The Virginia State Police Academy is located at the State Police Headquarters complex at 7700 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond, Virginia.
The training involves over 1,776 hours of instruction covering more than 100 courses. The first 20 weeks are at the Academy, followed by four weeks of field training. Students then return to the Academy for 12 weeks. Following academy graduation, troopers have an additional six to eight weeks of field training.
Training materials are furnished, as well as meals and lodging, at no cost to Academy students. Trooper trainees are on full salary from the time they are hired. Subjects studied range from laws of arrest, search and seizure, defensive tactics and arrest techniques, motor vehicle and criminal law, to name a few.
Troopers will remain in this first assignment for 12 months.
