Law Enforcement Training Programs and Resources
The FBI offers a wealth of training opportunities to federal, state, municipal, and international agencies and partners.
- FBI Academy and Training Division
- Training Programs and Seminars
- Virtual Academy for Law Enforcement
- Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (LEEDS)
- Police Executive Fellowship Program
- Intelligence Training Program
- National Executive Institute (NEI)
- Law Enforcement Instructor School (LEIS)
- National Command Course (NCC)
- Leadership Fellows Program
- Additional Training Programs and Resources
- International Training Programs
- Active Shooter Training and Resources
- Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP)
- Law Enforcement Bulletin (LEB)
The information and resources on this page are for a law enforcement audience.
For general and historical information about the FBI Academy and training, visit fbi.gov.
For additional active shooter safety resources and information for the public, visit fbi.gov/survive.
The FBI Academy—dedicated to being the world’s premier law enforcement learning and research center and an advocate for law enforcement’s best practices worldwide—is operated by the FBI's Training Division.
Situated on 547 acres within the immense Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia, the FBI Academy is just one of many facets of the Training Division, whose work reaches far beyond the confines of the campus grounds.
While new FBI agents are typically synonymous with the FBI Academy, the Training Division instructs many diverse groups of people, including:
- FBI special agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff
- Law enforcement officers
- Foreign partners
- Private sector professionals
The FBI National Academy is a professional course of study for U.S. and international law enforcement managers nominated by their agency heads because of demonstrated leadership qualities.
The 10-week program—which provides coursework in intelligence theory, terrorism and terrorist mindsets, management science, law, behavioral science, law enforcement communication, and forensic science—serves to improve the administration of justice in police departments and agencies at home and abroad and to raise law enforcement standards, knowledge, and cooperation worldwide.
National Academy Candidates
Leaders and managers of state, local, county, tribal, military, federal, and international law enforcement agencies attend the FBI National Academy. Participation is by invitation-only through a nomination process.
Course of Study
Sessions include approximately 265 officers (including up to 35 international students), who take undergraduate and/or graduate courses at the FBI Academy campus. Classes are offered in a diverse set of areas, and officers participate in a wide range of leadership and specialized trainings. Officers share ideas, techniques, and experiences with each other and create lifelong partnerships that transcend state and national borders.
The Yellow Brick Road
The final test of the fitness challenge, the Yellow Brick Road is a grueling 6.1-mile run through a hilly, wooded trail built by the U.S. Marines. Along the way, the participants must climb over walls, run through creeks, jump through simulated windows, scale rock faces with ropes, crawl under barbed wire in muddy water, maneuver across a cargo net, and more. When (and if) the students complete this difficult test, they receive an actual yellow brick to memorialize their achievement.
National Academy Nomination Process
Submitting a nomination:
- Nominations must be submitted by a commissioner, superintendent, or police chief; a sheriff or head of county policy agency; or the chief, superintendent, or executive officer of a state police or highway patrol organization.
- Contact your local FBI office training coordinator or the nearest legal attaché office if you are interested in submitting a nomination or in learning more about the process.
Nominee qualifications:
- Be a regular, full-time officer of a duly-constituted law enforcement agency of a municipality, county, or state
- Have at least five years of substantial and continuous experience
- Be at least 25 years old
- Be in excellent physical condition, capable of strenuous exertion and regular participation in the use of firearms, physical training, and defensive tactics, which will be confirmed by a thorough physical examination (submitted when requested by the FBI) by a medical doctor of the nominee’s choosing and at the nominee’s expense
- Possess an excellent character and enjoy a reputation for professional integrity
- Exhibit an interest in law enforcement as a public service, a seriousness of purpose, and qualities of leadership
- Enjoy the confidence and respect of fellow officers
- Have 60 college credit hours or equivalent education experience
- Agree to remain in law enforcement for a minimum of three years after graduating from the FBI National Academy
You can view or download the FBI National Academy program brochure here.
Reflections from National Academy Graduates
Chief Ken Berkowitz of the Canton, Massachusetts, Police Department:
Chief Berkowitz recounted receiving a report of two young women who had run away from a secure facility in Canton. Knowing they were vulnerable and after receiving information that they were heading to New York City, Berkowitz contacted a New York Police Department’s (NYPD) lieutenant detective he had met at the National Academy and asked for NYPD assistance. Within eight hours, the women were safely returned to the facility. “Those girls were not found on the streets of New York City," said Berkowitz. "Those girls were found in the hallways of the National Academy.”
