(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — The Great Oaks Police Academy has gone above and beyond in its training of police officers, meeting the standards of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s new STAR Academy program.
“Better training turns out better cops, and Great Oaks has stepped up to the next level to earn the Star Academy certification by my office,” Yost said. “The fruit of this achievement will ultimately be seen on the streets of the communities where these new officers serve.”
The attorney general on Monday visited Great Oaks, located in the Cincinnati area, to present a certificate and the program’s signature star to Supervisor of Public Safety Services Paul Hartinger.
Said Hartinger: “The STAR Academy designation recognizes the quality of cadets who enter the program as well as the quality of future officers who will be serving our community.”
Great Oaks is the second provider of police training to obtain the STAR certification. The Akron Police Department’s Training Academy was the first.
The Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission licenses basic training academies throughout the state, requiring 737 total hours of training. Academies recognized by the STAR Program must meet at least a dozen extra criteria, which were established by a seven-member peer board.
As part of the application process, the Great Oaks Police Academy completed a rigorous review of its policies and methods conducted by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.
All Ohio academies that provide basic training can request to be certified as a STAR Academy. Those interested should send inquiries to AskOPOTA@OhioAGO.gov.
