Municipal Police Academy Programs

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires that any person wishing to become a certified security officer or who is privately employed and is required as a condition of employment to carry a lethal weapon must participate in a 40-hour Lethal Weapons Training program. Pennsylvania also requires that every five years, individuals who have been certified must attend an eight-hour recertification (renewal) program. The Mercyhurst University Police Academy offers these classes periodically each year, with sessions held at the Academy’s HQ in North East, PA. The price for the 40-hour course is $475, and renewal is $200. Please view our FAQ for important facts about the Lethal Weapons Training Act.

To apply for either the basic forty (40)-hour course or the eight (8)-hour renewal course, contact Dr. Art Amann at aamann@mercyhurst.edu. Please note that you do not have to pay in advance for this course but must bring payment in full on day one of class. Finally, after receiving approval from the Pennsylvania State Police to attend one of our courses, they will send you a letter to this effect. This letter, or a copy, MUST be brought to the first class, or you cannot be admitted.

Please contact Dr. Art Amann (aamann@mercyhurst.edu) for dates. Sessions begin at 7 a.m. and end at 8 p.m. at the Mercyhurst University Municipal Police Training Academy, 5999 State Rt. 89, North East, PA. Please note: This class is NOT located on the main Mercyhurst campus.

Please contact Dr. Art Amann (aamann@mercyhurst.edu) for dates. Sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 3:30 p.m. Students will need a serviceable duty sidearm, revolver or semi-automatic, a holster and sturdy belt, magazine holder, ball cap, ear and eye protection (safety glasses), and 200 rounds of factory ammunition. Shotguns and rounds will be provided.

The cost for these programs is $475, payable on day one of training.

Questions can be directed to Dr. Amann at aamann@mercyhurst.edu

Complete an online (Basic Applicant) application using the TACS System. Log in as a First-Time User on the left side of the screen. If the system recognizes your information, you may be instructed to select the other option to log in with your existing profile, also on the left side of the screen. Once you are in the system, select the Home Act 235 button and select the Basic Training Application. Scroll down to select “Start Application." Complete all required information on each screen and submit when you have finished. This will require a credit card payment of $50.

When you submit your application, you will receive an automated email from Identigo/Morphotrust with instructions for scheduling your fingerprint session. You must be fingerprinted at one of the approved Identigo/Morphotrust locations. You will not receive the results of your fingerprints. These will be forwarded directly to the Lethal Weapons Certification Unit for review.

When you submit your application, you will also receive a confirmation email from the Lethal Weapons Certification Unit with instructions to download and print the physical and psychological examination forms. You must undergo a physical and psychological examination at your own expense. The physicians must be PA-licensed and must submit completed and signed forms to the Lethal Weapons Certification Unit.

It is the applicant's responsibility to schedule the training after receiving the approval letter from the State Police. After you receive approval, contact Dr. Amann at aamann@mercyhurst.edu

Mercyhurst Municipal Police Training Academy
Act 235
P.O. Box 246
North East, PA 16428

Individuals who have completed comparable law enforcement training within the past five years may be waived the academic training requirement. Individuals who have successfully qualified on a law enforcement firearms course within the past 12 months may be waived of the firearms training requirement. 

To request waiver consideration, please submit the following supporting documents to the Lethal Weapons Certification Unit at mpolethalweapcert@pa.gov or at the address listed above.

Physical Form
Psychological Form

In response to requests from the public and in keeping with the pledge to provide “services for a safer tomorrow,” we offer unique training programs designed specifically for citizens. These programs are fairly short in nature to acknowledge that our students are busy adults, yet inexpensive in order to provide this training to as many people as possible. Additionally, all instructors are employees of the Mercyhurst University Municipal Police Training Academy, especially suited for working with adult students concerning public and personal safety issues. More information can be obtained by contacting Dr. Art Amann at aamann@mercyhurst.edu

Current programs include:

Situational Awareness

In response to the dangers inherent in a free society, public safety experts at the Mercyhurst University Municipal Police Training Academy developed a concise but intensive training program titled “Situational Awareness.” This is NOT a “fighting” curriculum but rather one focused on developing the mental and emotional skills needed to survive high-risk events either personally or in the workplace. This program runs from four to seven hours, depending on the material requested by our students.