48 get policing degrees

Ceremonies last Friday celebrated the graduation of 48 students who successfully completed program requirements in the Law Enforcement Skills Training Program during Summer Session 2019 at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College.

More than 400 people attended the ceremony, which marked the 19th group of students to participate in the FDLTCC Law Enforcement Skills Training Program.

The 500 hours of skill training is required of all individuals seeking careers as peace officers in Minnesota. Students complete classroom training in addition to participating in the skills training program. After classroom and skills training, students are required to pass the Minnesota Peace Officer Standards and Training Board exam to become eligible for employment as peace officers in Minnesota.

Skills training topics include accident investigation, bombs and explosives, civil disturbance calls, mobile field force, crimes in progress response, domestic violence investigation and intervention, drug interdiction, DUI detection and standardized field sobriety testing, emergency vehicle operations, radar enforcement, traffic stops, crime scene investigation, gang education, drug and controlled substance investigations, report writing, aerosol chemical weapons and chemical agents, community policing, professional ethics, and firearm training.

Students completed the intensive hands-on training on June 28.

The recipient of the Law Enforcement Skills Instructor of the Year Award, selected by the students, was Matthew O'Hara, a Washington County sheriff's deputy and a 2001 FDTCC graduate who teaches emergency vehicle operations, traffic stops and also coordinates the North Shore leg of the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

The Les Northrup Award recognizing student leadership and outstanding extra effort was given to graduating student Michael Bradley of Duluth.

The Law Enforcement Program at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College has an enrollment of more than 200 students each year, making it one of the most popular programs offered at the college, and one of the largest law enforcement training programs in Minnesota. The program is approved by the Minnesota Peace Officers Standards and Training Board.

Scholarships

Law enforcement students Mikayla Cozzi and Alida Hogan, law enforcement students were awarded Katie Poirier Memorial Law Enforcement Scholarships for 2019. They were selected from a group of applicants seeking law enforcement careers.