Police Academy training offered at special price Regular $1,100 cost is now $500

March 12 will be the first day of the new Franklin County Reserve/Intermittent Police Training Academy, thanks to the work of GCC Dean of Professional Studies Terry Lynn, President Bob Pura, Franklin County Sheriff Chris Donelan, Capt. Newton of Greenfield Police Dept, Retired GPD Chief Dave Guilbault, Northwestern District Attorney Dave Sullivan, ADA Martha Murphy-Kane, and Chief Hastings of Gill PD. These people, assisted by many GCC faculty and staff members such as Walter Nieliwocki, Paul Palazzo, David Lanoie, Fran Fox, Buz Eisenberg, and Bill Mayrose, came together as a team to make this work for our students, the community, and law enforcement of Franklin County.

This intensive 14-week course is required of any person who wants to start a career as a part-time police officer, and it is being offered to Franklin County residents for less than half the regular price. The Franklin County police chiefs, the Franklin County sheriff, the Northwest District Attorney's Office, MA State Police and Greenfield Community College have come together to provide the instructors, facilities and equipment necessary.

According to Sheriff Chris Donelan, there is a need for officers. "Many towns in Franklin County are shorthanded and no new officers have been trained because the traditional academies are too expensive." The cost to attend an academy run by the Western Mass. Police Chiefs Association is $1,100. This has been expensive for college students or other people looking to start a career in law enforcement. The Franklin County Academy will cost $500. According to Donelan, this lower price comes from working together. "All of the partners in this effort are providing certified trainers, lawyers and teachers to be the instructors for this academy at no cost. The college is allowing use of space at no cost." The academy will run Tuesday and Thursday evenings and all day Saturday from March 12 through June 21. The academy will be open to Criminal Justice students at GCC as well as any other persons interested in a career in law enforcement who are sponsored by a police chief. Applications for the academy can be downloaded from the Greenfield Police Dept. website at www.greenfieldpd.org. Deadline for applications is Feb. 28.

"I think this is a wonderful opportunity for our criminal justice students at GCC," said Dean Terry Lynn. "It bridges the academic knowledge they have learned from our talented and seasoned CJ faculty, allows real opportunity to practice what they have learned as they serve their communities and opens up doors for their future in Law Enforcement at all levels." Lynn added, "everyone in policing got a start someplace – mine was as a summer reserve officer on Cape Cod back in the 80's. I learned how to network and take advantage of career support programs to become a full-time officer. But due to current fiscal issues, liability, etc., those opportunities do not exist much anymore in Massachusetts and this Academy gives our students an opportunity that may otherwise not have existed."

President Bob Pura is pleased that GCC faculty and staff successfully worked to create another collaboration with community agencies that resulted in better opportunities for our students. "The local law enforcement community and GCC are natural partners in bringing together quality academic, technical and real world instruction in criminal justice," he said. "The fact that our students and applicants from local law enforcement can attend the Academy here in Franklin County, instead of commuting to Springfield, is a win-win situation. We very much appreciate the willingness of the Sheriff, the District Attorney and the area Police Chiefs to prioritize the effort and make it happen."

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