The Orange County Sheriff’s Department began employing Sheriff’s Special Officers in the early 1980’s. Initially their training consisted of a brief 40-hour PC 832 course and assignments were limited. Today, Sheriff’s Special Officers are recognized by the State of California as full time peace officers and are deployed extensively throughout the Department. There are 359 Sheriff’s Special Officers assigned to Airport Operations, Court Operations, Jail Operations, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), and the Security Bureau. They are a significant force for the Department. Because of their importance, the training for the Sheriff’s Special Officers has drastically changed. Sheriff’s Special Officers now attend a stress-intensive academy that is 584 hours in length extending over sixteen weeks. The academy training includes; handgun/shotgun, electronic control device, baton and pepper spray, field tactics, field interviewing techniques, physical fitness, department policies, procedures and regulations and the POST Modular Format, Level III and Level II. This enhanced training is accomplished through affiliations with Santa Ana Community College and the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
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