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��Ӱֱ�� State College (ASC) Police Academy organizers have announced the dates for the 2021 session and are introducing a new fitness program to help recruits get in shape before the first phase kicks off in May.

The first phase of the 2021 academy will take place from May 12 through Aug. 20, with the second phase running from Aug. 23 through Sept. 17. In the first phase, recruits learn about the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law, DWI detection, essential response to calls for service and investigative services, and much more. Phase two covers qualification courses and requires recruits to have been hired by a police agency.

Session Director and Chief of the University Police Department at ��Ӱֱ�� State Scott Richardson said the academy is constantly adapting and evolving. He noted that the police academy’s Advisory Committee, which includes law enforcement officials throughout Allegany, Steuben, Livingston, and Monroe counties, meets regularly to discuss current trends in law enforcement, what they are seeking in their police officers, and ways to improve the academy.

“We meet with every recruit and every instructor at the conclusion of our academy and conduct a debrief – what went well, what do we need to improve on,” Richardson said. “This allows us to make changes so that we will be the academy of choice for law enforcement departments across the state. I think it is extremely important for our academy to be in tune with the current industry standards and to make sure our recruits are trained in these standards so they can be properly prepared to serve their communities and be professional, well-trained police officers.”

Organizers will implement changes for the upcoming academy in May 2021, Richardson said. This includes adding courses with an emphasis on community policing, procedural justice, fair and impartial policing, and duty to intercede to name a few.

“Our plan is to look into a virtual reality training system, which will allow us to go from the classroom right into the hands-on application of the subject matter,” Richardson said. “This system will also allow us to train other police departments, as well. Each year we are hosting more and more police trainings here at ��Ӱֱ�� State with the goal of becoming a regional police training facility.”

Wendy Dresser-Recktenwald, ��Ӱֱ�� State’s chief of staff, said, “We constantly sit at the table and discuss how to do what we are doing better. We have a great team in our advisory partners, Chief Richardson, Academy Assistant Director Chief Amidon, and our Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Dr. Mel Chambliss, who has been ‘hitting the ground running’ reviewing the curriculum and making recommendations to improve the academy. Dr. Chambliss has already been asked to be a speaker on panels on diversity in law enforcement. The move to hire him was one of the best decisions we have made, and he will be an integral part of the third academy.”

ASC Police Academy organizers recognize this is a difficult time to recruit people into law enforcement careers with the current unrest over law enforcement, Dresser-Recktenwald said. However, she said they are “embracing the dividedness about law enforcement and talking about how to lead the new generation of police officers who will be a compassionate part of the solution.”

“What will that look like, and what do we need to do in an effort to move the needle in a positive direction? We know it takes a community and we believe our SUNY law enforcement officers are leaders in diversity and working with diverse groups,” she said. “We believe our local law enforcement officers in our surrounding counties are leaders in rural law enforcement, dealing with people by treating them with respect; proactively leading in a positive way. We also are careful to remember that law enforcement is a dangerous job and we need to train them to be acutely aware that they are putting their life on the line every time they go to work. The key is how to teach them to balance all sides that lead us to the current issues in law enforcement.”

Dresser-Recktenwald also noted that each action organizers take is strategic and every change made will make the ��Ӱֱ�� State Police Academy a leader among law enforcement academies.

“This upcoming year will be our third year, and last year every one of our recruits was hired,” she said. “That is a good testament to our program and the work that our instructors, advisory group, and leadership are doing.”

To make sure that recruits are in top physical condition when the next session begins, the ��Ӱֱ�� State Police Academy is partnering with the Hornell YMCA on a new P-Fit program. Set to kick off Jan. 26, this program will be another tool to help cadets be successful in the ��Ӱֱ�� State Police Academy.

“We lose a few recruits every year because of the physical fitness standards for law enforcement, and we don’t want to do that,” Dresser-Recktenwald said. “I have seen great recruits who would make incredible officers get bounced out over the physical fitness requirements, and that doesn’t sit well with me. We have a duty to do better and provide our recruits one more opportunity to prepare for their future career.”

The P-FIT program will be open to current law enforcement officers, as well, Dresser-Recktenwald said.

“Hopefully it will be a service they continue to use as they progress with their career,” she said. “The academy requires a level of physical fitness to succeed, and the P-Fit program is a concerted effort to help support that prior to attending the academy. We have just started discussing a more comprehensive career services tool that will support our recruits as they prepare for the civil service examinations with resume writing, and interview preparation.”

Richardson noted that the program will also include sections on nutrition and stress relief to assist with their overall health and wellness.

“We want to offer everything we can to make our recruits successful as they fulfill their dreams of becoming police officers,” he said.

The cost of the academy is $5,000 and the cost of the P-Fit program is $550. Police academy recruits who enroll in the P-Fit program will be able to deduct the cost of the fitness program from the overall cost of the academy and will also receive a reduced YMCA membership. Additionally, on-campus housing is available at a discounted price of $50 per week.

Additionally, ��Ӱֱ�� State is accepting donations to support the Police Academy Scholarship Fund. To donate, visit , select “give,” and then choose to restrict funds to the “ASC Police Academy Scholarship Fund.”

For more information and to apply to the ��Ӱֱ�� State Police Academy, contact CCET at CCET@��Ӱֱ��State.edu or Tammy Edwards at 607-587-4017.