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Police Academy Honors Third Graduating Class With Ceremony

The third class of the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Police Academy (Cadet Class #91) was honored during a graduation ceremony held at the Richland Campus Auditorium on Wednesday, October 1.

Each of the six cadets received a certificate acknowledging their completion of the Penn Highlands Police Academy, with two receiving their recognition from the police chief representing the respective department they will be employed at upon graduation and successful completion of a state test.

The list of cadets, including those with a conditional offer of employment, are:

• Brayden Dean, Johnstown, PA
• Cy Firestone, Somerset, PA (Somerset Borough Police Department)
• Troy Jarrett, Duncansville, PA (Martinsburg Police Department)
• Kent Krisay, Johnstown, PA
• Jacob Rhoades, Johnstown, PA
• Jacob Wagner, Duncansville, PA

Wagner was named class valedictorian after achieving a combined score of 919 out of a possible 940 points, which included his performance on 26 tests and the completion of eight different real-life scenarios.

Krisay received the Physical Fitness Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement as determined from three required P.T. tests and physical training that occurs throughout the Academy.

Jarrett earned the Distinguished Marksman Award for accumulating the most points throughout the firearms training with the pistol, shotgun and patrol rifle. Wagner was also presented with the Defensive Tactics Award for outstanding performance during extensive control tactics training.

Krisay was chosen as the first recipient of the Chief James Mock Memorial Achievement Award. Established by Catherine Rager and the James Mock family, the award honors an exceptional cadet annually during graduation for each cadet class, while celebrating outstanding performance and unwavering commitment demonstrated during their training, recognizing their dedication to excellence in law enforcement.

The curriculum included subjects ranging from constitutional law, ethics, de-escalation strategies, criminal law and procedures, and search and seizure. Additionally, each cadet successfully completed practical training in physical fitness, defensive control tactics, emergency vehicle operation, firearms, first aid, and CPR, along with optional certifications in field sobriety, taser, police baton, and pepper spray.

Cadets underwent a total of 919 hours of instruction spanning 11 months, divided between 498 hours within a classroom and 421 hours of practical, hands-on training.

The Police Academy ran four nights per week. The cadets’ firearms training and qualifications took place on Saturday and Sunday, spanning eight consecutive weekends.

To conclude their training at the Police Academy, cadets underwent 40 hours of practical scenario training. This comprehensive program involved three role players, each with a background in criminal justice and drawn from the local community, providing the cadets with a realistic and immersive learning experience.

A total of eight instructors assisted in the training and certification process.

The Penn Highlands Police Academy’s fourth class, consisting of 18 cadets, began training on September 8.