A group of QCPD recruits graduated from the Gilbert Regional Academy in February. Under a new agreement, department recruits also will receive training at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Sworn Basic Training Academy.
As the Queen Creek Police Department continues to expand, the town has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office to provide training for recruits.
Currently, the town has a similar agreement with the Gilbert Regional Academy, but the deal hasn’t kept pace with QCPD’s growth.
“In recent years, Queen Creek has faced challenges in securing enough training spots in the Gilbert Regional Academy due to high demand and limited availability,” according to a staff report, which added that “securing alternative training arrangements is critical to maintaining the department’s recruitment goals.”
QCPD has 119 officers and 39 professional staff with an anticipated 25% increase in personnel for the next few years. The town also is in the process of building and designing facilities to accommodate the department’s growth.
Under the new agreement approved by the Queen Creek Town Council on March 19, QCPD recruits will receive training at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Sworn Basic Training Academy.
The agreement was unanimously approved by the council as part of its consent agenda in which all items are considered in one motion and vote.
All sworn police officers must complete a basic training academy that meets state certification requirements set by the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board.
The board’s standards require that all recruits receive “the necessary instruction in legal principles, defensive tactics, firearms training, de-escalation techniques and emergency response procedures.”
The town will pay MCSO a $750 per recruit registration fee. Recruitment training costs have already been budgeted for the current fiscal year.
“The proposed (agreement) allows Queen Creek recruits to enroll in MCSO’s academy, ensuring they receive standardized training without the logistical and financial burden of establishing a standalone training facility,” the report continued.
The agreement is effective from April 1 through March 31, 2027, with the option to renew for two additional one-year terms.
Please send your comments about this article to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines. Janet Perez can be reached at jperez@iniusa.org.
Janet Perez News Editor | Queen Creek &
San Tan Valley
Meet Janet Janet Perez joined Independent Newsmedia as editor of the Queen Creek Independent and Florence Independent in 2020. She started her career in 1989 with the Gannett-owned El Paso Times. In 1992, she moved to Tempe and has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. She left Arizona for three years to work at New Mexico State University and Baylor University before returning to work at Arizona State University. Missing the business, she went back to journalism in 2017.
Community: A long-time pet owner, she supports animal welfare causes.
Education: University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science.
Random Fact: She had a head full of random facts.
Hobbies: Reading, watching documentaries, cooking and playing with her dogs.
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