Regional Public Safety Training Center

Demand for public safety professionals is rising. Placer County grew 13.8 percent from 2012 to 2022 and is projected to add up to 84,000 residents by 2050*, increasing the need for law enforcement, fire, and emergency response services.

Meeting this demand requires training environments designed for how emergencies actually unfold — coordinated, scenario-based and built for multi-agency response.

*Data cited from the Placer County General Plan Demographic Trends (December 2024)

Today’s public safety incidents rarely involve a single agency. Wildfires, medical emergencies, and large-scale incidents require law enforcement, fire, and EMS to operate together, with speed, interoperability, and shared situational awareness.

The RPSTC is designed to deliver:

• Scenario-based, hands-on training
• Joint, multi-agency exercises
• Modern training environments aligned with current and emerging threats

Agencies training together in shared facilities strengthens workforce capacity, improves real-world response, and reduces reliance on duplicative infrastructure and costly lateral hiring practices.

This coordinated approach:

• Improves response outcomes
• Reduces duplication of training resources
• Supports efficient use of public funds
• Strengthens regional readiness

Strategically Located for Regional Impact

The RPSTC site was selected for its regional connectivity, access, and long-term capacity, linking key public safety, education, and transportation assets:

• 50-acre site chosen through multi-year planning
• Direct access to Highway 65 and the planned Placer Parkway corridor
• Proximity to Sierra College, Sacramento State Placer Campus, regional partners and the FBI Sacramento Field Office.

Sierra College plays a critical role in preparing public safety professionals, but current training capacity does not fully align with regional workforce demand.

Challenges include:

• Lack of a comprehensive local police academy
• Limited access to local and regional academies
• Limited local training facilities
• Lack of candidates

Through dual enrollment partnerships with regional high schools, Sierra College is introducing students to public safety careers earlier, strengthening the long-term pipeline and supporting local workforce development. The RPSTC will increase training opportunities and capacity and accelerate the pathway to service.

Detailed program offerings and credential pathways are available in the project fact sheet.

“This facility will help us accelerate hiring of future workers and keep our workforce trained with the latest skills without the added cost and time of sending our personnel out of the area for training.”

“Joint training among local agencies and among fire and police is the future of public safety response. This facility will give us the opportunity to be on the cutting edge by continually training together across agencies to maintain the best possible service to the community.”

“The vision for a Regional Public Safety Training Center has been the epitome of collaboration between Sierra College and all the public safety agencies, both law and fire, in western Placer County.”