Persons that are not affiliated with a law enforcement agency may wish to put themselves through the Academy. To qualify for a seat in the Academy, they must complete a qualification process consisting of a background investigation, polygraph and medical examination. Even though you may have had these things done previously by another agency, AZ POST requires CGCC open enrollees to complete the process through CGCC. As an open enrollment cadet, you will have to pay for this process to qualify. The price at this time is approximately $450. CGCC conducts the background investigation and employs a qualified law enforcement polygraph examiner and a medical facility with AZ POST certified physicians to complete the pre-screening process. This qualification process takes approximately 6-8 weeks to complete. If you wish to put yourself through the Academy, you will need to initiate the open enrollment process by obtaining the application packet from Lee Kutzke at 480-732-7058, leon.kutzke@cgcmail.maricopa.edu, complete the application, obtain all required documents and submit the application and documents to Lee Kutzke at CGCC (address below).

Open enrollment is desirable to many people for varied reasons. Some of those reasons are:

People who are currently employed and do not want to 'gamble' by being sent to a full time academy after quitting their job and then due to unforeseen circumstances (injury, family emergencies, health issues, etc.), not being able to continue in the academy and not having their previous job and benefits to rely upon.

People that are within 10 months of their 21^st birthday and intend to pursue a career as a law enforcement officer in Arizona. Peace Officer certification allows them to obtain the training needed for certification and qualifies them to become a full sworn police officer immediately upon obtaining age 21 and being hired by a law enforcement agency.

People that only wish to be a reserve or part time Peace Officer. Arizona requires that reserve and part time officers be certified the same as full time officers.

People that are interested in working for agencies that hire only previously certified peace officers. Many smaller communities hire only those who have been certified or are eligible for certification through the AZ POST waiver process (previous law enforcement experience meeting the standards).

Further information:

Leon (Lee) Kutzke, J.D.
Administration of Justice Programs
Chandler Gilbert Community College
2626 E. Pecos Rd.
Chandler, AZ 85225
480-732-7058
leon.kutzke@cgcmail.maricopa.edu