Prince
George’s County Police Chief Hank Stawinski and Prince George's Community
College announced the launch of a brand new inaugural PGPD Police Cadet
program. The PGPD cadet program is unlike any other in the DC Metro
area as it will afford selected applicants the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in police work
while they earn college credits AND earn a salary with
benefits. The cadets will be granted administrative leave to
take classes together as a group at Prince George’s Community College. Once
they complete the 2 ½ year program, cadets must apply to become Prince George’s
County Police officers. The end result will be a more experienced
and mature young police officer ready to serve and protect the residents of
Prince George’s County.
“At the end of this process we
take a young person from our community who is interested in becoming a police
officer, we give them gainful employment, and the invaluable opportunity to
learn about law enforcement, what it really is - as opposed to what is
portrayed on television and the movies - which are two totally different things
and they start earning those college credits towards their associate degree
before entering the police academy when they turn 21,” explained Chief
Stawinski.
Major Terence Sheppard,
Commander of the PGPD Training academy said, "There are other cadet
programs in this region, but our cadet program is unique in the fact that we
are tailoring it for individuals to continue their education. We are
going to be doing things that no other cadet programs in our area are able to
do. Our cadets are going to be doing things like crime scene searches,
collecting evidence, and taking fingerprints. The possibilities are
endless. Our Chief said he didn’t want our cadets sitting around with
nothing to do. We want to give them the opportunity to do as much as they
possibly can during this 2 ½ year period before they actually enter the
academy.”
PGPD cadets will earn about
half the credits necessary for their associate degree, and then, once
in the police academy, they'll earn the remaining half and
graduate from the training academy as Prince George's County Police officers
with associate degrees
in criminal justice.
“We are so thankful to our
thoughtful and tremendous partner in the Prince George's Community College.
This is an invaluable collaboration and critical investment in our own
community,” said Chief Stawinski.
"Prince George's Community
College is honored to partner with the Prince George's County Police Department
to offer the Police Cadet Program," said Dr. Yvette Snowden, associate
Vice President for Workforce Development and Continuing Education, Prince
George's Community College. "Police officers are critical to our
community; and Prince George's Community College will serve as a foundation for
providing critical thinking skills required to be a county police officer.
We are thrilled to be a fundamental part in shaping these cadets to be
our future leaders in law enforcement."
Anyone between the ages of
17 ½ and 19 ½ with their high school diploma or who expects
to graduate high school in May must meet certain criteria in order to be
considered for the PGPD cadet program including a 2.5 GPA or better, a
background check, physical test, and must possess a valid driver's
license. For the job description, candidate criteria, and
application, please
click on the link below. The
application process is now open.
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