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Professor offers four day law enforcement academy

This version of the story corrects the headline, it was originally posted with the wrong time for the event and has been adjusted for accuracy.

This summer, young adults have the opportunity to experience police academy.

Dan Wood hopes to teach people that criminal justice is a wide field with plenty of career opportunities besides just police work.
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Dan Wood is offering a four day police academy this summer. (File photo).

Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Dan Wood and State Trooper Don Stewart are offering  the Monroe County Law Enforcement Youth Academy through the Monroe County Community College criminal justice program and the Michigan State Police.

“They get physical training, and they are going to learn basic tactics and police procedures,” Wood said. “They are going to earn their CPR and first aid certificates.”

 The academy takes place June 20th through 23rd at MCCC. They are accepting applications until May sixth and will enroll the top 30 candidates. The experience is open to individuals between the ages of 17 and 21. 

For the application, students must send an email to Wood (danielwood@monroeccc.edu) or Stewart (stewartd4@michigan.gov).

Wood said he has been trying to offer this academy for two years, but due to the pandemic, those plans were brought to a halt. 

“I really want to push this, this year,” Wood said. “The idea is to give students or anyone with the potential for law enforcement an idea of what police officers go through.”

Wood said on the last day, there will be stations set up to simulate real life encounters officers may have. Students attending the academy will be getting just a taste of what they may experience in the future.

“Through the whole day, they are going to spend the day as if they are a police officer,” Wood said.

From being dispatched to the scene to writing the reports, academy students will get to experience all kinds of calls and put to practice what they are learning.

Most police academies are a 16 week long program. Wood said he is excited to offer a course that prepares students for a full program.