The goal of the Peace Officer Training Program is to provide the most highly/licensable Peace Officer candidates to law enforcement administrators in North Dakota. The Peace Officer Training Program is a one-semester ND POST-approved basic police academy that results in license eligibility for the graduate.
The program is offered during the fall and spring semesters at our main campus in Devils Lake, ND. During the summer months, the program is offered in Grand Forks and West Fargo, ND. The application process is the same for all students regardless of the program's location. Lake Region State College does not have access to food service or housing for the sessions in West Fargo or Grand Forks, therefore students must have a place to stay within commuting distance of the training location.
Minimum Qualification to Apply:
- Applicant must be of good character.
- Applicant must have an acceptable driving record, have held a valid driver's license for at least 2 years prior to making application, and must be able to have zero points against his or her driver's license by the time they will graduate.
- Applicant must meet the drug use and criminal history guidelines for admission (these guidelines may also be found in your application packet).
- Applicant must have at least a 2.0 GPA in their most recent semester of college or have an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Criteria for Admission:
- Complete the Peace Officer Training Program Application
- Complete an ND POST-approved psychological exam
- Devils Lake, ND/Grand Forks/West Fargo: This test can be taken by appointment in Devils Lake by calling the Program Coordinator at (701) 662-1683 or 1-(800) 443-1313 ext. 21683. The non-refundable fee for this exam is $135 and must be paid for at the time the test is administered. Checks must be payable to North Dakota POST Board. You can also set up a psychological test with Dr. Jay Phillippi in Fargo by contacting him at 701-866-3641. When making an appointment please inform him this test is for Lake Region State College Peace Officer Training Program. The cost of the psychological text is $160. Checks must be payable to Dr. Phillipi.
After steps 1 and 2 are successfully completed, the following steps must be completed in any order:
- Devils Lake, ND/Grand Forks/West Fargo: This test can be taken by appointment in Devils Lake by calling the Program Coordinator at (701) 662-1683 or 1-(800) 443-1313 ext. 21683. The non-refundable fee for this exam is $135 and must be paid for at the time the test is administered. Checks must be payable to North Dakota POST Board. You can also set up a psychological test with Dr. Jay Phillippi in Fargo by contacting him at 701-866-3641. When making an appointment please inform him this test is for Lake Region State College Peace Officer Training Program. The cost of the psychological text is $160. Checks must be payable to Dr. Phillipi.
- Medical Physical Exam Form: Certification by a physician that the candidate is in good health and physically able to complete the rigorous nature of the Peace Officer Training Program. Applicants must turn in the completed form to the Director of Peace Officer Training when the exam is completed. The applicant is responsible for the cost of the exam and may schedule the exam with his or her family physician, a walk-in clinic, or another medical facility that provides this type of service.
- Complete all requirements for admission to Lake Region State College as mentioned on the How to Apply page on the website.
- Submit a copy of his or her birth certificate.
- Background Investigation: An extensive social history and criminal background investigation is conducted on those applicants who pass the psychological examination. The investigation may include interviews with current and former employers, teachers, and neighbors. An extensive criminal history and driving record check are also conducted. The student will be required to be fingerprinted and screened through the national and state background investigation systems.
- Acceptance: Applicants who have successfully completed steps 1 through 6 listed above and meet the Drug Use and Criminal History Guidelines will be offered a roster position in the academy session and location of their choice. Acceptance into the program is NOT competitive based on qualifications. Applicants are considered and accepted based on their file completion date.
Once accepted to the program, the applicant must be fingerprinted by a law enforcement agency that uses a "live scan" machine. Most of the major police and sheriff agencies in the state, and all with a long-term jail facility, have said machines. The one-page acknowledgment form must be sent to officially complete your student file. The Peace Officer Training Program does not accept actual fingerprint cards.