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Instructor Certification

NEW Instructor Development Training Requirements (2026)

The Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board approved NEW law enforcement instructor training and certification requirements in 2024. This NEW basic Instructor Development course curriculum includes several new course topics, new presentation requirements, and more practical exercises.  A blended learning platform, using a combination of online learning AND live classroom instruction, will be the preferred method of delivering the new curriculum.  The current 40-hr. course of instruction for basic instructor development will change to approximately 60-80 hours of instruction (about 2 weeks), effective July 1, 2026.

Beginning July 1, 2026, new law enforcement instructors will be required to complete the NEW basic Instructor Development course (2-week course) to become a state certified instructor (generalist). Generalist and Psychomotor Instructors who are still current (not expired) will NOT be required to complete the NEW course.  The NEW 2-week course will involve online and classroom instruction.  Eventually, we plan to make the online portion of the NEW curriculum available for any current instructor to complete if they wish (check ILEA webpage for availability later in 2026).  Psychomotor skills instructor courses will remain at 40 hours of instruction per psychomotor skill and will still require a basic instructor development course prior to enrolling in a psychomotor skills instructor course.

Becoming a new instructor from January 1 – July 1, 2026

Any officer wishing to complete a basic Instructor Development course prior to July 1, 2026, will be able to register for the current 1-week course after January 1, 2026. A total of six 1-week courses are scheduled at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy from January through June, 2026 (about one per month).  All classes will be held at the ILEA.  *NO off-site courses will be scheduled for outside enrollment in 2026.

  • January 26-30, 2026
  • February 23-27, 2026
  • March 9-13, 2026  (Waiver students accepted based on enrollment)
  • March 30-April 3, 2026  (Waiver students accepted based on enrollment)
  • April 13-17, 2026
  • May 4-8, 2026
  • May 18-22, 2026
  • June 8-12, 2026

Understanding that agencies may want to send new instructors to the 1-week course in lieu of the 2-week course, registration for ANY of the one-week courses will be open beginning December 15, 2026.

  • Training coordinators and other administrators registering personnel to attend the one-week course of instruction will be allowed to register their personnel in only ONE course, until that course fills.
  • Only one substitution will be permitted per agency, as long as the substitution is made more than 30 days prior to the start of the class.
  • The maximum enrollment for each of these 1-week courses is 22 students per class.  Once the class fills, enrollment for that course will be closed.
  • Any agency registering their personnel for more than one course date at a time will automatically have their personnel removed from enrollment and further consideration in any of the 1-week courses in 2026.
  • There will be no wait lists on any of the 1-week courses, as they will all be “first come, first served”.
  • Those officers who don’t meet the minimum criteria for enrollment in the basic Instructor Development course must follow the instructions to file for a ‘waiver of enrollment’ (see ILEA webpage).  Waiver students will only be allowed to register in one of the courses designated (see dates).
  • All ILEA enrollment guidelines, payment requirements, and withdrawal policies will be strictly enforced during this period (January through June, 2026).

Becoming a new instructor from July 1- December 31, 2026

The effective date for the NEW 2-week Instructor Development course is July 1, 2026.  Officers enrolling in an Instructor Development course after July 1, 2026, will be required to complete the NEW course curriculum.

In 2026, the NEW course curriculum will include the following:

Week 1: One day of online training (at home) AND four days of in-class training (at ILEA)

Week 2: Four days of in-class training (at ILEA)

*Both weeks will run consecutively

**Additional online modules will be added prior to 2027 (2-3 days)

Enrollment for basic Instructor Development classes after July 1, 2026, will begin as early as June (check ILEA webpage for dates). During this period, however, each monthly course will be open for enrollment 30-45 days prior to the start of the course. The course dates are listed below for the NEW 2-week basic Instructor Development course:

  • July 6-17, 2026
  • August 10-21, 2026
  • September 14-25, 2026
  • October 12-23, 2026
  • November 9-20, 2026
  • December 7-18, 2026

Enrollment procedures for the NEW 2-week course will be the same as before (see ILEA webpage).  Those students seeking a ‘waiver of enrollment’ may register in any of the posted 2-week courses, as long as they follow the process required for applying as a waiver student in a timely fashion. The maximum enrollment for each of these 2-week courses will be 20. The in-class portion of instruction will be held at the ILEA.  Dorm rooms here at ILEA may be available for students attending this 2-week course.  Final dorm room availability for students attending this course should be announced by May 1, 2026, on our webpage.

Questions about the NEW Instructor Development program can be directed to:
Lt. Keith Warner, OIC Instructor Development program - kewarner@ilea.in.gov
or
Lt. Tom Lahay, POST Compliance Specialist - tlahay@ilea.in.gov

Questions about registration or enrollment can be directed to:
Shelly Cooley, Registrar - scooley@ilea.in.gov

CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF FAQ'S ABOUT THE NEW INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT COURSE.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT CLASSES FOR 2026 ON OUR OFF-SITE TRAINING PAGE.

