OPOTA

The Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy offers programs to meet the needs of Ohio’s law enforcement professionals and the communities they serve. The academy trains nearly 10,000 law enforcement professionals each year in service areas such as firearms, crime scene forensics, vehicle operations and legal issues.

These courses are offered at the main campus in London, OH, and at a satellite campus in Richfield. To contact the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy please call (740) 845-2700.

OPOTA is overseen by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission. The nine-member commission issues recommendations to the Attorney General about matters pertaining to law enforcement training.

Commission members serve three-year terms and are appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Ohio Senate. The Commission must consist of two incumbent sheriffs, two incumbent chiefs of police, a representative of the general public, a member of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, a special agent-in-charge of one of Ohio’s Federal Bureau of Investigation field offices, a representative of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and a representative of the Ohio Department of Education.

The current Commission members are:

Sheriff Vernon P. Stanforth, Chairperson
Fayette County Sheriff’s Office
Washington Court House, Ohio

Col. John Born
Ohio State Highway Patrol, Superintendent
Columbus, Ohio

Chief Paul S. Denton
The Ohio State University Police Department
Columbus, Ohio

Stephen Schumaker
Deputy Attorney General for Law Enforcement
Ohio Attorney General’s Office
Columbus, Ohio

Sheriff Thomas G. Maurer
Wayne County Sheriff’s Office
Wooster, Ohio

Sergeant Troy Mineard
Akron Police Department
217 S. High Street        
Akron, OH 44308