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At the end of the one-year program, students will have finished the state police training certification and earned a master’s degree.
Training the Next Generation of
POLICE LEADERS
Introducing the Merrimack College Police Academy
Amid a nationwide conversation on the role of policing in America, Merrimack is spearheading an innovative approach to officer education by combining a police academy training regimen with a master’s degree in criminology and criminal justice — the first program of its kind in the Commonwealth. The Merrimack College Police Academy, which launched in fall 2021, will serve as a case study to determine the impact of officers beginning their careers with a higher level of educational achievement. “We are training the next generation of police leaders,” said Associate Professor Alicia Girgenti-Malone. “While they start out as patrol officers, by completing graduate-level coursework aimed at developing broader perspectives, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, we expect they will rise in the ranks.” Girgenti-Malone oversees the Merrimack College Police Academy along with the academy’s director, Merrimack alum and retired Sergeant Detective Raymond
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Mooney. Girgenti-Malone also works with Assistant Professor Alyssa Yetter to assess the academy’s educational and training approach.
A new kind of training In Massachusetts, the minimum educational requirement prior to academy training is a high school diploma or GED. Bachelor’s degrees are also common among police candidates. Local municipalities often hire candidates and then sponsor their training at a local police academy. At Merrimack, the academy operates differently, from application requirements to graduate degree completion. “We’re offering the academy to students who have already completed their bachelor’s degree,” explained Girgenti-Malone, “and students will be concurrently enrolled in the Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice program.” At the end of the one-year program, students will have finished the state police training certification and earned a master’s degree.
