Mercyhurst Police Academy graduates 15 cadets

Fifteen cadets will graduate from the Mercyhurst University Municipal Police Training Academy on Wednesday, June 21, at 11 a.m. in Walker Recital Hall, situated in the Audrey Hirt Academic Center on the Erie campus.

Academy Director Bill Hale said of the 15, four will be sworn in as officers with the Erie Police Department next week. Others have jobs with the Erie School District, Warren Police Department, City of Bradford Police Department, and one is expected to be hired by Titusville Police.

Upon completion of the program, students are prepared for positions as police officers, park rangers, municipal authority officers, and many other positions within the criminal justice system.

The full-time, intensive course, which is approximately five months long, is designed for aspiring peace officer recruits who can dedicate their full attention toward completing the program, which satisfies the Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officer’s Education and Training Commission (MPOETC) minimum training requirements for Pennsylvania entry-level law enforcement officers.

Hale said 21 cadets are enrolled in the next training program, which begins July 5. The academy is located in the Janet L. Miller Building at 5999 State Route 89 in North East.