The shortage of qualified applicants for policing jobs is a growing concern for many local municipalities. In response, some local law enforcement agencies are looking to Mohawk Valley Community College's Law Enforcement Program as a workforce solution for their departments. To further support this initiative, MVCC has secured grant funding to provide scholarships to some students for the upcoming academic year. This will help ensure that qualified candidates can access the necessary training and education required to pursue careers in law enforcement.

MVCC's Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement Certificate program, also known as the Pre-Employment Police Training Program or Phase 1 Police Academy, provides 85% of the basic training required to become a police officer in New York State. It is taught by full- and part-time faculty with years of relevant field experience as law enforcement professionals. 

Officials from the Rome Police Department, Utica Police Department, and the Oneida County Sheriff joined College representatives at MVCC's Utica Campus on Friday, April 28, to promote the program and raise awareness of the benefits it provides. Speaking at the event were Troy Little, MVCC Director of Law Enforcement Programs, Oneida County Sheriff Rob Maciol, Utica Police Chief Mark Williams, Rome Police Chief David Collins, and MVCC Phase 1 Recruit Mathew Vazquez. 

“I am grateful for the opportunity that MVCC's academy has provided me,” Vazquez said. “The program has given me the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a career in law enforcement, and I am excited to be joining the Utica Police Department immediately after graduation. The program has prepared me well for the challenges that lie ahead, and I am confident that I will be able to make a positive impact on the community that I will be serving.”

Since the start of the program, well over 80% of program graduates have gained employment as police officers.

“The Oneida County Sheriff's Office has sponsored the program since its inception in 2011,” said Sheriff Maciol. “During that time, the Sheriff’s office has hired dozens of deputies who completed the program, and I have been very satisfied with the quality of candidates.”

Now that the program has a proven track record of producing quality candidates, Chiefs Collins and Williams no longer see a need to have program graduates also complete a full-time police academy. 

“Moving forward, once a qualified candidate has completed the program, they will complete the four-week-long Phase 2, instead of the six-month-long full-time academy,” Williams said.

“By hiring and sending candidates to Phase 2 instead of a full-time academy, we will greatly reduce the time it takes for a new officer to be ready for patrol duties. This will also be a tremendous cost-saver to my city,” Collins said.

Little stated that a major benefit of the program is its ability to prepare candidates for the physical fitness test. “For years, police executives have identified that the pool of qualified candidates is shrinking due to their inability to pass the required physical fitness test,” he said. “While the program accepts students of all fitness levels, the required exit standard that students must meet is set by New York State. I have seen students come into the program at a very low level of fitness, dedicate themselves to the program, and meet the required fitness standard.”

Little also wants the public to know that there is no maximum age to join the program. “Most people identify policing as a full-time job and career. The reality is that many town and village agencies in New York hire part-time officers. In New York, there is a maximum age to start a career as a full-time police officer, but there is no maximum age to start as a part-time police officer. This creates a great opportunity for qualified individuals who have full-time careers to give back and serve their town or village a few days a month. The program has graduated students from ages 20 to 58.”

The estimated cost of attendance, which includes in-state tuition, fees, books, and uniforms, is $6,800 before any financial aid, scholarships, or other assistance such as VA benefits.

For more information about MVCC's Law Enforcement Program, visit mvcc.edu/phase1, or contact MVCC Director of Law Enforcement Programs Troy Little at 315-792-5618 or tlittle@mvcc.edu.