The facility officially opened in May of 1989. Seventy acres is undeveloped and is designated a wildlife sanctuary. The maintained campus area is approximately ninety-five acres, which includes the Academy's Main Building, Driving Track, Tactical Village, Physical Fitness Area and Shooting Range. An assortment of frame and masonry buildings, used for tactical training and other field training opportunities. Interactive and multi-media, a computerized, lifelike simulation, giving students realistic skill building episodes.
Scenarios are varied and challenging.
Under the leadership of Captain Al Carnot, the management team consists of a lieutenant and three sergeants. The staff instructors include detectives and patrol officers. Applications for enrollment to the San Antonio Police Training Academy are taken from existing eligibility lists generated by the Recruiting and Applicant Processing Details of the San Antonio Police Department. Please go to their pages for more detailed information. After successful completion of field training, each probationary is given their own patrol assignment.