{"id":28471,"date":"2017-07-18T16:34:31","date_gmt":"2017-07-18T20:34:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom2\/2017\/07\/18\/necc-graduates-46-from-police-academy\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T17:10:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T21:10:13","slug":"necc-graduates-46-from-police-academy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom\/2017\/07\/18\/necc-graduates-46-from-police-academy\/","title":{"rendered":"NECC Graduates 46 from Police Academy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Graduates of the NECC\/Methuen Police Academy file into the NECC Sports & Fitness Center.<\/p><\/div>\n

Of the 46 recruits to graduate from the Northern Essex Community College\/Methuen Police Academy on Friday, July 14, during the academy\u2019s fourth commencement ceremony, 40 already have jobs in law enforcement with more than two dozen departments.<\/p>\n

Haverhill resident and Northern Essex Community College alumnus Kevin DeCarvalho<\/a> was one of those recent graduates. The 23-year-old graduated from Northern Essex\u2019s criminal justice program in 2015, before heading off to pursue a bachelor\u2019s in criminal justice at Fitchburg State College. DeCarvalho had no idea he would be back on NECC\u2019s Haverhill campus attending the police academy in just two short years, but the Brazilian native, who is fluent in Portuguese, was sworn in as a Haverhill police officer in December of 2016, and began the 24-week police academy in January.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was challenging, but nothing we didn\u2019t expect,\u201d he said of the academy. \u201cAfter 24 weeks I\u2019m excited to start working as a police officer.\u201d<\/p>\n

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NECC President Lane Glenn addresses the police academy graduates and guests.<\/p><\/div>\n

Patrick Fleming, a third generation Methuen police officer, also graduated from the academy. The 26-year-old Fleming, who worked as a reserve police officer for nearly two years, has a full-time position with the Methuen Police Department along with fellow graduate Joshua Waller. Fleming, a 2010 Methuen High School graduate, holds an associate degree in criminal justice from Middlesex Community College.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never had any doubts about becoming a police officer,\u201d he said. \u201cI always looked up to my grandfather and father.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katelyn Tully of Haverhill, who is following in the footsteps of her dad, a Lawrence police officer, is one of nine U.S. veterans to graduate from this class. She served in the Army National Guard for six years. The 23-year-old is one of five graduates to join the Haverhill police department.<\/p>\n

Carlos Aguirre, 34, of North Andover began dreaming about becoming a police officer when he was just a teen at Lawrence High School. After a 12-year career with the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) he decided to pursue that dream. Bi-lingual in Spanish, Aguirre, whose brother is a Massachusetts state trooper, is one of seven academy graduates to begin field officer training with the Lawrence Police Department.<\/p>\n

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Graduates smile for the camera following graduation.<\/p><\/div>\n

All the graduates completed an intensive 24-week program that covered constitutional law, prevention
\nand intervention, community policing, domestic violence, elder abuse, victims\u2019 rights, and other topics. All training took place on the Haverhill Campus except for fire arms training and emergency driving techniques which were held at off-campus locations.<\/p>\n

Northern Essex manages the academy with guidance from an advisory board that includes police chiefs from Amesbury, Haverhill, Methuen, Lawrence, and North Andover. The NECC\/Methuen Police Academy is authorized by the Municipal Police Training Committee.<\/p>\n

The academy opened in February 2015 in response to a shortage of academies in the area. At the time, Haverhill Police Chief Alan DeNaro, said that the Merrimack Valley has needed a regional police academy for over 25 years. \u201cBy partnering with NECC, we will be able to move quickly and efficiently train our new recruits as they embark on their chosen profession.\u201d<\/p>\n

The graduation ceremony included remarks by State Senator Kathleen O\u2019Connor Ives; Dan Rivera, Lawrence mayor; Daniel Zivkovich, executive director of the Municipal Police Training Committee; Lane Glenn NECC president. Class President Julianne Murray, who is joining the tufts University Police Department, gave the class address.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Connor Ives commented that the success of the police academy has been \u201cremarkable\u201d. As a freshman senator she took on the issue of additional money for police training. Additional funding was given, she said, but it\u2019s important to hold the line. She asked those in attendance to contact their elected officials to let them know funding for police training matters.<\/p>\n

She congratulated them on their sacrifice, dedication, and commitment to becoming police officers. \u201cBecause of you and your commitment, I know we will be safer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera said that being a police officer today is not easy. As officers, he told them, they will be dealing with individuals with mental health issues, opioid issues and homelessness. He closed by quoting selected lines from British Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling\u2019s \u201cIf\u201d\u2026\u201dIf you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you\u2026 If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kings\u2014nor lose the common touch\u2026\u201d.<\/p>\n

Zivkovich offered them a four point challenge \u2013 to get involved in their community; to serve with honor; to serve with courage; and to serve with commitment to community, the profession, and themselves. \u201cDon\u2019t ever settle to be good enough\u2026there is no room for mediocrity.\u201d He urges them to keep themselves, physically, morally, and mentally fit.<\/p>\n

President Lane Glenn said the success of the academy was a source of great pride for Northern Essex whose mission, in part, is to provide a high quality education. \u201cI hope we provided you with a rich, rewarding academy experience.\u201d On a lighter note, he agreed with Zivkovich regarding remain physically fit and invited them to return to run with the President\u2019s Running Club.<\/p>\n

The class president address was given by student officer Juliane Murray of the Tufts University Police Department, who recounted their early days at the academy. She noted that the class was comprised of an eclectic group of student officers including a baker, an ordained pastor, individuals with master\u2019s degrees, and division 1 athletes.<\/p>\n

Collectively they lost 275 pounds from their physical fitness training.<\/p>\n

She said they are graduating stronger, more knowledgeable, and more confident.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time for us to go out there and protect and serve,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The NECC\/Methuen Police Academy will enroll its fifth class this fall. Due to its success, the program has grown and the academy now trains Essex County corrections officers as well.<\/p>\n

For more information, contact George Moriarty at\u00a0gmoriarty@necc.mass.edu\u00a0or 978 556-1224.<\/p>\n

Here is the list <\/a>of the 46\u00a02017 Police Academy Graduates.<\/p>\n

Here is a list <\/a>of the awards given at graduation.<\/p>\n

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