Alachua County Sheriff's Office

Training

Lieutenant David Clark
(352) 271-2920
dclark@alachuasheriff.org

The Alachua County Sheriff's Office provides training programs, which include pre-service, in-service, remedial, and specialized training, designed to enable employees to function effectively. Training programs are planned and managed in such a manner to ensure compliance with the needs of each employee's job classification/description and the requirements of the position.

The State of Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC) directives and applicable accreditation standards are used as guidelines for employee training opportunities provided by the ACSO. Part of the ACSO's training program is conducted through a contract with the Institute of Public Safety, an entity of Santa Fe College.

Field Training Deputy Program

The Field Training Deputy Program is based on a model used nation wide that trains new Deputies (Police Academy graduates) over an eighteen week period. The program requires that the Deputy Trainee be instructed and observed by several state certified Training Deputies during these weeks and that daily evaluation and review of their progress be documented. The Field Training Deputy Program starts the Deputy Trainee as an observer and gradually increases the percentage of his or her responsibility until at the end of the program, the Deputy Trainee is responsible for 100 percent of the work load and decision making, with the Field training officer becoming the observer and evaluator.

For more information contact Sergeant David Butscher at (352) 271-2918 or e-mail dbutscher@alachuasheriff.org.

Law Enforcement In-Service Training

Each year the 250 sworn Deputies at the Sheriff’s Office receive 50 hours of retraining in various topics. These include but are not limited to Human Diversity, Communication Skills, Driving, Firearms, C.P.R. and Defensive Tactics. The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office In-Service Training Program is designed to cover not only those topics required annually by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, but also those topics that become areas of interest specifically for the Alachua County Community.

For more information contact Sergeant Tim Price at (352) 271-2906 or e-mail tprice@alachuasheriff.org.

Sheriff's Office Training Liaison

Sgt. Paul Hinson is the Sheriff’s Office liaison with the Santa Fe College Institute of Public Safety (Police Academy). He is responsible for coordinating new recruit classes and helping ensure that the Sheriff’s Office, the Police Academy, and the Florida Criminal Justice Training Commission work together to maintain consistency in the guidelines and law enforcement curriculum that law enforcement recruits receive while they attend the police academy. The Police Academy produces about 100 state certified officers each year and is considered one of the premier police academies in Florida.

For more information contact Sergeant Paul Hinson at (352) 271-2906 or e-mail phinson@alachuasheriff.org.

Field Training Officer Program

The Department of the Jail’s Field Training Officer Program works much like it’s law enforcement counter part with the new officer starting as an observer and working closely with a Training Officer until prepared to do the entire job on their own.

For more information contact Sergeant Terry Neal at (352) 271-2921 or e-mail tneal@alachuasheriff.org.

In-Service Training Program

The Department of the Jail’s In-service Training Program updates Corrections Officers on current corrections trends as well as topics for every day use such as interpersonal skills and officer safety.

For more information contact Sergeant Tom Mayfield at (352) 491-4444 or e-mail tmayfield@alachuasheriff.org.