Thirty four new Franklin County Reserve/Intermittent Police Officer candidates will graduate Thursday, June 28, 2012, marking the completion of the first class to complete the new Training Academy located at Greenfield Community College. The ceremony will showcase the collaborative efforts of the Franklin County Police Chiefs, the Franklin County Sheriff, the Northwest District Attorney's Office, and Greenfield Community College to join together to provide the instructors, facilities and equipment necessary to launch the new Academy earlier this year.

Captain John Newton of the Greenfield Police Department (Ret.) will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the event, which will include remarks from Gill Police Chief and current President of the Franklin County Police Chiefs Association David Hastings, Franklin County Sheriff Christopher Donelan, Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan and GCC Dean of Professional Studies Terry Lynn. The reception will begin at 6:00 PM in the GCC Dining Commons, and the graduation ceremony will immediately follow at 6:30 p.m.

The Franklin County Reserve Police Academy's first cohort was a success thanks to the commitment and collaboration of the above-named organizations that came together as a team to create a program for police officer training in Franklin County, ending the decades long practice of students needing to travel to Springfield for the training and credentials to serve.

GCC President Bob Pura noted that this is yet another example of this community rising to the occasion to support students. "Ten of the 35 graduates from the Academy are also enrolled in GCC's Criminal Justice Program and all of the graduates are engaged in learning to change their lives and strengthen their families and their communities," he commented. "The benefit to the area's law enforcement of having local, cost effective workforce training is immeasurable and the contribution to our student success in the Criminal Justice Program, of having the pathway to their career goals continue right here where they are already studying, is tremendous."

The intensive 14-week course is required of any person who wants to start a career as a part-time police officer, and was offered to Franklin County residents at a significantly reduced cost. The cost to attend an academy run in the Springfield area, coupled with the costs of travel three days per week was prohibitive for college students or others looking to start a career in law enforcement. The Franklin County Police Academy's reduced cost, according to Franklin County Sheriff Chris Donelan, comes from working together. "All of the partners in this effort provided certified trainers, lawyers and teachers to be the instructors for this academy at little to no cost and GCC generously provided the instruction space," he said.

Franklin County Reserve Police Academy Graduation – June 28, 2012 LIST OF GRADUATES

Sponsoring Agency

1. FCSO Aiken, Michael

2. FCSO-GCC Banari, Andrei

3. Erving PD Budine, Aaron

4. FCSO-GCC Cappella, Rachel

5. FCSO-GCC DeHoyos, Thomas

6. Charlemont PD Dekoschak, Gregory

7. Montague PD Dobosz, Joshua

8. Colrain PD Downer, Gary

9. Gill PD Duguay, Michelle

10. Colrain PD D Dyer, Barbara

11. FCSO-GCC Finck, Christian

12. FCSO-GCC Franklin, Ephraim

13. FCSO Gagnon, Gary

14. New Salem PD Gamache, Melissa

15. FCSO Glabach, Rick

16. Charlemont PD Hebert, Katherine

17. FCSO-GCC Holland, Jamal

18. FCSO-GCC Holmes, Jonathan

19. FCSO-GCC Komerzan, Igor

20. Athol PD LaMarche, Joshua

21. Erving PD Lamica, Dakota

22. Montague PD Lapean, Jacob

23. Montague PD Lucas, Melony

24. FCSO-GCC MacDougall, Tiffany

25. Buckland PD Melnick, Christopher

26. FCSO-GCC Powell, Cory

27. Orange PD Powling, Tim

28. FCSO-GCC Russell, Jennifer

29. Plainfield PD Shearer, Joshua

30. Athol PD Thompson, Brandi

31. Erving PD Towne, Michael

32. Greenfield PD VanValkenburgh, John

33. FCSO-GCC Westfall, Alex

34. FCSO Winn, Tom Stut Sig

FCSO = Franklin County Sheriff's Office Employee

FCSO-GCC = Franklin County Sheriff's Office/GCC Student

PD = Local Police Department

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