Hocking College Police Academy recently graduated its 100th Public Officer Basic training academy. Since 1967, Hocking College has graduated men and women into the field of public and private safety.

Roger Deardorff runs the Police Academy since his retirement from the Athens Police Department. He oversees two academies a year totaling 605 hours over the course of one semester.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine visited campus May 4 and met with cadets of the 100th academy. DeWine works with other state officials to determine testing standards and outcomes for law enforcement.

The curriculum for each academy is put out by the state of Ohio and holds physical, educational and field training standards. Deardorff reflected on how things have changed at the college.
"Research has been done and it was determined that the first academy was held at Logan Police Department in 1967," he said.

Since it has moved to Hocking College, the academy has seen years of three and four graduating classes, night academies and blended curricula.

Betty Dalton, Public Safety Serivces Office Coordinator since 1994, talked about graduates who are now serving all over the United States.

"I am so proud of the graduated students that completed the Police Academy," she said. She mentioned how graduates went on to become United States Air Marshalls, Secret Service agents, FBI agents, and some of the first officers of Homeland Security.

The list of accomplishments from Hocking College Police Academy could go on. The biggest congratulation goes to the graduating class of 2015, the 100th academy.