Wright State Police Academy Highlights New Class, STAR Recognition and Career Pathways

CELINA - Wright State University Lake Campus Police Academy is preparing to graduate 18 cadets on April 8, with about three quarters of the class already lined up with jobs in the area.

Police Academy Commander Mark Ernst shared the update during a recent appearance on Spectrum with host Kevin Sandler, joined by cadet Amber Stangel of Piqua.

Ernst said the next academy begins April 10 and enrollment is underway now for anyone interested in a career in law enforcement.

He also highlighted a major honor for the academy this year. The program was recognized by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office as a STAR Academy, a designation awarded to academies that meet higher standards in training and curriculum. Ernst said Wright State Lake Campus is the only academy in Northwest Ohio with that designation.

Ernst also pointed to new partnerships and educational opportunities that could create a stronger pipeline for future officers. He said Tri Star is starting a high school criminal justice program, and the hope is that students can move from that program into Wright State Lake Campus criminal justice coursework and then into the police academy.

The academy has also launched an updated police science degree program. Ernst said students now receive 33 college credit hours for completing the academy, putting them more than a year toward an associate degree.

He said that added value can help students locally and beyond, especially as law enforcement agencies continue to hire and as federal agencies often look for candidates with four year degrees.

Stangel said her own interest in law enforcement began near the end of high school. After starting college at Edison State and earning her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Wright State in 2024, she worked in children’s services for about a year and a half before deciding she wanted to be on the law enforcement side of that work.

She is now finishing the academy and hopes to work for the Piqua Police Department after graduation and the state exam. Long term, she said she would like to investigate crimes involving children.

Stangel said the academy has been more hands on than traditional college classes and credited the instructors with not only teaching the material, but also giving students real life advice from the field.

Ernst said that practical experience is a major strength of the academy. Instructors come from a wide range of backgrounds, including state troopers, deputy sheriffs, BCI agents and prosecuting attorneys, giving cadets exposure to multiple perspectives across law enforcement.

He said students also train with real police equipment and complete hands on work in areas such as crime scenes, self defense, driving and firearms.

The academy does have physical fitness requirements. Ernst said cadets must pass tests involving pushups, situps and a mile and a half run, with a higher standard required for graduation.

For those considering the academy, Ernst said applicants must pass a background check, doctor’s physical, drug test and physical fitness test. While students can enter at age 18, he said most departments prefer to hire officers who are at least 21, so many younger students benefit from first spending time in the school’s two year degree program.

Ernst, who has been teaching since 2000 and serving as academy commander since 2011, said more than 75 percent of Wright State Lake Campus academy graduates stay in local law enforcement.

He said the work offers variety, responsibility and the chance to make a difference in people’s lives every day.