Local law enforcement officers can get a head start on earning an advanced degree from Southeastern Community College.
They will now receive 15 credit hours towards an Associate’s Degree for graduating from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy thanks to an agreement between the academy and the school.
SCC Criminal Justice Instructor Cindy Shireman says the credit hours even apply to those who went to the academy years, or even decades, ago.
She is excited about the opportunity to have men and women with real world experience taking her courses.
“In the class, we talk about theories and we talk about concepts,” says Shireman, “but nothing drives it home as much as first-hand experience.”
Shireman says the idea for the articulation agreement came about after a discussion with Major Darren Grimshaw with the Burlington Police Department.
Shireman says other community colleges have similar agreements with the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.
She says the hundreds of hours of coursework that officers must complete at the academy justify the credit hours from SCC.
Shireman says officers have already contacted her about enrollment.
