MANSFIELD, PA— The Tioga County (PA) Commissioners have donated 
$100,000 toward the operating costs of the Mansfield University Municipal Police Academy for the 2015-16 academic year. The funds are an ACT 13 grant which come from natural gas impact fee funds.
“Since 1977, the Municipal Police Academy has served the entire North Central region of Pennsylvania,” MU President Fran Hendricks said. “Mansfield University is proud to host the Academy. This regional capability benefits our region and the Commonwealth by training individuals who wish to serve in law enforcement. We greatly appreciate the Tioga County Commissioners recognizing the Academy’s importance and their commitment to partner in its continued success.”
“One of the authorized uses of Act 13 revenues is for ‘Emergency Preparedness and Public Safety,’” Chair Roger Bunn said on behalf of the Tioga County Board of Commissioners. “We, as The Tioga County Board of Commissioners, feel it is vitally important to have well trained municipal police officers in our communities to meet this need. We listened to community leaders throughout Tioga County when they brought their concerns forward as they saw the impact of losing the Academy and having to reach outside north central Pennsylvania to find qualified municipal police officers. In support of this, we recognize the outstanding job done by MU in the past and are pleased that MU has agreed to reinstate the academy.”
The Academy was on hold for a year to reevaluate the operating budget and enrollment strategies after a loss of grant funding.
It was reopened in December and Christine Shegan, director of Police Services and Safety at MU, was approved as director of the Municipal Police Academy by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC). The first class of cadets began training in May.
“The support of the Commissioners will provide opportunities to those who want to serve their communities by becoming law enforcement officers,” Shegan said. “The Tioga County Commissioners are to be commended for taking this initiative.”
Hendricks, Shegan and Lindsey Sikorski, director of Community Engagement-Government and External Relations, have met with county commissioners and other officials throughout north central Pennsylvania to educate them on the Academy and its role in providing law enforcement training for the region.
“The Mansfield Police Academy has always been a very important part of our area.” Wellsboro Police Chief Jim Bodine said. “With the support shown by the Tioga County Commissioners, the Academy will continue to graduate high quality police cadets who wish to enter law enforcement field.”
Municipal Police Academy graduates undergo a 754-hour training program that includes training in laws and criminal procedures, motor vehicle law and collision investigation, criminal investigation, crisis management, emergency vehicle operations, physical training, first aid and CPR, defensive tactics and firearms. Full and part time academies are offered by Mansfield University. Graduates are certificated to be a municipal police officer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Applications are now being accepted for a part-time Academy class set to begin on January 5 and conclude on December 12, 2016.
To learn more the Municipal Police Academy at Mansfield University and applying for admission, go to mansfield.edu/police-academy/