FIRST News Now

Press Release – Wednesday, December 28, 2022.

MANSFIELD, PA — The Mansfield University Municipal Police Academy is actively recruiting for its upcoming full-time Act 120 Academy class, which begins May 22, 2023.

The Mansfield Act 120 Municipal Police Academy is a 26-week course required to become a municipal police officer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Established in 1977, Mansfield’s Academy is certified by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC).

Thanks to significant external grants and partnerships, all cadets who complete the academy will receive a minimum $2,500 scholarship. With the scholarship, the Mansfield Police Academy is the most affordable in Pennsylvania, reducing tuition from $5,499 to $2,999. Additional scholarship opportunities exist to further reduce the cost of the Academy.

Cadets also receive free on-campus housing at Mansfield’s suite-style residence halls, which were named among the best in the nation by Niche.com.

“Mansfield’s Act 120 Police Academy Program is attempting to reduce the costs associated with first responder training as much as possible,” explained Dr. Joshua Battin, Dean of the Public Safety Training Institute. “It is our belief that breaking down barriers for individuals interested in these careers is essential to recruiting high-quality individuals to serve in our communities. The scholarships, innovative training techniques, and additional certifications give our graduates an advantage when seeking their first law enforcement job.”

Because of the Academy’s exceptional reputation and its network of partners, graduates of the Mansfield Academy enjoy a 95% job placement rate upon completion of the program. Graduates consistently rank among the top in Pennsylvania police academies in GPA and state certification examination scores.

The Academy features a cadre of instructors with vast knowledge of police recruit training and the criminal justice system. The instructor cadre includes active and retired Pennsylvania State Police and Municipal Police, attorneys, educators, Magistrates, and a Common Pleas Judge.

Mansfield has been at the forefront of emerging technologies in law enforcement and was the first academy in the Commonwealth to include state-of-the-art virtual reality training for cadets. The immersive VR experience allows students to take knowledge learned in the classroom and immediately apply it to a variety of life-like scenarios.

Because the Academy is part of the MU Public Safety Training Institute (MUPSTI), cadets can gain more than 100 additional hours of training and certification during the academy training period at no additional cost. Additional training hours include certifications and micro-credentials for taser, the G.L.O.V.E., OC, enhanced Community Policing Model integrating new DEI and compliance related initiatives, Introduction to the Spectrum, Medical Marijuana, and more.

Anyone interested in attending the Mansfield Police Academy should fill out a Statement of Interest form at mansfield.edu/academy.