Course Catalog

CPOA provides relevant and up-to-date training to the law enforcement, legal and public safety professions throughout the state of California – most of which are POST certified. Below is a listing of thesse courses, and those with POST hours and plans are noted as such.

Did you Know that CPOA Department Member agencies get 3 free seats for each course they host?

CPOA’s 12 Regions also sponsor non-POST courses, which you can find on our training page.


Canine Program Management

24 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

Canine Program Management

24 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

Gain insight into creating a program, improving an existing one and meeting standards to make your program successful.  How to select canines, handlers, identify potential training issues, manage record keeping/budget, identify use of force issues, and discuss/evaluate civil liability.  Students are not required to have prior experience handling a police canine.

Who should attend:
Law enforcement supervisors, managers and executive managers.


Capitol to Communities: Legislative Impact

4 Hours, POST Certified (Plan N/A)

Capitol to Communities: Legislative Impact

4 Hours, POST Certified (Plan N/A)

What you will learn:
Become informed of the changes in statutory law enacted in the current California legislative session that will impact law enforcement January 1st of every year! This course also brings you the latest court cases that impact law enforcement. Know the law – it’s your job!

Who Should Attend:
Police Officers, Police Supervisors, Training Officers, Administrators, your city attorney and county counsel.


Crisis Intervention Training – 40 hours

40 hours, POST Certified (Plan V)

Crisis Intervention Training – 40 hours

40 hours, POST Certified (Plan V)


What you will learn:
• Recognize signs and symptoms of mental illness
• Assess and manage an individual’s risk for suicide
• Effectively communicate
• Identify and apply key components of the 5150 process
• Utilize relevant case law to write a police report
• Develop a better understanding of the officer’s role
• Examine officer safety and tactical considerations to improve the effectiveness of field contacts with mentally ill persons
• To understand the importance of self-care and identifying signs and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Who Should Attend:
This course is geared toward line level law enforcement officers, however, any law enforcement personnel who work with the public will find the information useful. Dispatchers, records, front counter personnel, Community Service Officers and others have found this class to be useful and relevant to their day-to-day job


Crisis Intervention Training Update – 8 hours

8 Hours, POST Certified (Plan V)

Crisis Intervention Training Update – 8 hours

8 Hours, POST Certified (Plan V)

What you will learn:
• Recognize signs and symptoms of mental illness
• Assess and manage an individual’s risk for suicide
• Effectively communicate
• Identify and apply key components of the 5150 process
• Utilize relevant case law to write a police report
• Develop a better understanding of the officer’s role
• Examine officer safety and tactical considerations to improve the effectiveness of field contacts with mentally ill persons
• To understand the importance of self-care and identifying signs and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Who Should Attend:
This course is geared toward line level law enforcement officers, however, any law enforcement personnel who work with the public will find the information useful. Dispatchers, records, front counter personnel, Community Service Officers and others have found this class to be useful and relevant to their day-to-day job.


Internal Affairs Investigations

24 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

Internal Affairs Investigations

24 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

What you will learn:
Learn the differences between civil and criminal liability and acquire a strong working knowledge of the Peace Officer Procedural Bill of Rights Act. The course uses group involvement and provides examples of real-life scenarios to enhance the learning process. Participants are encouraged to bring a lap-top computer and their agency’s internal affairs investigation policy.

Who Should Attend:
The class is designed for anyone who is currently assigned to or may be expected to conduct internal affairs investigations in the future. Officers and civilians who want to improve their internal investigative skills or are planning on promoting soon are also welcome to attend.


Leadership Development Course (LDC) for Line Level Personnel

80 Hours, POST Certified (Plan VI)

Leadership Development Course (LDC) for Line Level Personnel

80 Hours, POST Certified (Plan VI)


What you will learn:
“Tell me and I forget.  Teach me and I remember.  Involve me and I learn”  -Benjamin Franklin
Through the belief that the most powerful way to grow as a leader is to become truly self-aware, this course provides the necessary building blocks to grow into and be successful in a position of leadership. Students establish a foundation to maximize individual and organizational growth. Exercises include group discussion, as well as project work to provoke self-awareness and relationship building. Students learn the basics of delegation, discuss values like power and authority, and end the academy with a workshop on promotion to sergeant.

Who Should Attend:
Officers, Deputies, Corporals, Investigators, and line level personnel who are ready to be the leaders of tomorrow.


Leadership Development Course (LDC) for Supervisors

40 Hours, POST Certified (Plan N/A)

Leadership Development Course (LDC) for Supervisors

40 Hours, POST Certified (Plan N/A)


What you will learn:
Leadership Development Course is designed to cultivate future leaders in law enforcement. The primary focus of this leadership course will be to assist current supervisors with preparing to be managers. Understanding how to lead people in such a dynamic industry is a skill set that needs continual intentionality and effort by Police Managers. This course will give students the foundation to prepare for this challenge.

