The Fairmont State University Police Training Academy is a rigorous, academically-based training program that prepares graduates to enter the law enforcement profession.
The Fairmont State University Police Training Academy is a rigorous, academically-based training program that prepares graduates to enter the law enforcement profession.
Application Deadline: January 8, 2024 | Academy Begins: January 22, 2024
Contact Lindsay Morris, Coordinator Strategic Operations for the Police Academy at (304) 367-4383 or lpeters4@fairmontstate.edu for more information
Upon program completion, graduates will be qualified for certification as West Virginia Law Enforcement Officers. In addition to being “job ready” for hire by municipal police and county sheriff’s departments as well as a variety of other State agencies with law enforcement responsibilities, graduates will be excellently prepared for graduate study in Criminal Justice or related fields.
Open to students who are seeking a Bachelor's of Science (B.S) or Minor in Criminal Justice with a concentration in the Police Academy. You can also Minor in the Police Academy to earn the certificate upon completion & graduation with the Minor.
The Academy’s Basic Police Training Program is designed for current, future degree-seeking students and/or conditionally hired officers. This program is a 16-week residential ‘basic training’ experience – you will live on campus in Pence Hall with your Academy cohort.
In-Service Training Opportunities
The Academy Basic Program is for people who embrace challenges and strive to make a difference. It is an immersive and intensive 16-week program that requires students to reside in academy housing (Pence Hall on the Fairmont State University campus). Students can expect to be challenged both physically and mentally.
The instructors consist of experienced law enforcement professionals as well as Fairmont State faculty members. Students will also benefit from visiting law enforcement professionals from various government agencies, including state police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and state and local prosecutors’ offices.
The need for more and better-trained law enforcement professionals has never been greater. Today’s law enforcement professionals face unprecedented challenges including international terrorism, racial bias, evolving technologies, and a growing mental health crisis.
The skills and knowledge to effectively deal with these issues requires a new method of training – one that combines a higher level of education and extensive training in several disciplines. The law enforcement professionals of tomorrow must also be trained in practices that respect all members of the community equally, and develop specialized knowledge and understanding that enable fair policing.
We believe tactical skills are important, but attitude, tolerance, and interpersonal skills are equally essential.
This program has been built from the ground up, and our advisory board not only benefits from law enforcement professionals, but also the insights of the NAACP and the Human Rights Commission.
In addition to being credited towards meeting the academic requirements for the Criminal Justice major or minor, students graduating from the Fairmont State University Police Training Academy will also be eligible for immediate certification upon being hired by a West Virginia law enforcement agency. Employment opportunities for certified officers are outstanding with many agencies offering hiring bonuses. Notably, many other states will accept completion of Academy training as meeting partial requirements for law enforcement certifications in those states. In addition to the Criminal Justice major or minor, this certification will also be a significant resume boost for other law enforcement jobs. If you dream of working in the FBI, DEA, or similar government agency, completing the Police Training Academy program could be a great first step. Most law enforcement-related government agencies require some law enforcement experience, and our program sets up for immediate employment.
Fairmont State also has some law enforcement positions on campus for students – you can learn more about that by filling out the form on this page and talking to a Police Training Academy representative.
The Police Training Academy Program was designed primarily for students majoring in Criminal Justice. While those CJ applicants will be given priority, other majors are welcome to apply.
Interim Director
110I Hardway Hall / 103 Pence Hall
304-333-3735
john.schultz@fairmontstate.edu
In 2022, Dr. John T. Schultz retired from the Florida Highway Patrol after nearly 30 years as a Florida State Trooper. During his tenure, Dr. Schultz served in many leadership roles within the agency, contributed to various non-profit organizations, and received numerous commendations.
After retirement, Dr. Schultz began his next chapter by accepting an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice position at Fairmont State University in Fairmont, West Virginia. Since he arrived at Fairmont State University, Dr. Schultz has played an integral advising role along with instructional duties working with the inaugural class session of the Fairmont State University Police Academy. In April 2023, Dr. Schultz accepted the position of Assistant Director of the Fairmont State University Police Academy.
Dr. Schultz’s teaching focus is undergraduate and graduate criminal justice-themed courses in this role. Additionally, Dr. Schultz is the student government faculty advisor, co-advisor to the Alpha Phi Sigma criminal justice honor society, and a Policing Fellow contributor for the National Policing Institute based in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Schultz earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminology from Saint Leo University, a master of arts degree in Administration from Barry University, and a master of science degree in criminal justice from the University of Oklahoma. In 2019, Dr. Schultz successfully defended his dissertation research on African American executive leadership and community policing and graduated with a Doctor of Executive Leadership degree.
Currently, Dr. Schultz’s research interests include community policing, public safety leadership, emergency management, crisis leadership, emotional intelligence, evidence-based policing, law enforcement instruction, public policy, impacting both criminal justice and criminal justice reform, and the use of technology in criminal investigations to include evidence collection and processing.
Coordinator of Strategic Operations
105 Pence Hall
304-367-4383
lindsay.peters@fairmontstate.edu
Lindsay graduated with her M.S. in Criminal Justice from Fairmont State University in 2020.
After graduation, she worked as a paralegal for a year until returning to Fairmont State to work as the Academic Success Coordinator and Police Academy Coordinator for the College of Liberal Arts. After two years, Lindsay transitioned into her new role as Coordinator of Strategic Operations.