MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—Marion Technical College (MTC) is offering an accelerated peace officer training academy, alongside its criminal justice programs, officials said during a recent community spotlight broadcast.
Randy Bigley spoke with Greg Perry, director of criminal justice at MTC, Major Chris Adkins of the Marion Police Department, and Detective Brianna Leach of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. They discussed the college’s programs and the experiences of local law enforcement officers.
Perry, who oversees the criminal justice programs and the Peace Officer Basic Training Academy, announced the academy’s new format. Traditionally a part-time, 32-week evening program, it will now be a full-time, 19-week weekday program starting in August.
“We’re looking at going to a different format where we go full time during the week, during weekdays, 40 hours a week, and we get our students finished in about 19 weeks instead of 32 weeks to help them get on the job a little bit sooner,” Perry said.
MTC is a “star academy,” a designation earned through a special state approval process. The college aims to provide a steady stream of qualified candidates to local law enforcement agencies.
Adkins, a 1997 MTC academy graduate and current Marion Police Department major, also teaches at the academy. He emphasized the importance of communication skills, honesty, and resilience for those entering law enforcement.
“You have to be someone who has good communication skills or at least able to talk to somebody because you deal with people of different socio-economic backgrounds,” Adkins said.
Leach, a 2022 MTC graduate, joined the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in 2023. She highlighted the variety of experiences in her role.
“I just love meeting new people in our community, talking to someone new every day, new experiences, no two days are the same,” Leach said.
Both Adkins and Leach emphasized the continuous training required in law enforcement. Adkins noted the state’s focus on ongoing education, while Leach highlighted the field training new officers undergo.
Perry encouraged interested individuals to visit www.mtc.edu and apply for enrollment. He detailed the physical fitness requirements and background checks necessary for academy admission.
“The first place to start would be our website, www.mtc.edu, and there’s a button that says apply now,” Perry said.
The college offers both an associate degree in law enforcement and the academy as a stand-alone program. The academy features instructors with extensive law enforcement experience, providing students with valuable connections.
“One thing that I love about the academy is now I work with a lot of our instructors,” Leach said. “So you get to know a lot of who your coworkers are going to be if you want to stay within the community. I think that’s something that sets us apart from some academies.”
The academy also features hands-on learning, including mock crash scenes and demonstrations from local fire departments. Financial aid is available for eligible students.