Academy Gives Probation and Pretrial Officers ‘National Identity’

The National Training Academy, credited with giving a “national identity” to the Judiciary’s 5,000 probation and pretrial services officers, has grown dramatically since it opened 10 years ago, according to a newly released U.S. Courts video.

Initially a three-week program that focused heavily on firearms training and other safety matters, the academy now gives all new officers a comprehensive six-week training that covers virtually all facets of the job, including working with offenders, interacting with the courts, and use of the latest high-tech tools and national databases.

Housed in the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center campus in Charleston, S.C., the academy today provides standardized training to 800 new officers annually. The program, which started on a smaller scale, has trained about 2,500 officers in its first decade, according to the Judiciary Now video.

Learn more about probation and pretrial services within the federal court system.