BOONE, N.C. — On Aug. 24, Appalachian State University’s Appalachian Police Academy celebrated its seventh annual graduation ceremony, with 20 new graduates joining a group of nearly 140 police officers trained through App State’s Police Officer Development Program (APDP) to date.

The ceremony, held in Rosen Concert Hall on App State’s Boone campus, included the presentation of awards of distinction, as well as two class speakers and remarks from academy instructor Lt. Stephen Raby of Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office — a guest speaker chosen by the students.

“We are incredibly proud of our students at App State who are, and have been, engaged in our Police Officer Development Program,” said Interim App State Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Johnny Brown. “They go above and beyond the requirements to become police officers in the state of North Carolina.”

Brown also spoke on the importance of establishing connections between police training programs and local organizations.

“We collaborate with local organizations to create training programs for police officers that not only prepare recruits and educate them well but also meet the needs of the communities they will serve,” said Brown. “Our goal with this program is to continue to train educated and compassionate police officers who are passionate about serving others and finding creative ways to address challenges.”

APDP is a two-year program available to all full-time App State students pursuing any academic major or course of study. The program includes the Appalachian Police Academy, a fully accredited Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) school through which recruits complete the training to become sworn police officers in North Carolina.

When cadets enter the academy in their second year of the program, they become police recruits and will complete more than 700 training hours, exceeding the BLET standard of 640 hours of training. Their training includes:

• First responder training, in which recruits learn basic life support skills such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), use of automated external defibrillators (AED) and critical first aid skills.
• De-escalation training, in which recruits learn techniques and strategies to defuse potentially dangerous situations.
• Communication skills training, in which recruits develop the skills they will use to help guide, organize, respond to and better understand the needs of others in the community.

After completing the academy, Appalachian Police Academy graduates work part time with the Appalachian Police Department (APD) as sworn police officers until they graduate from App State with their degrees.

App State Police Capt. K.C. Mitchell, director of police development and professional standards and APDP director, opened the graduation ceremony and highlighted the hard work of the recruits and their instructors over the summer.

“Two of the biggest reasons for our students’ success are the students themselves and our instructors; they put in many hours of work, and we are very proud of them all,” said Mitchell.

The ceremony’s two class speakers — Laney Mantz, a junior criminal justice major from Morganton, and Xavier McMurtry, a senior criminal justice major from Hickory — reflected on the lessons they learned from instructors and mentors during the academy.

Mantz highlighted the intense BLET training, as well as the values within the law enforcement profession, such as integrity and service to others.

“The badge is not merely a symbol of authority but a representation of trust and responsibility,” said Mantz. “As we step into this new role as police officers, we must always embrace the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.”

In his remarks, McMurtry noted, “Whatever we went through, we did it as a team. We have become a family, and this is the most important thing we have gained from this summer. We may one day be in different states and working for different agencies, but I know that wherever we go, we will continue to be there for one another.”

Raby reflected on his time working with recruits: “It amazed me how much each recruit worked to retain and hold on to every word that the instructors shared. This showed passion to want to learn, to better yourself and to be the best you can be. 

“Each one of you has the opportunity to be the difference in someone else’s life,” Raby added.

Mitchell also thanked both App State and community partners for their academy support, which include App State’s Parking and Transportation, University Communications, University College, Facilities Operations and Hayes School of Music, along with Watauga High School, Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office and Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute for their ongoing partnership with App State’s APDP program.

“Each of you helps to make this academy a success,” said Mitchell.

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APDP’s first Grizzly Award

Eleanor Schoel was awarded the Appalachian Police Officer Development Program’s first Grizzly Award, conferred to a student demonstrating significant improvement and perseverance over the course of the Appalachian Police Academy’s rigorous milestones. Schoel was also gifted a traffic cone — a token representing her perseverance through the academy’s driver training — by App State Police Capt. K.C. Mitchell.

App State’s first cross-trained first responder

Logan Seiler, a senior sociology major from Zionsville, Indiana, is the first App State student to dual enroll in both the Appalachian Police Officer Development Program and the university’s Mountaineer Medics program. Seiler works as a lieutenant with Mountaineer Medics — through which App State students with emergency medical technician credentials provide emergency medical services to campus. Mountaineer Medics is managed by App State’s Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management.

About the App State Police Department

Appalachian State University’s official policing agency — the App State Police Department — supports the university’s academic mission by working in partnership with the campus community to prevent crime, solve problems and improve the quality of life on campus. The department’s philosophy is one of proactive community engagement, collaboration and customer service, holding the safety and health of App State’s community members as its top priorities. State-certified police officers, security officers and civilian employees compose the department, and this team of professionals helps to create and maintain an inclusive sense of belonging for all members of the App State Community — students, faculty, staff and visitors. Additionally, through its efforts, the department aims to be a leader in innovative public safety ideas and strategies. Learn more at https://police.appstate.edu.

About the Appalachian Police Officer Development Program

The two-year Appalachian Police Officer Development Program (APDP) at Appalachian State University — the second of its kind in the nation and the only such program in North Carolina — equips students with the knowledge, skills and training to become certified law enforcement officers in North Carolina, while simultaneously earning their undergraduate or graduate degrees. Students become cadets in their first year of the program and have the opportunity to complete the Appalachian State University Police Academy during their second year to become sworn North Carolina police officers. The program is open to all full-time students, regardless of major, and students receive an hourly wage for the part-time work and training they complete with the Appalachian Police Department (APD). Learn more at https://police.appstate.edu/apdp.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.