Police academy resumes Jan. 20 at FLCC

The Finger Lakes Law Enforcement Academy and the College begin the fourth year of an effective partnership.

The Finger Lakes Law Enforcement Academy begins its fourth basic training program for police officers at the FLCC main campus on Jan. 20.

The academy’s relocation to the College in 2023 has strengthened the training program for police and more recently, corrections officers.

The first class began in March 2023 with two goals: Improve operations and capacity by using main campus facilities and build closer ties with the College’s criminal justice program.

The academy graduated its third class, a total of 28 officers, in fall 2025. Jeffrey Keyser, training director for FLLEA, says the arrangement is working well.

“At this point, we’re looking long-term. We like it here,” he said. “Everyone around here has been so polite, kind and helpful.”

FLLEA is an independent consortium that provides training to sheriff’s deputies and police officers for Ontario, Wayne, Yates, Livingston, Seneca and Cayuga counties and their cities, towns and villages. Students are first hired by a police agency, then attend the academy, which previously used several locations to complete classroom and practical training.

The College has well-equipped classrooms, indoor facilities for fitness and defensive training, outdoor fields and trails, on-site IT service, and a cafe for lunch breaks. Firearms training for the 24-week program is held at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office range.

Corrections training

In 2025, the academy began offering a 12-week corrections officer training at FLCC. The first class graduated in May. Additional classes will be held as needed, Keyser said. Like the police officers, the corrections officer academy students are also hired by agencies, then sent for training.

As part of the partnership, FLCC grants college credit to graduates of both academies where coursework aligns with a College criminal justice class. 

As of 2024, graduates of the law enforcement academy earn a 24-credit criminal justice certificate, nearly half the credits needed for an associate degree in criminal justice. Similarly, the corrections officer graduates earn the 24-credit corrections officer certificate, which can also be applied toward an FLCC degree.

Officers in training, often in uniform, and their instructors have become common sights around the FLCC main campus. The hope is that criminal justice students and law enforcement academy students will have an opportunity to meet and learn about each other’s programs. 

Double grads

Several FLCC graduates have enrolled in the police academy, and one police academy graduate has already applied his credits and completed a criminal justice degree.

Here is a list of police academy graduates who also hold an FLCC degree, with their FLCC graduation year and program after their names.

2023 Police Academy

• Sarah L. Becker ’23, Criminal Justice
• Nicholas E. Fultz ’15, Business Administration
• Trenton F. Lane ’20, Natural Resources Conservation Law Enforcement
• Mitchell A. Mestan ’21, Criminal Justice
• Clarissa A. Robson ’22, Criminal Justice

2024 Police Academy

• Gavin M. Bassett ’25, Criminal Justice
• Derek J. Grillone ’18, Liberal Arts
• Rachel M. Boock ’22, Criminal Justice
• Jared D. Panek ’20, Criminal Justice
• David J. Darling ’16, Sports Studies

2025 Police Academy

• Halie A. Forde ’21, Criminal Justice
• Leah M. Vaughn ’23, Liberal Arts
• Eric S. Perryman, Jr. ’24, Criminal Justice
• Brandon D. Grace ’14, Criminal Justice