FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE?????? ??????????? ??????????? ??????????? ??????????? ??????????? ??????????? ?OPCLEE

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2002????????? ??????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ??????????? 202/307-0703

 

 

MISSOURI POLICE CORPS HOLDS FIFTH GRADUATION CEREMONY ?

14 Officers Graduate From Justice Department Program

 

 

JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI? ? With the graduation last Friday of 14 police cadets, the Missouri Police Corps has added a total of 71 highly trained Police Corps officers to community patrol throughout Missouri.? Missouri is one of 22 states and territories that recruit and train college graduates to serve four years as community police officers through a program funded by the Department of Justice?s Office of Justice Programs (OJP).

 

?The work of these outstanding men and women is essential to the public good.? It strengthens our social fabric by maintaining standards of community life,? said Deborah Daniels, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. ?Their work will engage citizens in a collaborative endeavor of community‑building.? In accepting the responsibility for keeping our communities safe and upholding law and order, they will make a difference in the best tradition of a proud profession. We admire their dedication and congratulate them on this achievement.?

 

?The Police Corps is a competitive college scholarship program for students who

agree to work in a state or local police force for at least four years.? Scholarship funds cover education expenses, including tuition, fees, books, supplies, transportation, room and board, and miscellaneous expenses.

 

Friday?s graduates of the Missouri Police Corps program will join 11 of the state?s local law enforcement agencies.? These departments, which include the Berkeley Police Department, Capitol Police Department in Jefferson City, Farmington Police Department, Florissant Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff?s Department, Jefferson County Sheriff?s Department, Maplewood Police Department, Maryland Heights Police Department, Overland Police Department, Raytown Police Department, and the St. Charles Police Department, will assign the new officers to community patrol within their jurisdictions.

 

The graduating Missouri Police Corps officers are: Lindell Barton of Farmington; Stephen Bastean of St. Louis; Delbert Bullock of Marshall; Matthew Crow of Jefferson City; Tye DeCramer of Cape Girardeau; Chris Kegley of St. Charles; Brandon McKinnon of Arnold; Susan Shields of O?Fallon; Barry Sullins of House Springs; Jimmy Wolsey of Chaffee; George Ervin of Chicago, Illinois; Garett Fritch of St. Johns, Michigan; Adam McIntyre of Mays Landing, New Jersey; and James Morgan IV of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.

 

The graduation and reception were held at the Missouri Capitol Building in Jefferson City.? The keynote address was delivered by Robbie Maxwell, National Director of the Police Corps Program.? The graduation was the culmination of a rigorous 24‑week Police Corps training program, which teaches the knowledge, skills and attitudes police officers need to serve on community patrol.? At the conclusion of the training, all participants must satisfy high performance standards for physical, mental and emotional fitness. The police departments in which individual participants will serve provide additional training as appropriate.

 

Students interested in the Police Corps apply to the lead agency of the participating state in which they wish to serve.? Applications are then evaluated based upon defined selection criteria. States with Police Corps programs are expected to advertise the availability of scholarships to the full range of prospective participants and to make special efforts to encourage applications from among members of all racial, ethnic and gender groups.

??????????? ???????????

For information about the Missouri Police Corps program and the next training class contact Cindy Hicks at 573-518-2179.? Information is also available through OJP?s Website at:? http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/opclee.

 

###

 

OPC03009

?? ??????

For additional information contact Sheila Jerusalem at 202/307-0703.