Southern Ohio Police Training Institute
Southern Ohio Peace Officer Training Institute (SOPTI) is a Basic Peace Officer Training Academy that is conducted in strict compliance to all rules and regulations prescribed by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Council (OPOTC). Students must meet the requirements set forth by the OPOTC, including a criminal background check.
The Southern Ohio Police Training Institute provides cadets with access to excellent facilities and equipment. Cadets will train at a certified firearms site, conduct driving exercises and traffic stops both on and off campus, engage in physical fitness training at Shoemaker gym, learn unarmed self-defense at the SOPTI building on the Ohio University Chillicothe Emergency Response Training Center, and take classes inside the Ohio University Chillicothe Technical Building. Cadets are provided with equipment suitable to both classroom and practical training including course materials, vehicles, protective equipment, first aid and AED support, and more.
Veteran and military-affiliated students who attend Ohio University Chillicothe’s Southern Ohio Police Training Institute are able to use their Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits to cover the cost of this program because it has been approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
SOPTI is approximately seven and a half months in length and is offered through the Ohio University Chillicothe Continuing Education program. SOPTI provides the cadet with the fundamentals of entry-level peace officer training, required for those seeking certification and employment as a law enforcement officer.
Why Choose SOPTI?
- Emphasis on academic performance
- OPOTC certified law enforcement instructors dedicated to teaching tomorrow’s officers to serve and protect
- Convenient evening and weekend classes
- Affordable payment plans
- Veteran’s Administration benefits may apply
- New training facility
- Job placement opportunities
- Internship with local law enforcement agencies
- Mixed training environment
- Hands-on field training
- Classroom instruction
Basic Peace Officer Academy
In 2023, Ohio University Chillicothe is partnering with Pickaway-Ross Adult Education to offer a Basic Peace Officer Academy, which provides the participants with the fundamentals necessary for seeking certification and employment as a peace officer in Ohio. The academy is conducted in strict compliance with all rules and regulations prescribed by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission (OPOTC). Cadets must meet all requirements set forth by Pickaway-Ross and the OPOTC to enroll, graduate, qualify for the state certification exam, and ultimately become certified as peace officers in Ohio.
Contact Us
Terri Mikesh
Academy Commander
Southern Ohio Police Training Institute
Technology and Business Development Center 110
T: 740.774.7286
F: 740.774.7214
mikesh@ohio.edu
OR
Jim McKean, PhD
Executive Director
Southern Ohio Police Training Institute
Technology and Business Development Center 129
T: 740.774.7708
F: 740.774.7214
mckean@ohio.edu