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QCC’s Police Academy Graduates Its First Class of Cadets

May 2019
  • QCC Police Academy cadets
    QCC Police Academy cadets and Program Coordinator QCC Detective Sergeant Joseph Cecchi
  • Dignataries at the first QCC Police Academy Graduation.
    From left: QCC Officer Catherine Dixon; Program Coordinator QCC Detective Sergeant Joseph Cecchi; Retired Sergeant Albert “Al” Toney of the Massachusetts State Police; QCC President Dr. Luis Pedraja; District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.; Academy Director QCC Police Chief Kevin Ritacco; QCC Deputy Chief of Operations Stephen DiGiovanni, and QCC Deputy Chief of Administration Reynaldo Rodriguez.
  • QCC’s first graduating class from the college’s police academy salute the American flag.
    QCC’s first graduating class from the college’s police academy salute the American flag.

On May 11, Quinsigamond Community College’s Police Academy for reserve/intermittent police officers made history when 44 cadets (37 men and 7 women), ranging in age from 19-55, graduated from its inaugural program. QCC is the first community college in the Commonwealth to actually run a reserve police academy.

“This is an historic moment for the college and for communities across the state that will benefit from these graduates,” said QCC President Dr. Luis G. Pedraja. “At QCC, we stay abreast of the needs of our communities and work to tailor programs that are aligned with those needs.”

The inaugural commencement included a processional by the Police Pipes and Drums Band of Worcester; greetings from Dr. Pedraja and comments from District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.; Academy Director QCC Police Chief Kevin Ritacco; Program Coordinator QCC Detective Sergeant Joseph Cecchi; and Retired Sergeant Albert “Al” Toney of the Massachusetts State Police.

Graduates of the college’s police academy will now have the opportunity to be hired by municipal police on a part-time/intermittent capacity and will have the same police powers as full-time officers. Already some of the graduating cadets have secured positions in different departments across the Commonwealth. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a 7% increase in the number of police jobs by 2026. 

“As an accredited academy by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission our Program Coordinator Det. Sgt. Cecchi and his staff made sure these new officers received the best training possible,” said Academy Director, QCC Police Chief Kevin Ritacco, adding, “It’s immensely gratifying to hear that our graduates are already securing employment and becoming police officers.”

To date, graduates have been hired by:

  • Milford Police Department (Auxiliary Officer)
  • Nantucket police (seasonal police officer)
  • Provincetown, MA Police
  • Eastham, MA Police
  • Assumption College Police
  • Worcester State College Police
  • St. Vincent’s Police
  • UMass Lake Ave (public safety/security department)
  • North Shore Community College Police (waiting on conditional offer)

Other graduates are in the process of being hired (background/interview) by:

  • Paxton, MA Police
  • Athol, MA Police
  • Oakham, MA Police
  • Becker College Police
  • Trial Court
  • Orleans, MA Police
  • Aquinnah, MA Police
  • Mount Wachusett Community College Police
  • Fitchburg State College Police

An Academy Orientation Day will be held in early August and the next Police Academy session will begin on September 4. To request an application packet or for additional information, contact QCC’s Center for Workforce Development & Continuing Education at cce [at] qcc.mass.edu or call 508.751.7900.

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