if you have less than fifteen earned college hours).  
      • You may bring the transcript to BRTC in a sealed envelope.
      • You may mail the transcript to BRTC.
        Black River Technical College
        Attn: Admissions
        P.O. Box 468
        Pocahontas, AR 72455

     2. Official college transcripts.

    • Submit an official transcript from all colleges previously attended.
      • If delivering in person, transcripts must be brought to BRTC in a sealed envelope.
      • If sending electronically, choose Black River Technical College or admissions@blackrivertech.edu
      • If mailed directly from the transferring institution:
        Black River Technical College
        Attn: Admissions
        P.O. Box 468
        Pocahontas, AR 72455
AFTER APPLICATION SUBMISSION
  1. An ACIC/NCIC Criminal History Check will be conducted on all applicants upon receipt of the completed Personal History Statement and Waiver forms. The application will be reviewed to verify that the applicant meets the qualifications specified by CLEST Rules and Regulations.
  2. Applicants that successfully complete the oral interview process may be selected by the Committee for further consideration depending upon the number of positions available in the program.
  3. background investigation will be completed on applicants that successfully complete the oral interview process. The Committee will review the results of the background investigation and approve applicants deemed qualified for admittance to the program.
  4. The LETA Director and CLEST will be the final approving authority for an applicant’s acceptance into the program
AFTER ACCEPTANCE INTO LETA
  1. Submit CLEST Form F-1:  Initial Employment Report to LETA Administrative Specialist
  2. All students registering for training must be cleared by the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST) before they are allowed to attend classes.  CLEST’s number is (501) 682-3601 to check or update a file.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

BRTC’s Veteran Affairs office has information on applying for the GI Bill®.

IMPORTANT NOTES

  • Veterans failing the Basic Police Training Course are ineligible to attend another course for a 24-month period as specified in CLEST Regulation 1005(e) and would be ineligible for second entry into the program.
  • Certification will expire for veterans who have not accepted employment as a law enforcement officer within 3 years of successful completion of a Basic Police Training Course
  • The cost to attend the program is $5,500 for students to attend the program at the Black River Technical College Law Enforcement Training Academy.
    • If a veteran resides within approved commuting distance and does not require housing, breakfast, and evening meals, the cost to attend the Academy is $4,500.
    • 100% eligibility for the GI bill will only cover normal college expenses, i.e., current tuition and fees that are the same for every student across each program of study.  Note that the Basic Police Academy is based on 24 credit hours. The rest of the cost will be out of pocket.
  • Payment must be received in full before credit is given for the class. Certificate issuance will be delayed until payment is received.

ADDITIONAL CLEST RULES

LETA's Administrative Specialist can help you with any questions.
870-248-4190 or Bridgette.Rose@blackrivertech.edu

Required Documents

Prepare and/or locate the following documents for upload to the application.  For more information about BRTC's required documents, see our admissions information.

For information about the GI Bill Education Benefits, visit the website's Veteran Affairs page.

  • ACT, SAT, or ACCUPLACER scores are acceptable for anyone who has fewer than 15 earned college hours on a transcript.
    • ACCUPLACER scores are needed for these 3 sections:
      • Next-Generation Reading
      • Next-Generation Writing
      • Next-Generation Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics
  • Testing may be done at BRTC or any local 2 or 4-year college or university. To schedule the ACCUPLACER test on the Pocahontas campus call the BRTC Testing Center at 870-248-4156.  For ACCUPLACER testing on the Paragould campus, please call Student Services at 870-239-0969.

For all students born after January 1, 1957, BRTC needs proof of immunization against the following:

  • Measles, Mumps & Rubella, and
  • an MMR Booster. 

Only official copies with an official signature, school seal, and graduation date will be accepted.

How to Submit

  • Via mail to this address
    • Black River Technical College
      Attn: Admissions
      P.O. Box 468
      Pocahontas, AR 72455
  • Email the records to admissions@blackrivertech.edu
  • Bring the records in a sealed envelope to a BRTC Admissions Office.

Submit for every college in which you were enrolled.

How to Submit

  • Via mail to this address
    • Black River Technical College
      Attn: Admissions
      P.O. Box 468
      Pocahontas, AR 72455
  • Email the records to admissions@blackrivertech.edu
  • Sent via that college's electronic system 
  • Bring the records in a sealed envelope to BRTC Admissions Office

Basic Police Training Resources

The following online courses will be assigned during the academy.  Feel free to get an early start.  Print and keep completion certificates to turn in.  Previous certification certificates will be accepted.

