Finger Lakes Law Enforcement Academy holds 2023 session at FLCC

With 35 new hires from regional police agencies, the Academy will provide training using FLCC facilities before their field training in October.

The Finger Lakes Law Enforcement Academy (FLLEA) began its 2023 training session at the Finger Lakes Community College main campus on Monday, March 20.

FLLEA has provided training for police and peace officers for agencies in six counties over the last 35 years. It moved to the FLCC main campus for this year to accommodate a larger class and build closer ties with the college’s criminal justice degree program.

“This partnership is a natural extension of the collaboration between FLCC’s academic program and the law enforcement community, and it opens doors to students of both programs,” said college President Robert Nye.

Regional police agencies, including the FLCC Campus Police, have enrolled a total of 35 new hires in the program. Instructors are current and retired law enforcement officers from FLLEA’s member agencies, including FLCC Police Officer Brandon Lawson.

The Academy students will use an FLCC lecture hall and athletic facilities through the summer before completing their final six weeks in field training with their respective agencies. Graduation will be held in October. Firearms training will be held at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office range, not the FLCC campus.

The Academy previously used multiple locations with more limited capacity to complete all classroom and training exercises. This is the largest ever class due to the high demand for police officers and sheriff’s deputies, according to John Falbo, chief deputy for the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office and chair of the Academy.

The partnership will allow for informal interaction between FLCC degree and certificate students and the Law Enforcement Academy students. The Academy and College are developing a plan to grant college credit to Academy graduates who want to purse a criminal justice degree.

To attend the Academy, students must be sponsored by a local police agency. The Finger Lakes Law Enforcement Academy primarily serves agencies in Cayuga, Livingston, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates counties though students from Monroe and other neighboring counties may attend.

The first step to getting hired by a police agency is to pass the civil service exam for police officers and deputies. Details and dates can be found at each county’s civil service office website. Names of those who pass the exam are shared with police agencies who contact candidates for next steps, including a physical agility test and background check. 

Information about FLLEA is available online.