The Kent State Trumbull Police Academy is diversifying the criminal justice field by offering credit hours to its students. 

Currently, Kent State Trumbull allows students to become an officer through a series of courses taken in the morning or evening. Starting in fall 2020, enrolled students will gain college credit hours to put toward a degree. This change will help diversify the criminal justice field. 

“There is a need, not only regional but national, to diversity the law enforcement,” said Jyotsna Neuman, assistant interim dean at Kent State Trumbull.

Allowing the program to change to be credit hour-based opens up the ability for students to accept financial aid. With accepting financial aid, the goal is to attract minority groups that may previously deter from joining the academy. 

According to the United States Department of Justice in a press release dated May 2015, in 2013, racial or ethnic minority groups made up around 27 percent of the police force in America. 

The Kent State Trumbull Police Academy is a key component to the Warren community. 

“We train over 150 police officers between our two academies every year,” said Daniel Palmer, interim dean of Kent State Trumbull campus. Palmer said the program has one of the best passage rates for the state exams regionally. 

“It gives opportunities not only for the students to get credits should they choose to move on with their police careers in areas that require a degree they’ll have a head start,” Palmer said.  

Emily Williams is a Regionals/Trumbull reporter. Contact her at [email protected].