You will need basic medical supplies while attending the Academy such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, antacid, cough drops and syrup, and sinus, cold, and flu over-the-counter medications. Any prescription medication(s) you are taking will need to be reported to the class coordinators when you arrive for orientation.

If you should become ill or injured and need the care of a physician, appointments can be made at any local clinic. Local clinic first-time visits for an illness require cash payments or prior insurance approval arrangements.

Injuries, that occur as a result of training and require an office visit, are covered under workman’s compensation. For this visit, there will be no cash payment required. Your employer, however, will have to contact the clinic and provide a verbal or signed statement that will guarantee payment for your medical expenses.

The Academy has a stocked first aid kit; however, it is to be used primarily for emergencies such as injuries or illnesses that occur and cannot be anticipated prior to your arrival.

LETA Contacts

Jared Bassham
Director
870-248-4193
Jared.Bassham@blackrivertech.edu

Bridgette Rose
Administrative Specialist III
870-248-4190
Bridgette.Rose@blackrivertech.edu

Breath Alcohol Testing (B.A.T.) Mobile

The B.A.T. Mobile is a highly specialized vehicle used for conducting sobriety checkpoints throughout the state. The B.A.T. Mobile program is in LETA and is available for use by agencies throughout the State of Arkansas free of charge.

Funding for the B.A.T. Mobile Program is provided through a grant from the Arkansas State Police Highway Safety Office (ASHO) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The grant covers all of the costs for the use of the B.A.T. Mobile Program including maintenance, fuel, lodging, salary, and training.

To provide advanced training and on-site technical and equipment support to law enforcement officers and agencies conducting low-staffing and multi-agency sobriety checkpoints. To utilize the Breath Alcohol Testing (B.A.T.) Mobile for training, and upon request, during sobriety checkpoint enforcement activities and as a mobile training platform and public relations tool used to raise community awareness of the crime of drunken/drugged driving. To develop a legal, safe, efficient, and Constitutional sobriety checkpoint program that will be used regularly by Arkansas law enforcement agencies as part of an ongoing program to deter and apprehend drunken/drugged drivers and to reduce alcohol and drug-related traffic crashes and fatalities on roadways throughout the State of Arkansas.

The B.A.T. Mobile Program continues to be an asset to the State of Arkansas in impaired driving enforcement and deterrence. There is no way to know exactly how many lives have been saved as a result of the B.A.T. Mobile Program since it began in 2009, but the people of Arkansas can know that the B.A.T. Mobile Program remains committed to providing support to law enforcement agencies throughout the State of Arkansas in order to protect the public from impaired drivers.

The B.A.T. Mobile is a 38- foot long, 13.5-foot tall Freightliner truck custom built by MBF Industries in Sanford, Florida.  

It is equipped with 9 cameras which provide a 360-degree recorded coverage of sobriety checkpoint activities, 5 on the exterior, and 5 in the interior. One of the exterior cameras is attached to the 30-foot LED light tower which offers a bird’s eye view of the checkpoint.  Three interior cameras record officers performing Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) and Drug Recognition Evaluations (DREs). The final interior camera system is a Hawkeye HGN camera system that magnifies and records eye movements during the administration of the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) portion of the SFST.  All interior cameras are equipped with audio recording.

The B.A.T. Mobile is also equipped with hydraulic leveling jacks to level the surface in order for a subject to perform the 2 psychophysical tests of the SFSTs in a neutral environment.  There is also an exam room and equipment onboard to complete drug recognition evaluations.

The B.A.T. Mobile is equipped with a Verizon 5G wireless router, Dish Network, and a satellite phone.  The rear of the B.A.T. Mobile has a 36″x 60″ LED message board for traffic advisories, public service messages, and promotional pictures.  The B.A.T. Mobile is also equipped with the following equipment for checkpoints:

  • traffic cones,
  • warning signs,
  • safety flares,
  • portable speed bumps, and
  • portable stop signs.

The B.A.T. Mobile offers a wide variety of sobriety checkpoint activities:

  • Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs)
  • Drug Recognition Evaluations (DREs)
  • Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN)

The rear message board offers the following for the public:

  • traffic advisories,
  • public service messages, and
  • promotional pictures

The B.A.T. Mobile makes frequent visits to schools, community activities, and other events around the state. 

Contact the B.A.T. Mobile Program Director for more information.

2022 09 09 -- BRTC BAT Program Participates in Arkansas Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign 01

LETA Faculty and Staff