About the Academy

Under Pennsylvania ACT 120, any person employed as a municipal police officer in the Commonwealth is required to have successfully completed a 785.5 hour course of instruction covering all areas of police work.

The Police Academy at Lackawanna College began in the mid 70’s. It was the 1st certified part-time police academy in Pennsylvania to offer part-time classes. Part-time classes eventually led to a necessity for full-time classes.  At the current time the Lackawanna College Police Academy offers 7 full and part-time classes in Scranton and Hazleton.

Around 1991, the state of Pennsylvania had mandated that every working police officer in the state obtain yearly mandatory In-Service Training (ACT 180). The Lackawanna College Police Academy is responsible for scheduling all of these classes for 13 counties.  

The Police Academy also offers training in Lethal Weapons (ACT 235), Entry Level Police, and Promotional and Specialized Training for Individual Departments.

Over 3000 students have come through the doors of the Lackawanna College Police Academy. Some of these students, upon graduation, have gone on to be Chiefs of Police, attorneys, sheriffs or are working for state and federal agencies.