Lt. Kyle Young, Cadet Officer Program Coordinator for IU Columbus, encourages students in all fields of study to consider this program. (If you’re interested in the program or have questions, contact him at youngwk@iu.edu.)
“Not only do students get real-world experience and a great part-time job while in school, students like Taylor who complete the Indiana University Police Academy will be a fully sworn police officer for their senior year and can expect to have multiple career options,” Young said.
Part-time Officer Taylor Mathers is a senior majoring in Criminal Justice, and she worked for two years as a Cadet before going into the academy over the summer. She said it was great to meet instructors from all over the state, and she came away with strong connections for several departments. “Even the FBI even came out and taught classes at the academy,” she noted.
She plans to jump into the hiring pool for the Columbus Police Department in October and hopes to ultimately work in internet crimes against children. She encourages anyone considering going into law enforcement to ask their local police departments to do a ride-along.
Cadet Colton Ross is a junior Criminal Justice major who learned about the program during a Welcome Week conversation with Lt. Young. He noted that cadets get paid for the job and all the associated training, and the uniform and equipment are all provided.
He spent a week this summer training in Bloomington and also enjoyed all the connections he made. He noted that a lot of his training colleagues weren’t Criminal Justice majors and encourages all students who are still exploring their career options to consider this path.
