Launched in March 2008, the Basic Police Officer Course (BPOC) was conducted at the Marine Corps Police Academy (MCPA)-East, Camp Johnson, North Carolina. In February 2009, MCPA-West, located aboard Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, was added and conducted its first course. In June 2016, MCPA-East closed and the MCPA-West was renamed as the MCPA. In Sep 2020, the MCPA moved from MCAS Miramar to Ft Leonard Wood, MO.
The curriculum for the Basic Police Officer Course was developed in accordance with the Department of Defense (DoD) Peace Officers Standards & Training (POST) Commission guidelines on Minimum Training Standards for law enforcement and includes 13 functional areas of basic law enforcement training. In May 2021, the BPOC was accredited by the DoD POST commission.