A new police academy at Augusta Technical College is in the works, and it could mean more deputies will walk the streets of Augusta.

Students would get more training in constitutional law and criminal procedures, along with skill areas such as weapons training and emergency vehicle operations. They will also receive college credit and be halfway to obtaining their associate's degree.

Plans to create an 18-week police training program are under way at the school, said Ken Jones, a professor of criminology.

Mr. Jones said the program would create a curriculum that is more demanding than the typical academies by requiring students to take up to 700 credit hours, 300 more than are usually required by schools.

"We will be hopefully producing officers with more training, which we really need in Georgia," Mr. Jones said. "We're working towards getting final approval sometime around Nov. 1 and having our first class sometime in January."

Five Georgia technical schools are creating similar programs -- a first for the state, said Mike Light, spokesman for Technical College System of Georgia. Coosa Valley Tech, DeKalb Tech, Ogeechee Tech, Savannah Tech and South Georgia Tech are participating.

"The way we designed the academy, when they graduate, they will be a certified peace officer and they will be able to go to work for any agency," he said. "It is just time we looked at ways, in my opinion, of better educating our officers in Georgia and give them a better start."

Richmond County sheriff's Col. Gary Powell said as long as the classes produce high-caliber candidates it will give the sheriff's office a "bigger pool to pick from." There are 29 openings at the department, down from about 78 six months ago -- a difference that Col. Powell blames on the sagging economy's causing people to look to law enforcement for a job.

"I think it will be good if they do all of the requirements that are required through POST (Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council)," Col. Powell said.