Law Enforcement training at the Miami Police Department has a long and distinguished history. From 1896, when the City of Miami was incorporated, to 1921, the law enforcement personnel received "on the job" training. It was in 1921 when Miami’s police officers were first required to pass a written test and a physical qualification requirement. In the late 1920s, the Miami Police Department established its first training school with 20 police officers. These officers received training in first aid, criminal and courtroom procedures, use of firearms and other law enforcement procedures. Written tests were administered for civil service employment and promotions.

In 1945, Chief Walter Headley created the Miami Police Academy. Recruit Class #1 was the first police academy in Florida to establish college credit for law enforcement training. The class ran for approximately six weeks and included 198 hours of training. The Miami Police Academy averaged three classes annually, usually with nine recruits per class. The last Miami Police Academy class was Recruit Class #82, which graduated in 1973 after 960 hours of training.

In the early 1970s, the Miami Dade College, North Campus (MDC-N) established the Southeast Institute of Criminal Justice open to law enforcement agencies for basic law enforcement training for recruits. The Miami Police Department enrolled its recruits in the Basic Law Enforcement (BLE) Class #1 from that time until 2009.