How do I estimate lodging costs for out-of-town police training?

Question

I need to budget lodging and meals for officers attending a course away from our duty station. How should I estimate costs before booking hotels?

Accepted Answer

Start with the training destination (city and state), overnight travel dates, and how many officers are going. Federal GSA CONUS lodging and meals-and-incidentals (M&IE) maximums are a common planning ceiling for law enforcement training travel — not the same as course tuition.

Use APT’s per diem calculator to look up the destination and dates, then confirm what your agency actually reimburses (many agencies pay less than the GSA maximum, require receipts, or need pre-approval).

Calculator: https://americanpolicetraining.com/travel/per-diem
Find hotels near training: https://americanpolicetraining.com/travel
Browse training events: https://americanpolicetraining.com/events
Official GSA rate tables: https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-a-trip

These figures are for planning. GSA CONUS rates are a common ceiling for lodging and meals; your agency’s travel policy controls what you are reimbursed. Confirm with your training or fiscal office before booking.