Short Title:
Police Academy Announcement
Beginning in the spring semester, Hagerstown Community College will offer a twice-yearly police academy, designed to prepare cadets to serve as officers/deputies in county and municipal police and sheriff departments. Former Gaithersburg Chief of Police John King has been hired to serve as the director.
HCC has been working closely with the Hagerstown Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office to develop this program, in an effort to fill the need for local police training and incorporate college credits from the academy that would apply toward an HCC associate’s degree.
“By combining hard skills training and academics, there is a tremendous opportunity here,” said King. “In five years, I want our program to be recognized in the Mid-Atlantic region as a leader in community policing training.”
King most recently served as director of education and training for the Baltimore Police Department. He served as Gaithersburg chief of police from 2007 to 2010. Prior to that, he had a 26-year career with the Montgomery County (Md.) Police Department. He has a bachelor’s degree from Marist College and a master’s degree from the University of Baltimore.
The creation of this police academy at HCC is a significant step in moving forward the plans for the proposed Public Safety Training Center that have been discussed between officials at HCC and leaders in the community’s fire and rescue, emergency services, and police/sheriff departments. Under the proposal, a training center would be built on the HCC campus to include training for each of these areas of public safety.
HCC’s Police Academy is a six-month program. Graduates will receive a certificate from the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions (MPCTC) and a certificate from HCC.
Cadets in HCC’s Police Academy can be department-sponsored or self-sponsored and must meet the program’s selective entry requirements. The first class will accommodate up to 20 students, and will provide lecture and field training, including the use of HCC’s state-of-the-art firearms training simulator. For more information, contact King at 240-500-2425 or
jaking2@hagerstowncc.edu .
Learn more about the academy by reading the Herald-Mail article .
