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POST proposal to set 1:25 recruit-training-officer ratio draws pushback from colleges and presenters
Summary
POST staff proposed requiring recruit training officers (RTOs) in all basic course modules, a mandatory 1:25 RTO-to-student ratio and raised qualifications; colleges, presenters and some agencies warned the one-size-fits-all ratio is costly, operationally impractical for split classes and could reduce access to training.
A proposal to standardize recruit training officer (RTO) staffing and qualifications drew a lengthy, sometimes heated discussion at the POST advisory committee meeting.
Mario Marino, law enforcement consultant with POST's certification review team, presented three problems identified during course reviews: inconsistent RTO assignment across modular courses, unregulated and at times extreme RTO-to-student loads, and RTO qualifications that can include officers without patrol experience. He proposed three solutions: require dedicated RTOs in module 2 and 3 (as in module 1), establish a mandatory 1:25 RTO-to-student ratio across modules and raise RTO qualifications to require completion of a POST-certified field-training program and basic training certificate.
"RTOs monitor instruction, serve as a day-to-day first-line supervisor, mentor, motivate, evaluate, and advise recruits," Marino said, arguing a regulated ratio is necessary for student safety, consistent evaluation and accreditation quality.
Several presenters pushed back. Tammy Morell of the California Academy Directors Association said strict 1:25 language as written could be cost-prohibitive for colleges that run split classes (two sites on the same weekend) and rely on adjuncts, pointing to classroom, range and EVOC splits that already require multiple staff. "If it's written literally, it will be interpreted literally," Morell warned, saying added staff requirements could increase tuition or reduce access to training for some students.
Other committee members — including agency trainers and representatives from county sheriff associations and community colleges — asked for impact analysis and more stakeholder work. Sheriff representatives highlighted operational trade-offs when agencies must pull deputies from street duties to staff academies; community college representatives noted regulatory constraints on adjunct staffing and the financial implications of hiring additional RTOs.
Some presenters supported tighter requirements. A few agencies requested even smaller ratios (one presenter asked for 1:12) to ensure adequate evaluation and documentation.
What happens next: POST staff said the proposal was developed from certification reviews and safety concerns; it will proceed through rulemaking processes and workshops. Several advisory members urged staff to convene more stakeholder engagement and consider flexible, policy-based approaches or pilots to address split-class and college constraints before adopting a hard 1:25 requirement.
