The Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation (FLETA) Board is pleased to announce it has granted reaccreditation status to the U.S. Department of State Training and Performance Standards (Academy), Basic Special Agent Course, and Instructor Development Course at the April 12-14, 2016, meeting in Glynco, GA.
The Office of Training Support Standards (TPS) falls under the Diplomatic Security Service's Training Directorate within the Department of State. The Office provides basic and in-service law enforcement, technical security, counter-terrorism, technical security, information assurance, diplomatic courier, and other professional training to Diplomatic Security agents and security engineering personnel being assigned throughout the world.
The Basic Special Agent Course is an intense 29-week program that prepares newly appointed Diplomatic Security Agent candidates for domestic duty with the Department of State. Upon entry on duty with the Department of State, all Special Agent candidates attend a three week orientation at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center followed by 12 weeks of training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center at Glynco, GA for the Criminal Investigators Training Program. The course culminates 13 weeks of specialized training in the Washington D.C. area that includes two weeks of introductory training, deliberate planning, leadership, tactical medicine, personnel recovery, weapons, small unit tactics, and movement and static security procedures need to operate in non-permissive environments.
The Instructor Development Course provides basic training in instructional techniques and selected instructional design/development topics. Participants learn presentation techniques and the policies and procedures that govern instructing for the office of Training and Performance Support (TPS). The course combines interactive lecture, small group exercises, and multiple participant presentations.
The FLETA Board is the accrediting body for all federal law enforcement training and support programs. To achieve accreditation, agencies submit to an independent review of their academy and/or program to ensure compliance with the FLETA Standards and Procedures in the areas of: Administration, Training Staff, Training Development, Training Delivery, and Distance Learning. Accreditation is a cyclical process occurring every five years. Each year, agencies must submit annual reports in preparation for reaccreditation, which is a new and independent review of the academy/program.