Lieutenant Larry Horak of the Margate, Florida, Police Department:
Lieutenant Horak worked a case involving con man Roger Miller, who fled the country after stealing millions from investors. “Our investigation established that Miller had fled to Thailand, but we were having trouble trying to locate him there,” Horak said. “I thought I had a member of my NA class from the Royal Thai Police, so I sent him an email with a description of Miller, and within 24 hours, I got a response saying ‘We’ve located him—let us know what you’d like us to do.’" Horak initiated the extradition process to bring Miller back for prosecution. “For me,” said Horak, “the NA was unprecedented in any leadership training I’ve received during my career.”
Police Chief Bill Lane of the Horseshoe Bay, Texas, Police Department:
Chief Lane recounted how the instruction he received while attending the Academy was invaluable during a murder investigation. At the time Chief Lane attended the National Academy, he was assistant chief of the Hobbs, New Mexico, Police Department. In November 2005, the Hobbs Police Department was investigating the murder of a multimillionaire who was found dead at his lakefront mansion. During the search of the residence, evidence was discovered that indicated the victim had an internal defibrillator. Lane had learned in a National Academy class that information from these defibrillators can sometimes be downloaded, helping to determine the time of death. The information provided a valuable starting point in the investigation, which was ultimately resolved with the assistance of other law enforcement agencies.
Police Chief Gerald R. Simpson of the Garden Township, Pennsylvania, Police Department:
Chief Simpson recalled that the opportunity to liaison with his National Academy classmates proved to be a valuable crime-fighting tool later on. At the time he was at the National Academy, Simpson was a lieutenant with the Newark, Delaware, Police Department. Six months after graduating, a bank robbery occurred, and the suspect, during his escape, struck another vehicle, causing his own license plate to fall off the car. Police recovered the plate and discovered that vehicle was a rental from Newburgh, New York. While at the crime scene, Simpson contacted a National Academy classmate, who obtained the rental contact—information that led to the identification of the suspect. Within seven days, law enforcement authorities in New York had located and arrested him.
The web-based Virtual Academy for Law Enforcement grants you access to courses that offer knowledge, skills, and competencies (through relevant and consistent training and materials) needed to support the worldwide criminal justice community. Thousands of training topics are available at no cost.
To access these courses, register at Virtual Academy.
The Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (LEEDS) was created in 1981 for chief executive officers of the nation’s mid-sized law enforcement agencies (between 50-499 sworn officers). This program trains both domestic and international law enforcement leaders.
Topics include:
- Strategic Leadership
- Image Management
- Officer Wellness
- Preventing Targeted Violence
LEEDS participants must be chief executive officers of full-service law enforcement agencies with 50-499 sworn officers. (FBI legal attachés nominate international law enforcement executives who meet the criteria and can contribute their perspectives on their country's law enforcement challenges.)
You must be nominated to participate in LEEDS. The Training Division solicits nominations annually. If you are a law enforcement executive interested in applying, contact the training coordinator at your local FBI field office or legal attaché office.
This six-month program offers an opportunity for state, local, tribal, or campus law enforcement executives to directly improve information and intelligence sharing within the law enforcement community. The FBI selects management-level law enforcement officials to work at FBI Headquarters or JCAT, best enabling the fellows to contribute their expertise and provide a local perspective to national and international law enforcement issues.
Every year, the FBI's Office of Partner Engagement delivers courses to hundreds of law enforcement and intelligence practitioners. OPE's training team identifies and fills knowledge gaps by offering courses such as Analytic Writing for Collaboration and Intelligence for Law Enforcement Supervisors.
OPE has added virtual options for many of the existing classes, including "Decisions During Times of Uncertainty Using Intelligence."
Described as the “Director’s own program” and the crown jewel of the FBI’s executive training initiatives, the National Executive Institute (NEI) was established in 1975 to provide leadership development for executives of the largest law enforcement agencies. The program trains domestic and international law enforcement leaders.
Topics include:
- Strategic leadership
- Image management
- Officer wellness
- Preventing targeted violence
A limited number of FBI field leaders (approved by the Training Division) attend NEI to enhance collaboration with their partners. Federal agencies also recommend federal leaders to attend NEI.
