Northern Essex Begins Police Academy Operation

Photograph courtesy of Methuen Police.

Wednesday was day one of the first Methuen Police Academy at Northern Essex Community College (NECC).

Forty six individuals, including 10 future Methuen police officers, “came together to start the journey that will mold them into professional police officers,” according to Methuen Police.

“Local police chiefs were experiencing enrollment backlogs at the existing academies,” said George Moriarty, NECC’s director of workforce development and corporate education. “And they approached the college about starting an academy in Haverhill.”
Training focuses on constitutional law, prevention and intervention, community policing, domestic violence, elder abuse, victims’ rights, and other topics.

Northern Essex manages the academy and an advisory board appointed by President Lane Glenn provides oversight and technical guidance. The advisory board is comprised of chiefs of police from area cities and towns, including Amesbury, Haverhill, Methuen, Lawrence and North Andover. It is anticipated two classes of 50 students each will graduate from the academy each year.