Who Should Attend:
Sworn sergeants and professional staff supervisors

Leadership Primer for Commanders

16 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

Leadership Primer for Commanders

16 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

What you will learn:
This two-day program provides a solid grounding in core leadership foundational principles; offers a detailed examination of the art of command and the science of control; and describes realistic techniques for influencing organizational partners. Learning activities include an individual leadership introspective exercise and an analysis of The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing Report.

Who Should Attend:
Command Officers


Leading in Crisis: Response and Mitigation of Critical Incidents

24 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

Leading in Crisis: Response and Mitigation of Critical Incidents

24 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

What you will learn:
This “updated” course enhances the capabilities of FTO’s, Corporals, Sergeants, and Team Leaders* responsible for the resolution of critical incidents in a patrol environment.  It will strengthen the student’s knowledge, skills & techniques to successfully initiate a credible action plan to handle various critical incidents, and to be able to communicate and justify your actions in a post-incident critique.  This course may reduce litigation when supporting department actions in these highly litigated events.

*Ranks in control of the immediate stabilization of a crisis in the field


Leading the Professional Employee

Not POST Certified

Leading the Professional Employee

Not POST Certified

What you will learn:
Learn useful skills to lead and manage professional employees in a law enforcement environment. Through a series of adult learning activities, lecture and facilitated discussion, the student will forge a path to greater supervisory success by gaining the confidence and necessary tools to effectively lead their employee(s) in an effort to better meet an organization’s strategic objectives and goals. Students will learn the nuts and bolts of effective supervision and managements to build teamwork and ensure accountability.

Who Should Attend:
Professional supervisors and managers (non sworn)


Officer Involved Shooting: Supervisory and Management Responsibilities

16 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

Officer Involved Shooting: Supervisory and Management Responsibilities

16 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

What you will learn:
This course covers Legal Aspects and Investigation of an Officer Involved Shooting.  Discuss public perceptions, criminal/administration investigations, case law, and risk management issues.  Learn all aspects of a use of force investigation to include controversial issues such as whether or not to allow the involved officer(s) to view video, and voluntary vs. compelled statements. This course also includes brief discussions on media coverage and the psychological affects of an OIS.

Who Should Attend:
Supervisors, managers, investigators and any sworn or civilian law enforcement personnel associated to an OIS investigation will benefit from this course.


Patrol Ops – Field Leadership

24 Hours, POST Certified (IV)

Patrol Ops – Field Leadership

24 Hours, POST Certified (IV)

What you will learn:

The Patrol Operations Course is a foundation for the Critical Incident Response for Supervisors / Managers Course. This is a two course series that challenges students to increase their critical thinking capabilities during these events.

Gain the tools you need to be competent and confident as a newly appointed corporal, or sergeant through adult learning activities, scenario-based training and candid conversations with experienced front line leaders. Explore issues regarding leadership, professional standards, supervising field operations and use of force.

Who Should Attend:
Corporals and Sergeants.


Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights (POBR)

6 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights (POBR)

6 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

What you will learn:
Whether you are the subject of an IA investigation or conducting the questioning, it is important to fully understand the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights (POBR). Find out what POBR does and doesn’t cover – and when POBR applies.

Who Should Attend:
All law enforcement


Pitchess Motion

8 Hours, POST Certified (Plan N/A)

Pitchess Motion

8 Hours, POST Certified (Plan N/A)

What you will learn:
This course will update you on handling a Pitchess Motion, both procedural and substantively from the time a motion is received to preparing and arguing opposition to the motion in court, handling the in-camera hearing and appealing erroneous orders. Recent cases will be discussed.

Who Should Attend:
This class is open to all sworn, non-sworn and legal professionals in law enforcement.



Public Records Act

16 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)


Public Records Act

16 Hours, POST Certified (Plan IV)

What you will learn:
Learn the statutory and case law requirements in the dissemination of public records to protect your agency. Topics covered include:
• Overview of the California Public Records Act
• Records exempt from public disclosure
• Fees for PRA requests and other processes
• Record retention requirements
• Evidence Code 1043 and Subpoena Duces Tecum (SDT)
• Discovery in Federal Court

Who Should Attend:
This class is open to all sworn, non-sworn and legal professionals in law enforcement. This class is required for the POST Record Supervisor Certificate.


Use of Force/Liability/Litigation: Breaching the Minefield

16 Hours, POST Certified (Plan VI)

Use of Force/Liability/Litigation: Breaching the Minefield

16 Hours, POST Certified (Plan VI)

What you will learn:
Don’t play the probability game – a high-profile use of force incident could happen to your agency. Be prepared.

The Legal Implications of Use of Force reviews recent court cases covering use of force, utilizes video to fully understand use of force situations and walks you through a use of force incident from field training to the court room.

Learn:
– The necessity of contact drills both in the street and in the courtroom.
– How to navigate the civil and criminal trail process.
– The process of a use of force investigation in a custody setting.
– Proper responses for both management and officers after a major incident.
– How to testify about a use of force encounter.
– How to write about a use of force encounter.
– How to analyze your defensive tactics for effectiveness.
– and much more…

Who Should Attend:
Anyone who is a sworn member of law enforcement – from supervisor to patrol.