Southeast Community College (southeast.edu) announced a partnership with the Lincoln Police Department to provide college credits for commissioned officers who complete LPD’s Training Academy.
“I am very appreciative of the willingness of LPD to be the first to partner with SCC to establish a pathway for future partnerships,” said Dr. Paul Illich, SCC President.
Through the Training Academy Partnership (TAP), LPD Training Academy graduates can apply for up to 30 credit hours toward a degree in criminal justice. This program is available to LPD Training Academy graduates from the past 10 years. Graduates from the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center can also apply for the program.
“We are thrilled that TAP will be the first-of-its-kind at SCC as the college works to model this program with other law enforcement agencies,” said Lincoln Police Chief Michon Morrow.
Credit for Prior Learning is the evaluation of life and work experiences gained outside of an academic environment for college credit. CPL is used to grant college credit, certification or advanced standing toward further education or training. LPD Training Academy graduates will be eligible to apply CPL to satisfy curriculum requirements toward an associate degree at SCC.
“The TAP partnership gives our officers a meaningful opportunity to invest in their career success,” said Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird. “This is another tool in our toolbox to recruit and retain officers, supporting public safety in Lincoln.”
LPD incentivizes higher education for its officers by providing additional pay annually for those with an associate or bachelor’s degree. Officers are eligible for full tuition reimbursement through the First Responder Recruitment and Retention Act.
“I believe the partnership is an excellent example of what it means to be an open-access institution of higher education,” Illich noted.