New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy at 4491 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe. Courtesy/LEA
NMDPS News:
SANTA FE — Cadets from 24 New Mexico agencies lined up at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy (LEA) Sunday afternoon with luggage and book bags in tow.
The 64 individuals who arrived in civilian dress emerged several hours later in cadet uniforms.
The 205th New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy Class will transform the cadets, who are seeking to become city, county, tribal, university and state (game and fish, state parks, attorney general’s office, etc.) certified law enforcement officers (police) during a 17-week academy that totals 727 hours of practical and physical training.
“With no exceptions, these cadets will receive the highest caliber of training,” said Department of Public Safety (DPS) Secretary Jason R. Bowie. “These are the first steps in a noble career. This instruction will ensure these cadets have the knowledge, training, background, principles, and expectations of being a certified law enforcement officer in the state of New Mexico.”
“The cadets will undergo 16 blocks of instruction, which include patrol procedures, principles of criminal investigation, crisis intervention and management, defensive tactics, and patrol vehicle operation, to name a few,” said DPS Deputy Secretary and Interim Law Enforcement Academy Director Benjamin A. Baker.
“We are invigorated by the robust class size,” Baker said. “This is a strong and positive reflection on statewide law enforcement recruitment efforts. We are enthusiastic about the positive changes and increased public safety delivery to New Mexico communities.”
“The academy was established to provide a planned program of basic law enforcement training and in-service law enforcement training for New Mexico police officers and telecommunicators, commonly called dispatchers, and to furnish instruction and seminars to constantly support and promote law enforcement within New Mexico,” Baker said.
New Mexico has nine satellite academies, all of which are sanctioned and governed by the Santa Fe based New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy (LEA) and the LEA Board. In 2022, the LEA certified 405 new police officers and 93 dispatchers.
About the The New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy:
The New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy is a division of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety (NMDPS), whose mission is to provide vital leadership, scientific, training, technical, and operational support to the criminal justice community and the public.
The Law Enforcement Academy manages training, accreditation, and certification of law enforcement officers and telecommunicators in New Mexico, including misconduct investigations and compliance with state statutes and administrative rules.
