Training and Professional Development Division
The Training and Professional Development Division ("Training Unit") fosters the growth of Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office staff by delivering cutting-edge, pertinent law enforcement education grounded in modern adult learning theories and instructional strategies emphasizing a student-focused approach and learning through experience, such as scenarios-based instruction. Prioritizing contemporary training and staff development is a strategic priority for the Sheriff's Office, significantly impacting community trust, staff morale, job satisfaction, recruiting and retaining personnel, and fostering a learning organization poised for continuous growth, adaptability, and resilience.
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The division ensures that staff are trained in state and agency-required topics, oversees the Justice Training Center (JTC), home to our Basic Police Academy, Correctional Academy, Sheriff's Protective Services Officer Academy, and Regional Driver Training Center, monitors and reports legislative training mandates to the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Standards and Training for Corrections (STC), coordinates the Field and Jail Training Programs, manages the Regional Firearms Training Facility, and coordinated and delivers advanced officer training and professional development opportunities.
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| For general information about the training provided to deputies, including an overview of the curriculum, training hours, and course content, please visit the deputy training section in the transparency area of our website. |
The Justice Training Center
| The Santa Clara County Justice Training Center strives to enhance the law enforcement profession by implementing an innovative and progressive approach to the development of Peace Officers in our Basic and Corrections Academies. |
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The Justice Training Center in Morgan Hill, California, is a 35-acre training campus shared by the Sheriff’s Office, County Probation, and Cal-Fire. The facility hosts our POST Basic Academy, STC Adult Correctional Academy (ACA), which includes the STC Adult Corrections Officer Core (ACO) course, the Sheriff’s Protective Services Officer Academy, a variety of in-service training programs, and the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC).
The POST Basic Academy and STC Correctional Academy include a mix of recruits from the Sheriff’s Office and our regional law enforcement partners. The POST Basic Academy delivers 28 weeks of intensive training, the STC Correctional Academy spans 17 weeks, and the SPSO Academy offers a seven-week training course. Each academy is designed to develop a well-rounded foundation of mental and physical skills, emphasizing critical thinking, decision-making, and ethical policing.
The curriculum is designed to equip recruits with the knowledge, problem-solving capabilities, and leadership qualities necessary for effective and responsible law enforcement in today's complex landscape. The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) regulates the curriculum for the POST Basic Academy, and the Standards and Training for Corrections (STC) governs the curriculum for the Adult Corrections Officer (ACO) Core.
Please visit our recruiting page for more information on attending the POST Basic Academy or the STC Corrections Academy.
The Richey Training Center
The Richey Training Center, located in the heart of downtown San Jose across from the County of Santa Clara Main Jail, spans 8.7 acres and has a rich history. Originally one of the United States Army Reserve Centers, it was named after Pvt. George L. Richey, who was killed in action in 1944 and awarded the Purple Heart. After being declared surplus by the Federal Government under the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC) of 2005, the County of Santa Clara acquired the property in 2006 and repurposed it as a training facility for the Sheriff’s Office.
The Richey Training Center is the hub for in-service and advanced officer training, offering multiple classrooms, a large mat room, force options simulators, a computer lab, and a modular scenario training facility. It is home to many critical training programs, including the Field Training Program, Jail Training Program, and The Force Training & Body Worn Camera Unit. It provides training support for both the Enforcement and Custody Bureaus. The center also supports regional and county public safety partners.
Due to its prime location near the Main Jail and our Headquarters, the Richey Training Center is the primary facility for in-service training for both bureaus, many hosted classes, and advanced officer training opportunities.
Regional Firearms Training Facility
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Regional Firearms Training Facility in unincorporated San Jose serves as the primary firearms training center for the Sheriff’s Office and many surrounding law enforcement agencies. The facility has two multimedia classrooms, five shooting pads, one sniper pad, and a live-fire structure.
Staffed by the Sheriff’s Range team and auxiliary firearms instructors, the facility offers a variety of POST-certified firearms courses. It serves as the primary training site for the Sheriff’s Office academies, and in-service personnel regularly attend semi-annual qualifications, advanced firearms, and tactical training courses for firearms and less-lethal tools. Additionally, the facility provides scenario-based use of force and de-escalation training to ensure deputies have the necessary skills to handle complex situations with sound judgment and professionalism.
Regional Drivers Training Center
The Drivers Training Center, also known as the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC), is situated within the 35-acre Justice Training Center in Morgan Hill, California. It features a 300,000-square-foot driving track and a 7,500-square-foot building with classrooms and offices, providing a state-of-the-art facility for essential driver training.
The Drivers Training Center is vital to the Sheriff’s Office’s mission as a regional training provider. It delivers state-mandated recurring driver training to in-service personnel from the Sheriff’s Office and our law enforcement partners and state-required training for new recruits in our Academy.
Opened in Spring 2019, the Drivers Training Center was developed as part of the California POST SAFE Driving Campaign, a strategic initiative to reduce the number of law enforcement officers killed or injured in traffic collisions nationwide. This facility fills a critical need for first responder training, offering enhanced programs for Sheriff’s Office staff and law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and EMS personnel. The facility is now open to outside agencies, providing advanced driver training to many public safety professionals.