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TRAINING ACADEMY

montana law enforcement academy

Discover the Montana Law Enforcement Academy, recognized as the leading institution for law enforcement and public safety education and training in the state. Serving state, county, city, and tribal officers alike, the Academy offers a range of entry-level Basic Programs and advanced training options through Professional Development Programs. 

ACADEMY OVERVIEW

      • All entry-level candidates must complete the 12 week course
      • Located in Helena, MT. Candidates will travel M-F on Monday morning and return to Great Falls, Friday evening.  
      • Satisfies Montana Standards and Training (POST)
      • Occasional weekend trainings may be required
      • Rigorous physical fitness and training program
      • Must complete the MPAT (Montana Physical Abilities Test) prior to attending the 12 week Officer Basic Course.
      • Current minimal completion time for the MPAT is 6 minutes and 30 seconds. Find more information here. 

Post Academy field training

      • Recruits will also have 2 weeks of hands-on training building on MLEA fundamentals
      • Once graduated from Montana Law Enforcement Academy, recruits will partake in a 16 week Field Training course with an experienced Field Training Officer (FTO)
      • Divided into 4 phases.
      • 1st and 4th phase are with the same Field Training Officer
      • 2nd and 3rd phase are with an additional Field Training Officer
      • Daily grading and evaluation of performance

WE'RE HIRING

  • Committed to community outreach and award-winning policing techniques
  • State-of-the-art safety equipment and specialized units
  • Resources to solve real-life problems
  • Resources for career advancements
  • Positive work/life balance
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our hiring process

01.
Phase 1: Screening & Testing
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02.
Phase 2: Personal History Review
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03.
Phase 3: Interview & Background Check
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04.
Phase 4: Medical Screen & Commission Hearing
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our recruitment team

Captain Mahlum

Captain
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Detective Stadel

Detective
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Dispatcher Ratliff

Dispatcher
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Lieutenant LaBard

Lieutenant
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Officer Souza

Officer
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Sergeant Supalla

Sergeant
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Frequently asked Questions

  • A full list of qualifications can be found by searching Montana Code Annotated(MCA) 7-32-303 on the internet. Hear are a few of them:
    • Must be a citizen of the United States
    • Must be at least 18 years of age
    • Not have been convicted of a crime for which the person could have been imprisoned in a federal or state penitentiary
    • Have a high school diploma or have been issues a high school equivalency diploma
    • Must possess or be eligible to possess a Montana driver’s license
    • Visual acuity of, or corrected to, 20/20
    • Ability to pass a color vision test
    • College coursework in law enforcement or related fields is helpful but not required
  • Please contact a recruiter via our “Text A Recruiter” link at the bottom of every page.
  • You may also check open positions here. 

The hiring process is split up into 4 phases

Phase 1: Application/Testing

      • 4-part written test covering basic math, reading, grammar and report writing
      • Montana Physical Abilities Test (MPAT)
      • Oral boards, personal history, and a background investigation which takes about 3 weeks

Phase 2: Physical/Psychological Exam

        • Physical Exam/Drug Screening
        • Psychological Exam
        • Police Commission Review
        • Prep Week
          • On-boarding with HR
          • Swearing-in Ceremony
          • Online MLEA course work
          • MPAT for current score prior to leaving for MLEA

Phase 3: Academy 

  • 12 weeks Monday–Friday with occasional weekend trainings. 
  • Recruits will meet at the GFPD and car-pool to Helena in an assigned PD car

Phase 4: Post-Academy

      • Two weeks of hands-on training building on MLEA
      • 16 weeks Field Training with an experienced Field Training Officer (FTO)
      • Divided into 4 phases
      • Daily grading/evaluation of performance

You can find the additional information in our FAQ’s page. 

  • The Great Falls Police Department is committed to providing the highest quality of police service to the citizens of Great Falls, in partnership with the entire community. Officers are responsible for patrolling assigned areas, issuing citations, making arrests, responding to calls, monitoring traffic, preparing reports and operating mobile data terminals . The Department responds to over 45,000 calls for service each year.
  • There are currently three academy classes per year. We average onboarding 2-3 new officers per hiring round.
  • Yes, all officers are hired prior to attending the academy and will be paid their wage while in attendance.
  • The written test consists of 4 tests covering basic math skills, reading comprehension, grammar, and report writing. All tests require only the knowledge gained at the high school level and do not require any previous law enforcement training or experience. Applicants will be provided with an internet link to a study guide specific to the test we are using once they have applied.
  • The Great Falls Police Department conducts its interviews in such a way that no law enforcement training or experience is necessary. The questions are generally behavior based to challenge an applicant’s morals and ethics. General knowledge of the Great Falls Police Department and the City of Great Falls as organizations is also helpful.
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The Great Falls Police Department is committed to providing the highest quality of police service to the citizens of Great Falls, in partnership with the entire community.
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