D.C.'s Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD) welcomed the inaugural class of the new Metro Transit Police Department Criminal Justice Academy.

Previously MTPD outsourced a criminal justice academy to train recruits, but creating their own training academy will save MTPD nearly $1 million a year, including fees that were paid to other training facilities and other training costs.

The academy will host three classes a year instead of the two previously. This will allow MTPD to train more officers and get them into the metro system faster.

Options for Recruits

MTPD staff will be provided with he opportunity to focus heavily on transit policing and training specific to D.C. Metro while still meeting training objectives established by the State of Maryland, the commonwealth of Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

In addition, recruits will have training in community engagement, de-escalation, crisis intervention, and civil disturbance.

Each recruit session goes through eight months of training followed by an additional 10 weeks of field training.

The inaugural class is made up of 24 recruits from throughout the region, each of them with a shared goal that aligns with MTPD’s vision and mission.