The Central Texas College Regional Police Academy conducted graduation ceremonies for the Basic Peace Officer Course and the Extended Basic Peace Officer Course last week in the CTC Fine Arts Auditorium, bldg. 112.

The Basic Peace Officer Course graduation mark the completion of a 20-week program for cadets representing the Temple, Copperas Cove, Harker Heights and Lampasas police departments and the Bell County Sheriff's Department.

Graduates of the Extended Basic Peace Officer Course attended 10 1/2 months of instruction and included cadets from Killeen, Copperas Cove, Temple, Bertram, Taylor, Fort Hood, Kingsland, Georgetown, Burnet, Granite Shoals, Lampasas, Jarrell, Belton and Kempner.

Both courses involve 740 hours of training designed to prepare the graduating cadet to take the state licensing examination for acquiring a license to be a peace officer in the state of Texas.

It also established a baseline of training so the respective sheriff and police departments can provide additional field training for individual cadets.

The courses include individual blocks of instruction in a variety of topics including multiculturalism and human relations, interpersonal communications, problem solving, ethics and professionalism, victims' rights, Texas Penal Code, Texas Traffic Code, Texas Family Code, use-of-force law and concepts, firearms, defensive tactics, police vehicle operation, criminal investigation, stress management and physical training.