About the Wiregrass Law Enforcement Academy

The Wiregrass Law Enforcement Academy (WLEA) began operations in March of 2023 after approval and designation from the APOSTC Commission. The WLEA is located at the Wiregrass Public Safety Center in Dothan, Alabama. The WLEA is under the direct leadership of Colonel Jimmy Helms who serves as the Academy Director.  The WLEA will work closely with several local and state agencies to accomplish the needs and goals of the WLEA as defined by APOSTC.

The WLEA staff leadership is made of officers from the Dothan Police Department.  The WLEA is an APOSTC certified regional academy, striving to lay and build upon “A Foundation of Excellence” learned while in the academy.

The WLEA is a non-residential academy, but housing is made affordable through agreements with area hotels. The Wiregrass Public Safety Center is home to a 23-acre, $23,000,000 state-of-the-art training facility for police, fire, emergency medical personnel, other first responders and the community.

Our facilities include Classrooms, Virtual Weapons Trainer / Simulator, 24/7 Weight Room, K-9 Facility, Drill Tower, Skills Pad, Teach Me House, Simunitions House & Simulator, Shooting Range, Sniper Range, and a Live Fire Shoot House.

Driver training is held in Montgomery at the Alabama Law Enforcement Emergency Vehicle Operations Center.