TRAINING
Can OPOTA review how many hours I have for the year?
No, you should contact your Chief or the person designated for CPT. Your agency is responsible for entering your hours and should be your contact to answer these questions.
I am having trouble logging into OPOTA online, who do I contact?
Please email
OPOTAOnline@OhioAGO.gov for any OPOTA online password or log in issues. Unfortunately, we do not have anyone available to contact via phone and they are the ones who can assist you with your OPOTA Online account.
Who needs to complete continuing professional training (CPT)? (OAC 109:2-18-02(C)(D))
All peace officers and troopers who hold an appointment in 2026, except for those who successfully completed their basic training or highway patrol cadet training program and exam in 2026, are required to complete the mandated continuing professional training. Those who complete the
Reciprocal Occupational Certificate Request process and exam are required to complete CPT for 2026.
If I complete more than the minimum number of hours in a CPT topic required by OPOTC, can the excess hours from one category count toward hours required in a different CPT topic required by OPOTC?
Yes. Every peace officer and trooper must complete the required minimum 24 hours stated above. Excess hours (either in addition to the 8 prescribed or 16 hours) can go towards the mandatory topics.
Example: Officer completed 8 hours of mandates and 20 hours of assignment-based training. Those 20 hours will go under the assignment-based column.
Where can I take the mandatory 24 hours of training?
- OPOTA In-Person courses can be taken in London or at a Close-to-home regional provider. A list of OPOTA Pre-Approved courses can be found on our website.
- eLearning, the Commission mandated 8-hour topic courses will be provided through OPOTA Online
- Agency 3rd party courses, a list of Agency Pre-Approved courses can be found on our website.
- VR program, for more information please visit our Virtual Reality page for additional questions you can email OPOTAVR@ohioago.gov
Can annual in-service firearms requalification count as CPT? (OAC 109:2-18-02(N))
No. The time spent completing the firearms re-qualification program is an evaluation of proficiency, not training; it cannot be counted as CPT hours.
Does CPT training have to be taken in two or three-hour blocks? (109:2-18-03(A)(3))
No, except for online trainings (either pre-approved by OPOTA’s executive director or taken through OPOTA Online) CPT training must occur in blocks of time of one hour or greater. To constitute an “hour” of training, the hour must contain at least 50 (fifty) minutes of actual instruction or approved training activity.
What happens if CPT is not completed? (OAC 109:2-18-06)
A peace officer or trooper who, in any calendar year, fails to comply with the CPT requirements by yearend
must immediately cease carrying a firearm and shall cease performing the functions of a peace officer or trooper until such time as evidence of compliance is filed with OPOTA’s executive director. This rule does
not apply to peace officers or troopers for whom an extension of time has been granted by the executive director.
What are the possible sanctions for working while in “cease function” status?
Acting as a peace officer or trooper while in cease function status may result in civil or criminal liability depending upon what functions were performed. Consult your agency’s counsel with specific questions.
Why did I receive a warning letter?
Warning letters go out 90 days prior to 12/31. If you receive a letter, it is possible your agency has yet to enter your hours into the portal. If you complete your training, please ensure your agency has received it. Please reach out to your agency for additional information.
If the CPT deadline of 12/31 passes and the CPT is completed on 1/1 or shortly thereafter, can work functions continue? (OAC 109:2-18-06)
No, the Ohio Administrative Code requires that once someone goes into cease function status (which would happen as a matter of law on 1/1/27). OPOTC must receive documentation of compliance, review it and verify that the peace officer or trooper can be taken out of cease function status. It could take several days to review the documentation and verify that the peace officer or trooper has met the CPT requirements. If the peace officer or trooper fails to complete CPT prior to 12/31/26, they can submit supporting documentation to CPTQuestions@OhioAGO.gov with the officer’s name and DOB.
Can the deadline for completing CPT be extended? (OAC 109:2-18-02 (K)(L))
Yes, but only under very specific emergency circumstances may the OPOTC executive director extend the time for a peace officer or trooper to complete CPT requirements. The appointing authority
must make a written request to the executive director by Dec. 15, 2026, through the OPOTA Portal. The request must include all of the following: the name of the peace officer or trooper that the request involves, the emergency circumstances (including documentation) leading to the request, and the date the request was submitted to OPOTC. For further information on how to submit an extension you can view the
OPOTA Portal FAQs.
The executive director will grant or deny the extension request within thirty (30) days of receiving it. In making this decision, the executive director will consider factors such as a serious illness of a peace officer or trooper or their immediate family member, prolonged military service, or an unexpected shortage of manpower within the appointing agency. If an extension is granted, it will be for ninety (90) days, unless the executive director finds that special circumstances exist for a longer extension. The executive director shall send written notice of the decision to the appointing authority.
INSTRUCTOR
Who can be an instructor for CPT? (OAC 109:2-18-03(A)(4))
CPT can be conducted only by an instructor who meets at least one of following criteria:
- Has five years’ full-time law enforcement experience and meets at least one of the following:
- Is a current OPOTC-certified peace officer basic training instructor: OR
- Holds a four-year college degree: OR
- Has completed an instructional skills course approved by OPOTA’s executive director, this includes the CPT instructor skills course.
- Is a licensed or certified professional and is providing instruction in a subject area directly related to the field for which they are certified or licensed.
- A frequent question comes up regarding instructor qualifications. An instructor does not need to have a current POBT instructor number to instruct. If an instructor has completed the instructional skills course at any time, they may instruct CPT. People with a bachelor's degree do not require a completed instructional skills course to teach CPT.