You must be nominated to participate in NEI. The Training Division solicits nominations annually. If you are a law enforcement executive interested in applying, contact the training coordinator at your local FBI field office or legal attaché office.
In 2020, the National Command Course (NCC) was first developed to fill a void in FBI strategic leadership training programs for policing executives.
In the United States, law enforcement agencies with fewer than 50 sworn employees comprise over 80% of departments, yet leaders of these agencies often lack funding and/or manpower availability to send employees away for weeks at a time to attend nationally recognized executive leadership programs.
The inaugural session of NCC took place in 2021 and will continue to graduate 100 law enforcement executives annually. This one-week program includes numerous benefits, such as improved relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve, increased liaison between departments resulting in more effective policing, and enhanced public safety overall.
Topics include:
- Strategic leadership
- Image management
- Officer wellness
- Preventing targeted violence
Participants must be the chief executive of a domestic law enforcement agency with fewer than 50 sworn personnel and cannot be a graduate of the National Academy, NEI, or LEEDS.
You must be nominated to participate in NCC. The Training Division solicits nominations annually. If you are a law enforcement executive interested in applying, contact the Training Coordinator at your local FBI field office.
The Law Enforcement Instructor School (LEIS) is an intense, 40-hour practical, skill-oriented course designed to provide fundamentals in adult instruction and curriculum design.
State and local law enforcement attendees:
- Learn and practice a variety of teaching strategies to deliver effective instruction
- Incorporate different instructional methodologies for effective delivery to a variety of audiences in different learning environments
- Engage in public speaking exercises to hone their presentation skills
The LEIS has been aligned to meet Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission instructor certification requirements in many states throughout the U.S.
Those interested in participating in LEIS must contact their local FBI field office and ask for the training coordinator.
The Leadership Fellows Program offers senior police managers and executives from around the world the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills through:
- Teaching
- Networking with staff and students
- Addressing leadership issues in their sponsoring agencies
- Attending a variety of courses
- Developing a blueprint for personal growth
This is a year-long program.
- The first six months of the program is in full residency. Fellows work closely with Center for Police Leadership and Ethics (CPLE) instructors to develop and instruct leadership curricula, address challenges or prospective issues in their host agencies having a beneficial impact upon their return, and attend leadership development courses in accordance with their individual development plans.
- The second six months sees fellows continuing to support the CPLE instructional mission domestically and internationally while serving as adjunct instructors and providing instruction in accordance with CPLE needs.
Those interested in participating in the Leadership Fellows Program must contact their local FBI field office or nearest legal attaché and ask for the training coordinator.
- Training coordinators are available in each field office to help develop solutions to our partners’ training needs. International law enforcement agencies should contact their closest FBI legal attaché office.
- The Training Division’s experienced firearms training instructors offer certification and recertification training to all FBI firearms instructors, who provide training to agents in the field and support our state and local law enforcement partners.
- Hogan’s Alley at the FBI Academy is a training complex simulating a small town where FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) new agent trainees learn investigative techniques, firearms skills, and defensive tactics. Hogan’s Alley also houses functioning classrooms, administrative and maintenance areas, and audiovisual facilities.
- Instructors at the Tactical and Emergency Vehicle Operations Center (TEVOC) teach safe, efficient driving techniques to FBI and DEA personnel and other government and military personnel.
- The Survival Skills program gives new agents and law enforcement officers the skills and mindset required to identify and handle critical situations in high-risk environments.
- The FBI Library maintains complete and up-to-date law enforcement information from around the world and offers a variety of audiovisual materials, legal publications, government documents, periodicals, and online resources.
In an age where crime and terrorism know no borders, our international training initiatives are more important than ever to the FBI’s work to protect the American people both here and abroad.
Our initiatives strengthen legal and police systems overseas, which means fewer attacks on the U.S. from abroad. And they build one-on-one relationships that are instrumental in helping the FBI and its international colleagues track down fugitives, share information, and turn back serious criminal and security threats in this global age.
To carry out its mission, the Training Division also continues to work with other FBI operational and substantive divisions, including the International Operations Division; FBI legal attaché offices overseas; the Department of Justice; the State Department; and U.S. embassies overseas.
