17 cadets graduate from Mercyhurst Police Academy

Seventeen cadets graduated from Mercyhurst University’s Municipal Police Training Academy at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 19. The ceremony was held in Walker Recital Hall in the Audrey Hirt Academic Center.

Graduates of Class 123 include Mitchell Boetcher, Joseph Ericksen, Kyle Jankowski, Benjamin Meyer, Nevan Vodzak, William Walthall and James Williams, all of Erie; Kenneth Fye and Kyle Krebs, both of Waterford; Marcus Irwin and Ryan VanTassel of Corry; Gabriel Bleicher, Spartansburg; Nicholas Brundage, Spring Creek; Jonathan Hosier, Centerville; Evan Schmidt, Bradford; Erich Semelka, Union City; and Riley Stoner, New Alexandria.

Several of today’s graduates already have jobs, three with the Erie Police Department, two with the Corry Police Department and one with the Bradford City Police.

Presiding over the exercises was Academy Director Bill Hale, who invited Mercyhurst President Kathleen A. Getz, Ph.D., to the podium for a welcoming speech, followed by guest speaker and Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz and class president Kenneth Fye.

A special honor was given to Deputy Director Ron Gluvna for his many years of service to the Academy. He is retiring and will be replaced by Kevin Anundson, currently Training Coordinator.

The full-day, intensive training course, which lasts approximately five months, is designed for aspiring police officers who can devote their full attention to completing the program, which meets the Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officer’s Education and Training Commission (MPOETC) minimum education requirements for entry-level police officers in Pennsylvania.

The course covers basic law enforcement principles, procedures and techniques including criminal justice, patrol procedures, cultural diversity, investigative procedures, report writing, defensive tactics, firearms, leadership, ethics, community policing, use of police vehicles, traffic enforcement, accident investigation, dealing with emotional situations and first aid/CPR. The course also includes a challenging physical fitness requirement.

After completing the program, students are prepared for positions as police officers, park rangers, local government officials, and many other positions within the criminal justice system.

The academy is located in the Janet L. Miller Building at 5999 State Route 89 in the northeast.

PHOTO: Class 123 is flanked by (l-r) Assistant Principal Ron Gluvna and Principal Bill Hale.