- In all cases, the individual and the training program that the individual is conducting must have been pre-approved by OPOTC’s executive director. Please note that individuals who were OPOTC-certified instructors but have had such certification revoked or suspended cannot teach CPT.
Does the instructor get credit for the CPT they are teaching?
Yes, an instructor can get CPT credit for the course the instructor is teaching. The instructor would receive the same number of CPT hours as the students receive. However, if an instructor teaches the same course more than once, the instructor will only get to count it for CPT the first time taught. To track please be sure to place the instructor’s name on the sign-in sheet with the CPT approval number and topic of the course.
PRE-APPROVALS
Who can submit for CPT Pre-Approval?
Ohio Police agencies, State agencies and those that are considered 501c3 organizations.
Can private companies submit for pre-approval?
No, you will need to have an Ohio agency sponsor you.
Do agencies conducting their own CPT have to utilize the pre-approved OPOTA curricula for the mandated 8-hour topics by OPOTC?
No. The curricula developed and provided by OPOTC in these categories are provided for convenience. Not all agencies have the staff and resources necessary to develop their own training materials. Agencies with a robust training department are welcomed to develop their own training materials and submit them to the OPOTC for review as provided by the Ohio Administrative Code.
Additionally, OPOTA offers a large variety of in-person courses that can also satisfy the 2026 CPT requirements. OPOTA Online courses will be available for mandatory 8-hour topics. (OAC 109:2-18-03)
How do I know if a course is pre-approved?
You can find a list of Agency pre-approved courses and OPOTA in-person courses on our website. You can search by name or pre-approval number if you know it.
AGENCIES
Does it matter that I have an appointment with multiple agencies? (OAC 109:2-18-02(M)
Yes. Your primary agency has an obligation to maintain your records relating to your completion of CPT. Additionally, your primary agency will have the responsibility of attesting to OPOTC that you have completed your CPT requirements.
- If you have a full-time appointment with an agency, the full-time agency will be your primary agency and be responsible for maintaining and certifying your CPT records
- If you have no full-time appointment but have a part-time appointment to an agency (or a part-time appointment and additional reserve or auxiliary appointments) your part-time agency will be your primary agency and responsible for maintaining and certifying your CPT records.
- If you have a current appointment, but no full-time or part-time appointment, your primary agency will be the agency you work for that first appointed you.
- If you have appointments of equal priority, the agency that first appointed you will be your primary agency.
To view a peace officer’s or trooper’s employment history, you can view our
Public Records page and search the officer in question.
If a peace officer or trooper leaves my agency during the calendar year, who is responsible for maintaining and certifying the CPT records for them?
A peace officer or trooper’s “primary agency” will be responsible for reporting any CPT completed up until the date of separation. Any training completed after the peace officer or trooper’s date of separation would be reported by the peace officer or trooper’s new “primary agency.” Agencies will remain responsible for maintaining training records for any CPT training completed.
REIMBURSEMENT
How can CPT reimbursements be used? (OAC109:2-18-04)
The funds may be used to cover costs associated with developing, delivering, or attending training for appointed peace officers or troopers as well as any costs associated with complying with the annual continuing professional training requirements. Please refer to your legal counsel for additional guidance.
Please visit the Ohio Auditor of States memo for additional reimbursement information
https://ohioauditor.gov/publications/AdvisoryMemos/CPT_Advisory_10-22-25.pdf
How much money will my agency receive? (OAC109:2-18-04)
Agencies can receive up to 100% of the base hourly rate of pay for the time their peace officers and troopers are completing hours of CPT. If, for example, Officer Jones makes $20 per hour and completes 24 hours of CPT in 2026, the agency who employs Officer Jones could receive up to $480 of funding to help offset the costs of training.
This reimbursement, like all state funding, is subject to allocation from the Ohio General Assembly.
When will my agency receive our CPT reimbursements for 2026?
Reimbursement for CPT completed in 2026 will occur after the training occurs and entered into OPOTA Portal. CPT Approver and/or CPT Maintenance roles are able to record CPT hours.
It is highly recommended that training is entered throughout the year when training hours are completed. Reimbursement will be calculated based upon the number of CPT hours completed and base hourly rate entered into the OPOTA Portal. Reimbursement payments will be distributed quarterly to the address OPOTA has on file for your agency.
Quarterly reimbursement is Q1 April, Q2 July, Q3 October, and Q4 January.
What hourly rate do I use, does this include overtime, shift-differential?
Agencies must use the base hourly rate of compensation for peace officers and troopers when requesting reimbursement. “Base hourly rate” means the hourly rate at which a peace officer or trooper is compensated
excluding overtime, shift-differential, and other similar enhancements to the hourly rate of pay.
The agency will enter the base hourly rate into the portal
after the peace officer or trooper completes and reports CPT hours. If bargaining unit agreements result in an increased rate of pay throughout the year, agencies can submit reimbursement requests at the higher rate of pay for training completed after the effective date of the increase.
For peace officers or troopers who receive an annual salary, base hourly rate is the base annual salary divided by 2080 hours for fulltime appointments or the base annual salary divided by the anticipated annual hours for less than fulltime appointments. When the electronic CPT reporting and reimbursement system goes live in a few months, agency administrators will be able to directly enter and update salary and training information as needed throughout the year. If the hourly rate of a peace officer or trooper changes during the year, the reimbursement for subsequent requests will occur at the updated hourly rate.