The UCSB Police Department strives to provide and encourage its personnel to participate in training and advanced education. Training is offered to all staff, as much as possible, within the confines and dictates of the department, budgetary constraints, staffing requirements, assignments, and legal mandates.
The UCSB Police Department, along with more than 600 law enforcement agencies statewide, is part of the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) program. POST was established by the Legislature in 1959 to set minimum selection and training standards for California law enforcement.
Participating agencies in the POST Program agree to abide by and participate in the standards established by POST and are eligible to receive the Commission's services and benefits which include:
- Job-related assessment tools
- Research into improved officer selection standards
- Management counseling services
- The development of new training courses
- Reimbursement for training, and
- Quality leadership training programs
POST also awards professional certificates to recognize peace officer achievement and proficiency.
All UCSB Police Officers have completed the POST Basic Academy. The Basic Academy course is approximately 840 hours of training, over 21-weeks.
After completing the POST Basic Academy, Police Officers are required to complete a minimum of 24 hours of Continuing Professional Training every two years, 8 hours of First Aid/CPR/AED training every two years, and 12 hours of Perishable skills (Driving, Firearms, Arrest and Control and Communications) training every two years.
In addition to POST’s minimum peace officer training requirements, UCSB Police Officers also attend training in Trauma-Informed Interviewing, Crisis Prevention, Procedural Justice, Racial Profiling & Diversity, Cyber Security, Sexual Harassment, Implicit Bias, and Tactical Communications (De-escalation Trainings).
UCSB Police Dispatchers are also included in the POST program. Each of the Dispatchers have completed the POST Basic Dispatcher program. The program is currently 120 hours in length and covers 14 different learning domains, including Professional Orientation and Ethics, Interpersonal Communications, Community Policing/Cultural Diversity, Law Enforcement Telecommunications, Child/Elder and Dependent Abuse, Critical Incidents, and Resources/Referral Services.
Dispatchers also attend advanced training in subjects such as Crisis Intervention, Suicide Prevention, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Active Shooter.