The first ever Casper Police Department training academy will begin this morning with the aim of shortening the time it will take to get 10 new officers on the streets.

Police officials say the academy also will offer Casper-specific training that should help trainees transition into their new roles.

"We feel the benefits are going to be more than worth it," said Chief Tom Pagel.

In the past, the department sent its new officers to train at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy in Douglas. However, the Douglas Academy has only four slots for new Casper officers for each basic officer training class, which is offered three times a year.

Needing several new officers, Pagel opted to set up his own department's academy so that all 10 recruits can be ready at once.

"It would have taken a year to get everyone into the academy in Douglas," Pagel said. "We'll have them on the streets in 31 weeks."

With the recruits, the department will be back to its authorized strength of 98 officers, even with several anticipated retirements.

Eight of the new officers will attend the entire academy, which runs through Nov. 19. Another two officers, who have received training elsewhere, only will be required to take certain classes.

Although an in-house academy is new for Casper police, it's been used elsewhere, including by the Cheyenne Police Department. Pagel emphasized that his department's decision to run its own academy doesn't reflect any dissatisfaction with the state program in Douglas.

The Casper academy will offer the same classes that officers attend in Douglas. But it will also provide them with training specific to Casper, while offering officers a chance to get to know the community they will be working in, Pagel said.

"We think they will assimilate into the department more quickly," he said.

For example, instead of receiving generic training on using a radio or writing a report, the new officers will be taught those procedures as they are done by Casper police.

The Casper academy will offer instruction in areas that officers don't normally receive at the state academy, according to Lt. Mike Thompson, who's coordinating the program. As a result, the training will take 15 1/2 weeks, rather than 13 weeks, to complete.

The Casper-specific curriculum includes Taser certification and lessons on municipal ordinances.

Teaching the academy will be the department's own officers, staff from other law enforcement agencies and lawyers from the Natrona County District Attorney's Office. That will give trainees an opportunity to develop relationships with people they will be working with once they begin patrolling, Thompson said.

After they finish the academy, the recruits will go into the department's field training program, where they will be paired with other, more experienced officers to patrol with. Normally, that program takes 18 weeks, but because the Casper academy will offer more localized instruction, the process might be sped up, Pagel said.

Putting on a local academy requires a significant time commitment, the chief said. But he believes it will pay off in the end.

"It's a big step for us," he said.

Reach crime reporter Joshua Wolfson at (307) 266-0582 or at josh.wolfson@trib.com.