Former Auburn elementary school becomes new home of Placer sheriff's academy
What was once an elementary school in Auburn is getting a second life.
The former Rock Creek Elementary School campus is being transformed into the temporary home of the Placer County Sheriff's Office's new Regional Training Academy, where dozens of future law enforcement officers will soon begin their careers.
The academy comes as demand for law enforcement training has grown significantly across Northern California over the last five years, creating a need for additional Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) academy space.
"It'll look different every time," Placer County Sheriff's Lt. Michael Cuevas said while showing CBS 13 through a series of classrooms that have been converted into realistic training environments. "We have 11 classrooms that we were able to turn into scenario rooms... Every scenario that we run is not going to be the same."
Those classrooms are designed to replicate situations officers could face in the field, challenging recruits to assess threats and make split-second decisions.
"Let's just say you're the officer... I might just grab a pool ball," Cuevas explained. "You might think nothing of it when you first walk in here, but this could be a weapon."
Another training room recreates a domestic disturbance, where officers must quickly assess multiple people and unknown dangers inside a home.
"You don't know what's inside that couch when you're showing up," Cuevas said. "Or you might have one of the parties here and the other party might be on the other side of the residence. You have to deal with that obstacle too."
For Cuevas, helping lead the academy is something he never envisioned when he attended the police academy in 2008.
"All I wanted to do was serve the community that I worked for," he said. "Now in 2026, working for the Placer County Sheriff's Office, I'm extremely proud and excited to be able to be at the forefront of law enforcement training."
According to the Placer County Sheriff's Office, this marks the first new regional POST academy option to open in California in 20 years.
The academy will operate out of the vacant Rock Creek Elementary School campus until construction is complete on the Sierra College Regional Public Safety Training Center.
The first academy class is scheduled to begin in August 2026 with just under 50 recruits. Officials say the academy will run two 24-week sessions each year, totaling about 950 hours of instruction. Through a partnership with Sierra College, recruits will also earn approximately 30 college credit units while completing the academy.
Cuevas says interest has already exceeded expectations.
"We have nine outside agencies that are going to be sending their recruits here to get our training," he said.
The academy will be staffed by instructors from the Placer County Sheriff's Office with support from the Roseville Police Department and the Nevada County Sheriff's Office, helping train the next generation of officers serving communities across Northern California.
