In early October, representatives from the office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost presented Eastland-Fairfield.
Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools continues to set itself apart from other Ohio Technical Centers after recently receiving designation by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office as an approved STAR Training Center for law enforcement.
Representatives from the office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost came to Eastland Career Center on October 3, 2024, to present Commander Tim Voris and EFCTS leadership with its STAR designation during a short ceremony. Current cadets, program graduates, and local law enforcement partners were in attendance to commemorate the special occasion.
To be recognized as a STAR Training Center, academies undergo a rigorous examination of their policies and procedures. As of July 2024, only 23 academies were recognized as STAR Training Centers.
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. Among the extra measures, an academy is asked to:
Ensure that 85% of cadets eligible to take the State Certification Exam pass it.
Conduct periodic academic assessments – no fewer than four – to gauge the cadet’s retention of student performance objectives.
Provide training above minimum hours in three or more high-risk topics, for at least 15 cumulative hours.
Maintain or pursue the use of tech training/exposure for students, such as body cameras.
The Eastland Police Academy prides itself on providing 40 more hours of training as part of its program. Embedded in the curriculum is an additional 15 hours of training dedicated to building searches, stops and approaches, crisis intervention, firearm training, and Spanish language classes.
"We are honored to be recognized as a Gold Star Academy in Ohio," said Commander Voris. “Our instructors and support staff have worked hard to improve our curriculum and scenario-based training in order to provide an above-and-beyond educational experience. Our goal is to ensure these young men and women are best prepared for their future in law enforcement."
The Eastland Police Academy, which trains students in the Eastland-Fairfield Adult Workforce Development Basic Police Officer Training (BPOT) program, offers two schedule options for its cadets.
Daytime Option
The daytime BPOT program offers instruction and training from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The program runs for approximately nine months or 36 weeks at Eastland Career Center in Groveport. The next section for the daytime BPOT program will begin in Fall 2025.
Evening Option (currently enrolling)
The evening BPOT program offers instruction and training from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The program runs for approximately nine months or 36 weeks at Eastland Career Center in Groveport.
Students who demonstrate financial need may be eligible for assistance. For more information, please visit www.EastlandFairfield.com/bpot or call 614-836-4541.