Vincent Recupido and Jeremy Baker, both criminal justice majors, are due to graduate next month and have already landed jobs with local police departments. Both students recently completed training at Delaware County Community College’s Municipal Police Academy (MPA) this past summer.

Neumann University has a partnership with DCCC’s MPA to offer a criminal justice major track which allows students to complete both their BA in criminal justice and the MPA training in four years. For over twenty-five years, DCCC’s MPA has provided the training required of all municipal police officers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Typically, undergraduates who choose this option spend their spring and summer semesters of their third year at DCCC completing their MPA training. Upon completion of this training, students return to NU for their final semester.

Recupido and Baker were following this schedule, but the pandemic forced them to put their MPA training on hold. However, thanks to a very intense schedule, they were able to complete their training by the end of the summer. In the end, they finished both programs in 3 1/2 years.

Now these two MPA graduates are finishing their final semester at NU and will received their diplomas in December. In January, Recupido will join the Upper Chichester Township Police Department and Baker will join the Westtown-East Goshen Police Department in Chester County.

Baker, whose father is also a police officer, said he had every intention of becoming a police officer prior to coming to Neumann. Recent events which have put police officers in the headlines have not deterred Baker’s career plans.

“I think now is an important time to go into the field. There are still so many good and honest people doing police work,” Baker said.

Recupido echoed his sentiments by saying, “The current climate has shown me that police departments need good people more than ever. I have always had a fond appreciation for the police.”

These future police officers did not know each other prior to coming to Neumann University. However, the time spent at NU and the grueling hours of training at the MPA created a deep bond between the two. They both admitted that the physical training was a challenge, but they pushed through with the support of each other and their teachers/trainers.

“I had a rough go in the beginning of the physical training. But as it went on, they work you up to it and I improved,” Recupido explained.

Both Baker and Recupido praised the NU/DCCC partnership for many reasons. The MPA portion is taught by active and retired police officers. Baker, who transferred to Neumann from Alvernia University, said the NU program is unique because of the relationship with the MPA.

“It’s definitely one of the best programs around because students are able to get a college degree and a police officer certificate for a good price,” Baker said.