State training requirements
District of Columbia Peace Officer Training Requirements
Who governs peace officer standards in District of Columbia, the annual in-service requirement, the mandated topics for de-escalation and crisis response, and who decides what counts for in-service credit.
Verified as of July 10, 2026
Who governs
Peace officer standards and training in District of Columbia are set by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the DC Police Officers Standards and Training Board.
Annual in-service requirement
The District of Columbia does not have a classic state POST. DC Code 5-107.02 mandates a continuing education program for sworn Metropolitan Police Department members that must, at minimum, include instruction on enumerated topics, and the DC Police Officers Standards and Training Board determines the minimum continuing-education requirements, including a firearms program, with consequences such as promotion ineligibility for noncompletion. MPD may use other agencies or organizations to satisfy continuing education and reports annually to the Mayor and Council by December 31. The MPD continuing-education hour total is policy-set and is not a statutory figure.
Mandated topics relevant to CodeBlu
Enumerated continuing-education topics
The enumerated continuing-education topics include search and seizure and constitutional limits (5-107.02(b)(7)), the duty to report misconduct and excessive force (5-107.02(b)(8)), and interactions with individuals with Alzheimer's disease or dementia (5-107.02(b)(4A)).
Source: DC Code 5-107.02(b)
De-escalation and crisis intervention
MPD internal policy and NEAR Act elements include crisis intervention, but the statutory continuing-education enumeration and its recurring status should be verified against the current 5-107.02(b) list.
Source: DC Code 5-107.02
Who decides in-service credit
Agency discretion
The POST Board sets the minimum continuing-education requirements; MPD administers them, may exceed them, and may use other organizations to satisfy any portion. There is no independent statewide course-certification body separate from MPD and the Board.
Source: DC Code 5-107.04(f) to (k)
What this means for training like CodeBlu
Because District of Columbia leaves the in-service credit decision to each agency's chief executive, a department can decide whether training like CodeBlu counts toward its non-perishable in-service hours. This is not a determination of eligibility: CodeBlu does not certify hours or grant credit, the chief executive owns that decision, and agency policy and legal counsel govern. CodeBlu provides the per-officer records and transcripts that support the decision and the agency's own reporting.
Primary sources
- POST-equivalent siteDC POST Board and Metropolitan Police Department (official site)
- StatuteDC Code 5-107.02 (continuing education program)
- StatuteDC Code 5-107.04 (POST Board authority)
Verified as of July 10, 2026. This page is reviewed on an annual cadence, and the date is bumped only on re-verification against the primary sources above.
Frequently asked questions
- Who sets peace officer training requirements in District of Columbia?
- Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the DC Police Officers Standards and Training Board sets peace officer standards and training requirements in District of Columbia.
- How many annual in-service training hours does District of Columbia require?
- The District of Columbia does not have a classic state POST. DC Code 5-107.02 mandates a continuing education program for sworn Metropolitan Police Department members that must, at minimum, include instruction on enumerated topics, and the DC Police Officers Standards and Training Board determines the minimum continuing-education requirements, including a firearms program, with consequences such as promotion ineligibility for noncompletion. MPD may use other agencies or organizations to satisfy continuing education and reports annually to the Mayor and Council by December 31. The MPD continuing-education hour total is policy-set and is not a statutory figure.
- Who decides what training counts for in-service credit in District of Columbia?
- The POST Board sets the minimum continuing-education requirements; MPD administers them, may exceed them, and may use other organizations to satisfy any portion. There is no independent statewide course-certification body separate from MPD and the Board.