The Beavercreek Police Department is benefiting from a state-wide recruitment initiative that seeks to diversify the ranks.
It’s called the College to Law Enforcement Pathway Program. Criminal justice students intern with area law enforcement agencies. Career officers mentor them to develop leadership skills.
Officer Taylor Smart recently graduated from this program through Cedarville University. She says simulated scenarios helped her focus on how to navigate situations she may encounter on patrol. “People on the projector would talk to us and we have to figure out how to talk to people and it was really good before we even got to the academy to figure out how to deal with certain situations and what to look out for,” explains Officer Smart.
The College to Law Enforcement Pathway Program focuses on recruiting female and minority students–part of the state’s effort to attract more diverse officers.
Beavercreek Police Chief Jeff Fiorita likes that this program t vets interns before pairing them with a station–increasing the student’s success. “We just finished up with an intern, she graduates in May and we have another young man who’s to come to us in January,” says Police Chief Fiorita. “The nice thing and kind of the exciting thing for me is these folks are choosing us–hey we want to try Beavercreek.” Beavercreek is one of more than a dozen law enforcement agencies participating in this Ohio program.
The College to Law Enforcement Pathway Program is in its second year and is based at Cedarville and Central State Universities.
The Beavercreek Police Department also welcomes a second new officer–Trevor Hawley. Before joining the force, he was a correctional officer in Montgomery County.