Primary Instructor Certification

The requirements to enroll in a primary instructor certification course are as follows:

1.Be a full-time, paid police officer
2.Have a minimum of three (3) years of law enforcement experience
3.Have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED

These education and experience requirements can be waived by the LETB through the Executive Director or Deputy Director of POST, if emergency circumstances arise. Requests for waivers should be submitted in writing to the Deputy Director of POST, Bryant Orem (borem@ilea.in.gov) on agency letterhead. The waiver request should include a brief explanation of the emergency or other exigent circumstances that exist to enroll the officer into the course.

Training Areas
After initial instructor certification is completed, primary instructors may provide training in any subject presented in the basic course curriculum, or in any subject determined to be needed by the department CEO if the trainer feels he/she has sufficient experience and education to provide good quality instruction, except any psychomotor skills instruction, (EVO, Firearms, and Physical Tactics).

*(OIC- Lt. Warner)

Psychomotor Skills Instructor Certification in EVO, Firearms, & Physical Tactics
Those holding only a Primary Instructor Certification are not authorized to instruct the psychomotor skills:  EVO, Firearms, and Physical Tactics.

These certifications require additional training for the instructor since these skill areas are considered high liability disciplines.  To become a psychomotor skill instructor requires the officer to (A) be a LETB Primary Instructor in good standing, (B) complete a LETB approved instructor course in the area for which that officer seeks certification and (C) submit the required documents for certification.


Senior Instructor

The Senior Instructor program is the next step in ILEA’s development of instructors.  Completion of the Senior Instructor program is required to reach the level of the Master Instructor.  In addition to the courses completed in Instructor Development, the Senior Instructor student will receive an additional 80 hours (2 weeks) of practical and course instruction.  Applicants must meet the minimum criteria established below to be considered for enrollment. Those interested in applying can download a copy of the application below and follow the instructions on the form for submission.

The applicant must initially meet the following criteria:

a. Have a Master’s or a Bachelor Degree, and; a minimum of five (5) years of law enforcement experience, and ; a minimum of three (3) years as a Primary Instructor or:

b. Have an Associate Degree, and; a minimum of seven (7) years of law enforcement experience and; a minimum of four (4) years as a Primary Instructor or:

c. Less than sixty (60) hours of college credit and; a minimum of nine (9) years of law enforcement experience and; a minimum of five (5) years as a Primary Instructor.

An applicant must first complete an application.  This application requires an explanation of why the applicant wishes to become a Senior Instructor.  Also, applicants must submit documentation showing that the applicant is a primary or psychomotor skill instructor (in good standing). Once the application is completed, the applicant should email it to Lt. Tom Lahay at tlahay@ilea.in.gov.

If accepted into the program, the applicant will then be enrolled in the Senior Instructor Course.  The initial Senior Instructor certification period will be calculated using the same method (described below) as when a psychomotor skill area is added to a primary certification.

There is currently NO waiver process to bypass the Senior Instructor course.

Click here to download more details on the Senior Instructor program.

Click here to download application for Senior Instructor.

Instructor Identification Numbers

Download Instructor Hours Log (State Form 55222 rev. 2/25)

Download Instructor Application (Revised 9/24)

The Senior Instructor Course for 2026 is scheduled for April 13-24, 2026. Qualified applicants can register for this course on or about March 1, 2026. Those interested in attending need to submit a completed application to Lt. Tom Lahay - tlahay@ilea.in.gov before registering for this course.

Initial Instructor Certification & Renewal Certification Protocols

Master Instructor

The Master Instructor is the highest level of instructor certification offered by the LETB.  The applicant must initially meet the following criteria:

a. Have a Bachelor Degree; seven (7) years of law enforcement experience; two (2) years as a Primary Instructor or:

b. Have an Associate Degree; ten (10) years of law enforcement experience; five (5) years as a Primary Instructor or:

c. Less than sixty (60) hours of college credit; fifteen (15) years of law enforcement experience; five (5) years as a Primary Instructor.

Initial application for Master Instructor is made to the Chairman of the Master Instructor Committee.  Interested candidates should submit an instructor application, short resume, and a cover letter addressed to the Chairman of the Committee stating their desire to become a Master Instructor.  Once the Committee has determined that the candidate has met the basic requirements, an interview will be scheduled for the Candidate with the Committee.  If the Candidate passes the interview phase, he or she will be asked to select a mentor from the current pool of Master Instructors.

Candidates have one (1) year to teach a basic class, an in-service class and an instructor development class.  Each class will be observed and evaluated by the mentor.  Candidates are also required to write a research paper on a law enforcement subject of their choice.  The paper will be evaluated by the Committee on construction, use of grammar, and accuracy of information.  After the paper is accepted by the Committee, the Candidate is required to return and defend the paper in front of the Committee.

If needed, the Committee may grant a one (1) year extension to complete all of the requirements when asked by the Candidate.

