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Basic Training - Tier III

A Tier III basic training program is provided for certain agencies that are specifically oriented towards investigative duties.  Agencies such as the Medicaid Fraud division, Secretary of State investigators, state fire marshals, inspector general investigators and prosecuting attorney investigators may participate in this course. 

This program is approximately three weeks in length with part of the program incorporating the LETB Pre-basic Course.  The curriculum in this course is oriented to those who conduct more sophisticated investigations but make very few criminal custody arrests.

Those eligible for participation in the Tier III program may instead enroll in either the Tier II or the Tier I programs.


Frequently Asked Questions About Tier III

  • How many different levels of basic law enforcement training are there in Indiana?

Indiana law requires minimum basic training for all full-time, paid law enforcement officers serving in Indiana.

The actual length of that training depends upon the agency that you work for and the position that you will be occupying. Currently, there are 3 different levels of basic training provided at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy (Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III).  These range from 4 weeks in duration to as many as 15 weeks.

  • What is the Tier III training program designed to accomplish?

The Tier III training program was established in 2011 as minimum basic training for LEOs whose geographical or statutory jurisdiction was limited.  Agencies that are required to attend Tier III basic training include agents from the Indiana Attorney General’s Office (Medicare Fraud division), the Indiana Secretary of State (Securities Exchange), sworn fire investigators and investigators employed by any Indiana prosecuting attorney.

The course is designed to provide these investigators with the basic skills to conduct a number of different investigations.  These skills include, but are not limited to, interviewing and interrogation, evidence collection and preservation, photography, statement analysis, and report writing. Students also learn the fundamentals of substantive criminal law and procedural law. 

  • Who can attend the Tier III training program?

New employees from the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, the Indiana Secretary State’s Office, the State Fire Marshal’s office, and Prosecuting Attorney investigators. 

  • Where is the Tier III training program conducted?

The ILEA Tier III training program is held at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.  Students commute to the academy on a daily basis, Mon-Fri, for a total of 4 weeks. 

  • Do I have to take the 40-hr pre-basic course with this Tier III program?

No.  You do not have to take the 40-hr pre-basic course to enroll in the Tier III, and it is not included in the 4-week training.  The only exception to this requirement are those investigators that are employed by the Indiana Secretary of State’s office because they are required by state law to complete this course.

If you work for the Secretary of State, then you must complete the 40-hr pre-basic course PRIOR to enrolling in the Tier III course.

  • How long is the Tier III training program?

As of February 2019, the ILEA Tier III training program is 152 hours (4 weeks).

  • Can any fireman or arson investigator attend the Tier III training program?

The simple answer to this is No.  This required ILEA training is for law enforcement officers, or those arson investigators who have law enforcement authority (can arrest or search). This law enforcement authority is usually given to them by statute or by authority (i.e. Chief of Police or Sheriff). 

If you are an ‘arson investigator’ without any type of law enforcement authority, then you are NOT eligible to attend the Tier III training program.

  • What does a Tier III training certification mean to me?

The Tier III training certification means that you have completed the minimum training requirements to fulfill the law enforcement role of those positions described above only.  Any additional training that you receive will be at the discretion of the agency where you are employed. 

  • If I graduate from the Tier III training program, do I have to go back to the academy if I get another full-time law enforcement job?

The Tier III minimum training requirements ONLY apply to those agencies listed above. If you work for a different law enforcement agency after completing the Tier III training, then the minimum training requirements for your new agency will be different. Your new training requirements will probably be the completion of a Tier I or Tier II training program.  The Tier I and Tier II training programs are longer and cover a larger number of topics. 

If, after completing the Tier III training program, you are hired by a different law enforcement agency, you will need to check with the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy to determine what minimum training requirements there are for the new position that you have accepted. 

  • Can I receive a certification from the Tier III training program if I am already a graduate of a Tier I or Tier II training program?

If you are an ILEA graduate of a Tier I or a Tier II program, you will not be required to complete the Tier III training program if you are currently employed as a law enforcement officer, and your law enforcement certification has not been suspended or expired.

If you are an ILEA graduate of a Tier I or Tier II program, but you have left your previous law enforcement career (in good standing) within 2 years of the time of appointment to one of those agencies in the Tier III training block described above, you will not be required to complete the Tier III program. 

If you are an ILEA graduate of a Tier I or a Tier II program, but have been out of law enforcement more than 2  years, but less than 6 years, you will only be required to complete an 80-hour refresher course.

If you are an ILEA graduate of a Tier I or a Tier II program and have been out of law enforcement more than 6 years, then you will have to complete the Tier III training program.  

  • Can I enroll in a Tier I or a Tier II program instead of a Tier III training program?

Yes! If an agency chooses to sponsor an officer and send them to a ‘higher’ tier for their basic training, they certainly can, as long as they meet the minimum standard established for that agency.