(West Fargo, N.D. – Aug. 8, 2024) The third annual West Fargo - based class of the LRSC Peace Officer Training program will graduate 17 students Aug. 15.
Graduation ceremonies will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, at West Fargo High School (801 9th Street E.).
The Peace Officer Training Program (POTP) allows an individual to become a licensed peace officer in North Dakota. The program has nearly a 100% employment rate for graduates who pursue positions as full-time police officers in North Dakota.
“Our department has a strong, ongoing partnership with Lake Region State College as we continue to see an increasing need for law enforcement throughout North Dakota,” said West Fargo Police Chief Pete Nielsen. “Offering this program locally has helped many agencies with recruitment with three students receiving conditional job offers from our department once again this year.”
The Peace Officer Academy is a 14-week rigorous training program. Students complete physical fitness training every morning and classroom hours from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Instructors cover a variety of topics ranging from crime scene processing to North Dakota criminal law.
John Maritato, director of the LRSC Peace Officer Training program, said partnerships with area and state law enforcement make the programs possible. A similar academy is run in Grand Forks each fall from August to December, and on LRSC's campus from January to May.
"The facilities and instructors provided are phenomenal. We look forward to lasting relationships with these agencies,” Maritato said.
Lake Region State College is the only college in the state authorized to deliver a North Dakota POST basic curriculum. Thank you to the officers from the West Fargo Police Department and Cass County