There is no more critical element of police work than proper and professional training. Police officers must be prepared to protect the citizens and themselves, and to do their jobs well.  The Knox County Sheriff's Office places great emphasis on this particular aspect of law enforcement, and devoted more than 329 days to train 2,899 students in 2007.  This included In-Service and Firearms Safety for certified officers, specialized schools for the numerous special teams, and special certification classes.  In all, the Training Division conducted 35 different specialized schools.

The Knox County Sheriff's Office also has its own Regional Training Academy, which conducts a Basic Police School.  Here recruits spend 11 weeks in firearms, precision driving and defensive tactics classes.  They spend most of their time in academic classes such as law, community policing, and domestic violence.  The Sheriff’s Office has graduated 17 recruit classes to date, and 366 police officers have received their certification from the Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission.