OPOTA Close to Home program

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the OPOTA Close to Home program replace the personnel and facilities at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy in London?

No, it does not. OPOTA Close to Home supplements OPOTA’s Advance Training Section in London. Attorney General Yost created OPOTA Close to Home because agencies throughout Ohio were asking for access to high-quality training in closer proximity to the communities in which they live and serve. The staff in OPOTA’s London Advance Training Section are crucial to the development of new and innovative courses, which are then delivered both in London and through the Close to Home regional partners. There will always be a need to have a group of professional instructors with law enforcement experience available for this purpose to ensure high-quality standardized training for peace officers statewide. 

How do OPOTA Close to Home and the program’s Regional Training Providers benefit law enforcement officers and their agencies?

Providing professional law enforcement training at sites closer to the homes and workplaces of officers helps many of them avoid long-distance travel to a singular state training facility. At the end of a training day, officers can go home to their families. In addition, regional training locations reduce lodging and per diem expenses, easing the strain on the budgets of law enforcement agencies.  

Are the instructors at the regional training sites approved by OPOTA?

Yes. All OPOTA Close to Home instructors meet the criteria outlined in the Ohio Administrative Code. Many hold an OPOTA Instructor Certificate and serve as peace officers in their local community, hold a degree from a recognized accredited university, or hold a professional degree. The Close to Home regional partners are institutions of higher education and, as such, are passionate about academics, learning and training. 

How does someone apply for a course hosted by a Regional Training Provider? 

Much like courses hosted by OPOTA London, courses hosted by Close to Home regional partners are listed in the OPOTA catalog. Law enforcement officers register through the catalog or through their Ohio Portal account. The in-person courses offered by the regional partners are mostly instructor courses. 

Is there a difference in the cost of a course offered at OPOTA London and the same course at a Close to Home site?

No. At this time, the price of a course presented at both locations are the same. In the future, a Regional Training Provider will have the opportunity to set the price of a course that it exclusively develops, but that price must align with similar OPOTA courses.  

 

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