The Stanislaus County ACO Academy is a 6-week academy that is run Tuesday through Friday. The Academy starts each day at 7 am and concludes at 6pm each day. We run 4 Academies a year starting in February, May, August and October.

The following topics are covered throughout the Academy for academics:

Topic #1- California Criminal Justice System

Topic #2- Professionalism and Ethics

Topic #3- Gangs

Topic #4- Communication

Topic #5- Maintaining Security

Topic #6- Booking, Receiving and Releasing

Topic #7-Supervising Offenders

Topic #8- Medical

Topic #9- Classification of Offenders

Topic #10- Cultural Awareness

Topic #11- Report Writing and Record Keeping

Topic #12- Emergency Procedures

Topic #13- Visitation

Topic #14- Screening and Distribution of supplies and Mail

Topic #15- Transportation

Topic #16- Testifying in Count

Topic #17- Programs

Topic #18- Assault and Abuse

Topic #19- Defensive Tactics

Topic #20- Behavioral Health

Topic #21- Physical Fitness

You will be taught defensive moves pertaining to law enforcement throughout the ACO Academy as well as be put through rigorous Physical Training to prepare you for a fit and healthy lifestyle that will help you have a long and successful career in law enforcement.

To prepare physically for the Academy we recommend the following:

1. Start working out regularly (3-5 times a week).
2. Start Running and be able to reach 3-5 miles without stopping.
3. The academy does a lot of High intensity workout (HIT Workouts) that consist of cross fit and body weight exercises. Try to reassure these types of work outs and get comfortable completing them.
4. Start eating healthy.
5. Stay hydrated.
6. Work on your pushups, sit ups and Burpees.
7. Make sure your whole body is in good health prior to the academy. Injuries need to be taken good care of so that they are healed by the start of the academy.
8. Weightlifting will not be enough. You need to implement multiple types of workouts into your regiment to be successful.
9. Cardio, Cardio, Cardio!!

Each day of the Academy is different. There will be days where you will be sitting inside of a classroom all day and other days where you will be physically active, standing, walking, and moving all day.

You will be required to take and pass multiple test that will include the following:

MCT- Multiple choice tests that are based on all the classroom topics.

BST- Behavioral skills test that are preformed during defensive tactics. These are hands on tests.

WST- Written skills test will test your writing skills when it comes to report writing.

Scenarios- You will be put through multiple types of scenarios such as: Communications, manipulations, disturbances, searches, defensive tactics, cell searches and more)

Stanislaus Counties ACO Academy does also consist of some Agency specifical training which is listed below:

Drug Awareness

Chemical Agents

Pepper ball certifications

CPR certification

RCB (Rapid Containment Baton) Training

Over the 6 weeks of the Academy, you will be overseen by two RTO’s (Recruit Training Officers). You will meet and learn from serval different experienced instructors and be put in realistic scenarios to help better preform when the real situation is in front of you.