Professional Standards

Service is one of the core values of the Amador County Sheriff’s Office. Part of that service is providing the citizens of Amador County with the most professional, best trained staff in the most cost-effective manner. Sheriff Redman believes in the importance of continued professional development. All personnel are encouraged to continue with their education and enhance their service to the community through life-long learning.

All new, sworn personnel to the Sheriff’s Office first complete a rigorous field training program. On-going training consists of monthly legal updates, quarterly firearms and defensive tactics instruction, and yearly training in specialized areas. To provide for the most consistency and reduced fiscal impact, much of the training is conducted in-house, through the Department’s own certified instructors.

Many supervisors attend the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute. This is a program designed to stimulate personal growth, leadership, and ethical decision-making for law enforcement front-line supervisors. Some of the Amador County Sheriff’s Office supervisors have also been invited to attend the prestigious Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Academy in Virginia. The FBI National Academy is a professional course of study for U.S. and international law enforcement leaders that serves to raise law enforcement standards, knowledge, and cooperation worldwide.

The Amador County Sheriff’s Office is a California Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) participating agency. Personnel are eligible to receive advanced professional certificates based upon a combination of training and education.

All new Public Safety Dispatchers begin their training by taking part in an extensive, hands on, communications training program conducted by appointed Communications Training Officers. During this training new dispatchers are also sent to the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatching (NAEMD) and a CPR class in order to become certified as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD). In order to maintain EMD certification, dispatchers must have 24 hours of ongoing training every 2 years that correlates to updates and trends in Emergency Medical Dispatching. CPR re-certification is required every 2 years in accordance with NAEMD standards. Much of the ongoing EMD training is conducted in house by the Dispatch Supervisor or by guest speakers involved in emergency medical services.

In line with NAEMD, California’s Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) also requires training and certificates for public safety dispatchers. Prior to the end of their first year of employment, new dispatchers are required to attend a 3 week Basic Dispatcher Academy offered by POST. POST also requires public safety dispatchers to enroll in 24 or more hours of POST qualifying training during every two-year Continuing Professional Training (CPT) cycle. Although many of the EMD hours are conducted at the Sheriff’s Office, dispatchers are either sent to advanced dispatcher updates in the region or they take classes from the POST learning portal in order to maintain POST’s requirements.

All new correctional officers at the Sheriff’s Office must complete a rigorous field training program. Upon appointment to the Jail, the correctional officer will be assigned to a Field Training Officer until they show proficiency in their position. Correctional Officers are required to complete a 179 hour Correctional Officer CORE Course within the first year of appointment. The course offers hands on training for report writing and oral interview skills. The officer will learn the role and responsibilities of the Corrections Officer, adult criminal justice system and process, classification process, court testimony, visitation procedures, and booking and release procedures. The officer will be trained in self-defense to include physical conditioning and intensive defensive tactics training.

On-going training consists of quarterly firearms training for those who carry a weapon and bi-annual defensive tactics training. The Corrections Standards Authority requires officers to attend 24 hours of training per year, 12 of which must be STC (Standards and Training for Corrections) certified. Officers are assigned annual training based on their job assignments and individual needs. Officers are eligible to receive advanced professional certificates based upon a combination of training and education.