GVSU Police Academy sees record number of female recruits

The Grand Valley State University Police Academy's 2018 class is the largest to date, with 43 recruits. 

The class also includes a record number 14 females and is one of the most diverse with six people of color enrolled.

Williamson Wallace, director of Criminal Justice Training at Grand Valley, said there are 28 pre-service recruits (who will be seeking employment upon graduation) and 15 in-service recruits (who have been hired and are sponsored by a law enforcement agency). 

The academy is conducted annually during the spring/summer semester, May–August. The 2018 class will graduate August 16 at 2 p.m. in the Haas Center for Performing Arts in Allendale.

Grand Valley’s academy goes beyond the mandatory minimum training requirement of 594 hours set by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and provides 653 hours of instruction in 16 weeks. 

Wallace said the academy is a leader in the state, introducing innovative training methods and techniques that are setting the bar for law enforcement education.

For more information, contact Wallace at (616) 331-8515.