Training | Code of Ethics | Residency Requirements

A police officer on the job encounters a wide variety of situations and a diverse community of people. It is part of what makes the job so interesting, as well as challenging. The Mobile Police Department prides itself on providing the most up-to-date training to assure our people that they will have all the knowledge and tools to be successful.

Recruits receive 16 weeks of training before they go into the field. In addition, all officers receive 40 hours of continuing education each year as a requirement of state law, along with annual firearms re-qualification and training. The level of training at the Mobile Police Department is high to assure that our officers can meet the demands of the job. Total hours of academic instruction for our recruits is 900 compared to the state requirement of 480.

Most of the training for the Mobile Police Department is offered at the Police Academy at 1251 Virginia St. The Academy houses a state-of-the-art gym, an eight-foot projecting screen and modern classrooms.

The task of officer training falls to the Training Unit, which is commanded by a lieutenant, who answers to the captain of the Support Services Section.

The Training Unit includes:

• In-service training for continuing education credits, which covers the diverse duties of a police officer and varies year to year, assures that all components of police training are reviewed. The Mobile Police Department goes beyond state requirements, mandating a minimum of 40 hours of training each year for all sworn officers. Topics include domestic violence, hazardous materials, defensive tactics, weapons training, and more. In the year 2000, the continuing education credits emphasized hand-to-hand combat. This year, officers will receive advanced training in defensive tactics, emphasizing handcuffing and weapon retention. A segment will focus on weapons of mass destruction, including biological agents and airborne pathogens, and bombings of the nature of the Oklahoma City disaster.
  
  
• The Firearms Training Detail follows an outline established by APOST, the Alabama Police Officer Standards and Training Commission, which certifies police officers in Alabama. Coursework includes everything from standard target practice to combat shooting around barricaded suspects, identification of weaponry, and night firing. The department’s fire range features a firearms training simulator (FATS) for indoor training of "shoot-don’t shoot" situations.
  
  
• The Civilian Cadet Detail brings in potential recruits between the ages of 17 and 20 seeking an apprenticeship in law enforcement. (A recruit must be 21 years of age to join the police force.) Cadet candidates must have the equivalent of a high school diploma and are required to apply for a position through the Mobile County Personnel Board. They must pass a written test, a physical fitness test and an interview. A cadet has an advantage over other candidates for the police force in that they will get a variety of assignments throughout the department, exposing them to many aspects of police work. Cadets are paid employees and receive all city benefits. Many of the most successful officers on the force were cadets, including Police Chief Sam Cochran and Deputy Chief Frank Sullivan.
  
  
• Applicants for the reserves must be certified by the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (APOST). Reservists are required to finance the purchase of their own equipment. Those persons interested in joining the Police Reserves may call Corp. Randal Smith at the Training Academy at 251-208-2730.