About the LEA

The Northeast Alabama Law Enforcement Academy was established in 1972 pursuant to the passage of the Minimum Standards Act in 1971 by the State of Alabama creating the Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission. The selected location at Jacksonville State University placed it in a central geographic area to provide basic law enforcement training to 21 counties and 105 cities in north and northeast Alabama and advanced (specialized) training for the entire state. This was made possible through the support and cooperation of the Jacksonville City Fathers, the administration of Jacksonville State University, the Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission and the Alabama Law Enforcement Planning Agency (ALEPA).

This location provides excellent training facilities such as: administrative offices, classrooms, libraries, audio-visual closed circuit systems for sensitive materials, gyms for defensive tactics and physical conditioning, outside training and recreational facilities, and convenient food and lodging for the students.

The Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training requires law enforcement training consisting of 14 weeks of intensified classroom and field work designed to qualify the newly employed law enforcement officer in the "basics" of law enforcement.

The close proximity and excellent cooperation of Jacksonville State University's College of Criminal Justice, the State Department of Forensic Sciences, the Department of Public Safety local Trooper Post, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the local law enforcement agencies, and many other agencies and organizations further enhances the Academy's ability to provide the vast diversity of training and instruction needed to support the basic and advanced training courses provided to officers of all agencies throughout the state.

The academy utilizes the specialized services of guest instructors who graciously donate their time and expertise, in our efforts to provide the most knowledgeable practitioners in their various fields of expertise.

In March 1974, the academy expanded its' training efforts by conducting a number of short duration advanced courses in specialized areas of instruction. Over 6000 students have completed a least one of the various advanced courses. In 1974 the Academy became the first school in the state to be certified by the F.B.I. to teach a Special Weapons and Tactics course outside of Quantico, Virginia. In February 1975, in cooperation with the State Department of Toxicology, the academy conducted the first statewide training course for coroners.