International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEAs) teach cutting-edge leadership and investigative techniques to international police managers through an intensive program similar to the FBI National Academy and also provide specialized classes on everything from corruption to cyber crime.
The FBI heads the facility in Budapest, Hungary and supplies instructors to the academies in Bangkok, Thailand; Gaborone, Botswana; and San Salvador, El Salvador. Although the course material is presented in English, students who speak different languages wear headsets and receive simultaneous translations.
Learn more about the ILEA program:
The International Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (International LEEDS) includes courses established for the FBI’s foreign law enforcement partners with limited English fluency. International LEEDS seeks to develop or enhance participants’ leadership, administrative, and investigative management skills.
The courses, taught at the FBI Academy, are held in the language of the attending law enforcement agency. Included among those sessions are Latin American LEEDS, Arabic Language LEEDS, Mexico LEEDS, and Brazil LEEDS.
- The Bilateral Training Program directly supports the FBI's legal attaché offices’ request for training of their foreign law enforcement partners in their areas of responsibilities at overseas and U.S. venues.
- The Middle Eastern Law Enforcement Training Center provides training to Dubai National Police and other officers in the region through a partnership between the government of Dubai and the FBI.
- The Plan Colombia/Anti-Kidnapping Initiative provides training assistance to Colombian law enforcement in their battle against illegal drug production and organized criminal groups and terrorism.
- The Pacific Training Initiative focuses on transnational crimes like terrorism and corruption for senior-level personnel from various agencies in the Pacific Rim and Asia.
- The International Counterproliferation Program offers counterproliferation training to our global partners in concert with the U.S. Department of Defense.
Recent active shooter incidents have underscored the need for a coordinated response by law enforcement and others to save lives.
The FBI is committed to working with its partners to protect schools, workplaces, houses of worship, transportation centers, other public gathering sites, and communities, and we offer a variety of training and other resources to our law enforcement partners.
The information on this page is for a law enforcement audience. For additional active shooter safety resources and information, visit fbi.gov/survive.
The FBI and Texas State University provide the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Program for law enforcement partners. Contact your local FBI field office and ask for the Active Shooter coordinator for more information.
In this FBI training video, customers at a bar are caught in an active shooter event. By employing the run, hide, and fight tactics, as well as knowing the basics of rendering first aid to others, they are prepared, empowered, and able to survive the attack. Transcript | Download
This documentary explores the issue of school shootings and what schools, parents, and law enforcement can do to help prevent these attacks. Transcript | Download
This FBI-produced documentary focuses on best practices after school shooting tragedies, including family reunification, dealing with accompanying trauma, and crisis planning. It highlights the difficult journey of recovery while also giving hope to survivors. Transcript | Download
FBI field offices are bringing law enforcement command staff together to discuss best practices and lessons learned from prior mass shooting incidents. These two-day conferences include discussions and instructions related to specific aspects of active shooter incidents, including pre-event indicators (i.e., behavioral analysis), complex crime scene management and evidence collection, crisis management, victim assistance, media matters, and improvised explosive devices.
To date, more than 64,000 police chiefs, sheriffs, and law enforcement executives from state, local, tribal, and campus law enforcement have participated in these conferences, which will be held on an ongoing basis to ensure that the law enforcement community is prepared for future threats.
FBI field offices also host tabletop exercises—focusing on how to respond and recover from an active shooter incident. These exercises bring together our partner federal agencies, state and local law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, federal prosecutors, and district, county, and states’ attorneys.
For more information, contact your local FBI field office and ask for the training coordinator.
The Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP) is a secure platform for law enforcement agencies, intelligence groups, and criminal justice entities.
LEEP provides web-based investigative tools and analytical resources, and the networking it supports is unrivaled by other platforms available to the law enforcement community. Users collaborate in a secure environment, use tools to strengthen their cases, and share departmental documents.
LEEP accounts are available to personnel affiliated with the criminal justice system, intelligence community, and the armed forces. You can apply for a LEEP account at cjis.gov.
Since 1935, the FBI has provided information on current law enforcement issues and research in the field to the larger policing community through the the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin (LEB).
The LEB solicits articles written by nationally recognized authors and experts in the criminal justice field and delivers relevant, contemporary information on a broad range of law enforcement-related topics. It serves as a valuable training tool at all levels.
