Certify That Your Training Program Complies With National Standards

Initial and continuing training is exceedingly important for public safety telecommunicators because they provide essential services in an ever-expanding and rapidly changing public safety environment.

Building and implementing a successful agency training program requires many resources and dedication. APCO’s Agency Training Program Certification, an initiative of Project 33®, provides a way for public safety agencies to certify that their training programs meet APCO American National Standards (ANS). An agency’s curriculum, training materials and supporting documentation are reviewed and checked for compliance.

Prerequisites to Applying for Certification

Agencies that wish to achieve the APCO Agency Training Program Certification must follow a specific process to educate and prepare them for completing their application.

The agency must:

  • Review the rules and procedures that guide the certification process
  • Download and read the appropriate APCO ANS
  • Complete a pre-application online training program.

After completing the prerequisites, an agency is allowed to proceed to purchasing the application.

Submitting your agency’s training program for APCO certification shows that your agency is committed to training and to meeting national standards.

Receiving certification for your training program is a major accomplishment for the agency, its staff and the community it serves.

Questions?

Is it possible for two people to log on and work with the tools at the same time?

No. When purchasing access to the online application, only one profile per application will be permitted. Each agency must designate the person responsible for completing the application and purchase the application through that person’s MY APCO account.

What is the cost?

The cost to apply for certification is $650.00 for APCO Agency Group Members and $700.00 for APCO Individual members and non-members. Once all prerequisites are completed, the agency may proceed to the payment and access the online application.

What are the deadlines?

Applications are accepted year round. All applications must be submitted within one year from the date of purchase. After one year, the application expires.

APCO Conference Recognition: Agencies receiving certification are recognized at the APCO Annual Conference and Exposition. Agencies wishing to be recognized at the next conference must complete and submit the application and all supporting documentation by December 1 of the year preceding the conference As an example, if your agency would like to be recognized at the APCO 2024 Annual Conference, the application must be submitted by December 1, 2023.

Submissions received after December 1 will be considered for recognition at the following APCO Annual Conference & Expo. As an example, if an agency submits their application in January, 2024 they are eligible for recognition at the APCO2025 event.

How long is my certification valid?

Agency Training Program Certification is valid for three years.

How do I recertify my agency?

The recertification process is the same as the initial process. All prerequisites, application fee and relevant documentation are required.

Does this program certify individuals?

No, it only certifies non-commercial public safety communications training programs.

Where can I get more information on APCO’s standards?

Are there any tips that will help me complete the online application?

  1. When you first open the application, complete the “Application” tab. This ensures that your application can be “seen” in the system.
  2. Explanation text is necessary for the review team to fully understand your training program. Please be sure to use this field to indicate document names and page numbers so that the team can readily identify the information. It is not necessary to copy information from attached documents and place it in the explanation field.
  3. It is highly recommended that you draft all information offline and save it to your computer. When completing the online application, copy and paste the text into the “Explanation” box and attach required documentation.
  4. Be sure to read the criteria thoroughly. Many areas of the application will require multiple documents to satisfy the standard.
  5. All documents submitted must be current and completed. You may redact names and other identifying information as needed. Blank documents will not be accepted.
  6. Documentation must be attached in the correct section(s) of the application. Some documents may be useful in multiple areas of the application.

Does the system save my data?

The save function is a manual process in the application. Your data will not automatically be saved. We recommend that you use the save function often as you complete the application. The application portal will time out after a period of inactivity, saving often will help to ensure that your data is not lost if this happens. The “save” function will save your information and allow you to continue working through the application. The “save and quit” function will save your information and log you out of the application portal.

 

For more information or questions, please contact [email protected].

Certified Agencies

Alaska State Troopers North Operations Center
Boulder Police and Fire Communications
Broward County Sheriff’s Office
Calcasieu Parish Communications District
California Highway Patrol Telecommunications
Carlsbad Police Department 
CenCom E9-1-1 Public Safety Communications
Chandler Police Department
Charleston County Consolidated 9-1-1 Center
Cherokee County E 9-1-1
Chouteau County Sheriff Office
City of Atlanta – Department of Aviation Airport Operations Center
City of Plano
City of Roswell Division of Emergency Communications
Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency
Cobb County of Emergency Communications
Colorado State Patrol
Culpeper County Public Safety Communications Center
Cuyahoga Emergency Communications System (CECOMS)
Delaware County Emergency Servies
Delaware State Police Communications
Denver 9-1-1
Derry Fire Department
Durham Emergency Communications Center
East Central Emergency Network
Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon
Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications
Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office
Fayetteville Police Department
Fremont Police Department
Gallatin County 911
Grand Junction Regional Communication Center
Guilford Metro 911
Gwinnett County Police Department
Habersham County E-911
Helena Police Department
High Point 911 Emergency Communications
Hilton Head Fire Rescue 911 Communications
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
Jefferson County (JeffCom)
Jefferson County E911 ECD
Lake Worth Police Department
Lincoln Emergency Communications Center
Livingston County Sheriff’s Office Communications Bureau
Loudoun County Fire & Rescue Servies
Luzerne County 9-1-1
Marble Falls Communications
Mecklenburg County 911
Metro Nashville Department of Emergency Communications
Montgomery County Department of Public Safety, Emergency Communications Division
New Hampshire Division of Emergency Services
Northwest Central Dispatch System
Orange County Emergency Communications
Orleans Parish Communication District
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office
Paragould Emergency Services
Prince William County Department of Public Safety Communications
Public Safety at Temple University
Raleigh Wake 911 Center
Rice County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications
Rockland County Sheriff 911
Rogers Police Department
Scotland County Emergency Communications
South Metro Fire Rescue Emergency Communications
Southeast Emergency Communications
Southwest Regional Communications Center
Springdale Communications Center
Stanislaus Regional 911
Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office Communications
Thurston 911 Communications
Tri-Com Central Dispatch
Union County Regional Communications
University of Nebraska – Lincoln Police Department
Valley Communications Center
Virginia Beach Emergency Communications and Citizen Services
Wachusett RECC
Wachusett Regional Emergency Communications Center
Washington State Patrol
Westcom Emergency Communications
Wilson County Emergency Communications District
Woodward County E-911
York County 911