Re-Certification

Click here for a brief Training Video on the Re-Certification process.

1. Primary and Psychomotor Skill re-certifications are good for three (3) years from the date of approval. Failure to recertify before the expiration date will require an instructor to retake the Instructor Development Course as well as any psychomotor skill instructor course (if an instructor is also certified in one or more of these areas). The applicant may request a one-time extension as outlined below. There is no grace period for instructor re-certifications.

2. A one-time extension may be granted for completing the instructional hours required by submitting a request to the:  Executive Director, Law Enforcement Training Board, 5402 South County Road 700 East, Plainfield, IN  46168, in writing BEFORE the expiration date. The length of an extension, if authorized, will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Executive Director. During this extension period, an instructor is authorized to present training that can be counted towards a student’s in-service training requirement.

3. Primary Instructors must provide documentation of at least thirty-six (36) hours of training over the three (3) year certification period. This is done by:
a. Submitting an application for recertification with the online program.
b. Attaching documentation of training provided as outlined below.

4. Psychomotor skill instructors must document thirty-six (36) hours of instruction in each certified psychomotor skill area. For example, if an EVO instructor teaches all 36 hours presenting EVO material, that instructor can use those 36 hours to satisfy both the primary and the psychomotor skill minimum instructional time requirement. However, if this instructor is also a firearms instructor, this instructor must present at least 36 hours of EVO instruction AND 36 hours of firearms instruction to be re-certified in both areas.

5. Senior instructor re-certification requires the same documentation as a primary or psychomotor skill instructor.

Documenting Instructional Hours for Re-certification

On Academy form #55222 list:

1. Date training occurred
2. Class subject
3. Location of training
4. Number of students
5. Number of instructional hours
6. Do not send rosters. Instructor hours should only be submitted on department letterhead or a LETB approved form with the information detailed above. Send this documentation with the application for recertification with the ILEA online program. See video on how to send. We will no longer accept paper documents for recertifications.

Re-certification Time Frame and Pro-rating Psychomotor Skills Hours When Added to a Primary Instructor Certification

The certification period is determined by the date the instructor card is issued and is three years. If a Psychomotor Skill (EVO, FIREARMS, or PHYSICAL TACTICS) is added as an additional certification to a Primary Certification, the expiration date will be updated for both the Primary Certification and the Psychomotor skill.  The new expiration date for both the Primary and Psychomotor skill will be three years from the date the last Psychomotor Skill was added.

Example: A new instructor has three (3) years to teach until time to re-certify. That instructor must document thirty-six (36) or more hours of instruction in a primary area. If the initial date of certification is 05/03/2020, the date of expiration will be 05/03/2023. If a psychomotor skill instructional area is added on 09/03/2021, the expiration date for both the primary and psychomotor skill will be updated to 09/03/2024.

Submission Period

All re-certifications must be submitted using the online submission program.  Certifications available for renewal will display a renew link in the program 91 days prior to expiration.  The re-certification application and supporting documents should be sent in thirty (30) days prior to the expiration date, but not more than sixty (60) days prior to the expiration date. The online program will issue a new expiration date consistent with the date of renewal plus three years.

Example: An instructor certification expires 10/20/2022.  The instructor submitted for recertification 60 days prior to the expiration on 8/20/2022, the recertification was issued on 8/23/2022, the new re-certification expiration date would be 8/23/2025.

Re-certification Fees

There is a $50.00 fee for all re-certifications. The FLAT FEE covers all psychomotor skills submitted for re-certification.  PLEASE DO NOT SEND PAYMENT FOR EACH PSYCHOMOTOR SKILL. Payment must be made by check, money order or Credit Card.  Please make checks out to Law Enforcement Training Board and mail to: 5402 South County Road 700 East, Plainfield, IN  46168.  Re-certifications will not be processed until fee is received in full.

Provider Applications

An organization or business that is not a governmental agency or has no law enforcement duties or function may be authorized to provide training which can be used to partially satisfy an officer’s in-service training requirement if certain conditions are met.  These include:

1. The organization or business must make application for a Provider Number which will be used for reporting training.  The application will require, among other things, the organization or business address, a contact person and a description of the function performed by the organization or business.

2.  The provider will need to demonstrate that it has the ability to create Performance Objectives and Lesson Plans for the material and classes it wished to present.  It must have either a physical location or IT capabilities for presenting the class material in a professional manner (depending on approach), and it must have a record keeping system which will document who attended and successfully completed these classes.  This record keeping system must be open to inspection by the LETB.  A provider must issue a certificate or other document to each student upon that student’s successful completion of a class which displays the Provider Number.

3. A private provider’s authorization to present approved training will expire three years from the date of issue of the provider number.  A provider may submit a renewal application at the end of that period stating that the provider is still in the business of providing training to Indiana law enforcement officers and the LETB may then grant renewal of the provider’s authority to present training.  A provider’s authority to present training may be revoked at any time for cause.