Students Begin Police Officer Training at UC Centers
Students across Maine have taken on the challenge of becoming reserve police officers, but unlike many of their peers at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, they are taking courses locally, at University College centers. Twenty-nine students are enrolled in Law Enforcement Pre-Service, a course offered this semester by the University of Maine at Fort Kent via Interactive Television (ITV).
The arrangement, made possible by an agreement between the Fort Kent campus and the Maine Criminal Justice Academy (MCJA) in Vassalboro, is a first. The three-credit course is equivalent to the Law Enforcement Pre-Service Program offered at MCJA and prepares students for all the tasks that are performed by local law enforcement personnel.
“It seemed like a natural fit.” said Dr. Tony Enerva, Criminal Justice and Public Safety faculty at UMFK. “We have had great success with our previous criminal justice courses offered through distance education formats, and the Academy was seeking ways to reach more departments around the state.”
The course is taught by multiple instructors rather than a single faculty member. The instructors are practicing law enforcement officers, lawyers, probation officers and other public safety professionals. Students attending at locations statewide can access presentations and other course materials through a course website.
The University and the Academy expect this program to continue with a regularly offered ITV course. They also expect future efforts will expand opportunities for pre-professional and continuing education in law enforcement and public safety.
“We are glad to be able to make this course available to people in our community,” said Chris LeGore, director of UMS distance education. “It enables small police departments to train reserve officers even when they cannot gather a large enough group of students to offer the course on site.”
For more information about this and upcoming courses, please contact University College at 1-800-868-7000 or visit UMFK’s course website:
http://www.umfk.maine.edu/academics/programs/psa/prog/100hr/