The Sheridan Police Department has developed a standard of training.

All officers on this department have the following minimum training requirements, and they must complete this training every year.

State Mandates, eight hours of S.T.O.P.S., eight hours of Defensive Tactics, one firearms night shoot, one firearms qualification.  In addition to the yearly mandatory requirements each officer must obtain an additional twenty hours of training.  Of that twenty hours each officer will attend at least two additional firearms training sessions.  They will be given four hours in house credit for the two sessions.  An additional sixteen hours must be obtained in other areas of this profession.  Each officer is also required to recertify in the fourty hour pre-basic course.  This is in addition to all other requirements.  This is a three day course of intense training not a computer course.  They must take and pass the course of training and the written test.

The State of Indiana only requires each full time officer to obtain sixteen hours of training.  The State of Indiana does not require reserve officers to complete anything other than the Pre-Basic one time.

It is our belief that is just not good enough.  We are setting a standard that is far above what the State of Indiana requires.  It is our belief that you, the citizens of Sheridan should be able to hold us to a much higher standard.  Our reserve officers receive no pay for what they do, only a sence of pride in knowing that they help make Sheridan a safer place to live and raise a family.

New Indiana Law Enforcement Standards as of:

Beginning in 2009, to be reported in 2010, the annual in-service training requirement will be changed to the following:

• The minimum number of hours will be raised to 24 hours.
• At a minimum, two (2) of these hours must be in the subject of firearms.
• At a minimum, two (2) of these hours must be in the subject of physical tactics and the use of force.
• At a minimum, two (2) of these hours must be in the subject of police vehicle operation.

This does not change the other mandated requirements that are separate from the rules in 250 IAC 2-7.  Keep your eyes on the website for more details.