They packed the Fire Training Center’s auditorium , congratulating graduates with cheers and applause as each took a certificate of graduation.

With Director Hugh Lennon doing the introductions, the police academy class graduated 16 police officers, including four for the Rockland Sheriff’s Department and, for the first time, graduates for Amtrak police.

Four people graduated as part of the Rockland Community College pre-employment program. If they get hired as officers, they would only be required to take defensive tactics and firearm training.

Sheriff’s Chief Louis Falco gave the graduates and audience an overview of policing, from crime scenes to patrols and terrorism on the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

“With an ever-changing world, we as first responders become the first line of defense in our villages, towns, counties and states and cannot afford to become complacent,” Falco said.

He told the audience that families sometimes take second place as law enforcement “is one of the most demanding and self-sacrificing professions in our society.”

Falco said there are many traits the graduates can’t be taught.

“This police academy and its staff has taught you a lot, but they can’t teach you integrity, good judgment, honor or how to be compassionate,” Falco said.

“Treat everyone the way you or one of your family members would want to be treated if the situation was reversed,” Falco said. “In our profession, you must give respect if you want to get respect.”

Rockland District Attorney Thomas Zugibe also provided some insight into law enforcement from what he’s observed over more than three decades. He said being a police officer is not for the faint of heart and requires courage.

He noted first responders rush into danger to save lives while people are running for safety.

With competing police academies in the region, Friday marked the first graduation in Rockland this year. The academy usually has two graduating classes. It has been accepting students who take the 24-week course through Rockland Community College. The cost is about $3,000.

Today I’m going to discuss exactly how to can prepare and pass police academy test. But first and foremost, you must understand that 80% of the academy is focused on academics and not trying to run your brains out like many would lead you to believe. The instructors want you to know state laws, traffic laws, and use of force procedures. The last thing any department wants to have is a rookie officer shooting someone without cause.

The training academy put a lot of emphasis on training you the right way, and keeping you out of hot water. That is why you’ll spend a lot if time learning criminal law procedures like fleeing felon rule, terry stop, and the Miranda warning policy.

So how do you pass the police academy test?

The short answer is that you need to prepare yourself academically for the exam. The best way to do that is to visit your local library and get an introduction to law enforcement book. You’ll want to learn some technical terms as it relates to policing like basic handcuff rules, search and seizure laws, and some important case laws concerning use of force. Hope that helps.

In Conclusion

If you want practice exam questions and detailed answers to get ready for the police academy test, visit http://www.PrepareForThePoliceAcademy.com.

You can even download an entire manual that goes over Criminal Law Procedures, Traffic Law, DUI Stops, EVOC, Firearms, and Defensive Tactic Here

The department, which is currently under the Hampton Roads Criminal Justice Training Academy, is in the final stages of having its own academy approved, which is expected by the beginning of next year.

For the past five years Hampton police have run a satellite police academy with recruits required to attend the regional police academy. Hampton police say by having their own academy, recruits will be taught department-specific procedures and policies during the entire training process.

“There are specific ways we want things done in Hampton,” according to Cpl. Paula Scheck, a spokeswoman for Hampton police. “We were having to re-teach.”

Sgt. John Tyrrell, of the police department’s training unit, says the department has already met its requirement for branching away from the regional one. The academy’s board of directors is scheduled to vote next month. If it approves the decision, the General Assembly will be given the opportunity for final approval in January, Tyrrell said.

Recruit training currently lasts about 20 weeks. Recruits are taught a variety of skills, including firearms training, constitutional law, defensive tactics and driving. The 20 weeks includes four weeks of the recruits being trained exclusively by Hampton officers. Under the full-time academy, recruits will be trained for about 16 weeks.

“We have our own instructors who are able to teach them how we do things from the very beginning,” said Cpl. Allison Quinones, a spokeswoman for Hampton police.

There were also differences in some standards in the regional academy versus the Hampton academy. Officers in Hampton are required to score 80 percent on their firearms training, compared to 70 percent at the regional academy, which is the state standard.

“The main objective of this is to allow us to be able to get officers on the road a lot quicker,” Scheck said.

The first requirement listed considerations the age limit. The common authorized age to use for a spot on the police force is 21 years outdated at the time of filling out the application. This permits the individual making use of to checklist their standing as a authorized adult. Following the age requirement is the schooling stage that’s acceptable for all applicants. The common training degree required is at the least a highschool diploma. Some police departments require from the Security officer two years of college as well. If the applicant has had increased schooling, that’s thought of a benefit and these applicants are more inclined to acquire the higher job positions. You are required to be a US citizen to join any police pressure here in the United States and have both a delivery certificates or authorized proof of your citizenship, and should possess a present license to operate a motor vehicle. This license ought to be accident free, as well as insured. Background checks are of course, mandatory. These are in depth checks, and tend to return as far as each state or city chooses to search. As an applicant, you should have no prison record, and your reputation is researched as well. You should be a legislation abiding citizen currently and in the past. Your interplay with folks and underneath circumstances is checked out as well. Included in this background test, is a financial check & Security Consultant check. The applicant should reveal each prior to now and present, the power to make appropriate decisions. Security Guard background will help.

The applicant’s health can be a main consideration in whether or not or not they meet the minimal necessities for becoming a member of the police department. The heal part covers the candidates over all well being, which have to be wonderful, their vision, peak/weight, and hearing. A imaginative and prescient check is run, and should be passed for the applicant to be considered for employment. Along with health and vision, is the peak and weight of the applicant. There are not many states which have a particular top/weight; nevertheless they do require your weight to suit your peak and build. Your hearing have to be wonderful, to enable you to hear whispered conversations, to localize sounds, and to hear in noisy backgrounds. Upon getting passed this primary part of the requirements, you need to undergo written tests and education, in addition to move physical tests, that cowl your talents, endurance, and your presence of thoughts below stress. These are primarily written assessments, however there are tests that observe, that take you through a rigorous motion course. For those who as the applicant, have made it this far, it will be a travesty indeed to give up just yet. Following being hired, you are required to undergo in depth bodily, psychological, and psychological coaching in a Police Academy. Because the job is anxious and demanding bodily, passing the Police Academy with an above average score is a particular plus for you and the place you hold.

There are certain advantages and perks packages provided to the brand new recruits and their households, in addition to present officers. These are listed in many of the info packets you’ll receive after getting accomplished all the requirements and develop into a police Security officer. As an officer of the legislation, you will tackle the accountability of the safety of the individuals in the city or metropolis you are employed by, and will likely be required to swear to uphold the law. This job will not be one to be taken frivolously; the lives of the residents are quite literally in your arms

His gun, a .40 caliber Glock Model 22, is raised in front of him as he carefully reaches toward one door to shake the handle.

It’s locked. Dickerson motions for his partner to try the next door while he covers for him.

Both men are focused. Everything is at stake during their training at the Montana State Law Enforcement Academy in Helena. For now, it’s a job that’s on the line, but once the officers start patrolling the streets, it could be their life or the life of a fellow officer that’s in danger.

Trainers say it’s about building trust and common ground.

“We’ve got police, sheriff’s deputies, game wardens and livestock inspectors out here,” said Rick Layng, academy training instructor. “They will all know how it’s supposed to be done, so they can share that common experience.”

The class is halfway through the academy’s 12-week program. Dickerson, 30, was sworn in with the Billings Police Department on Sept. 7, along with fellow officers Cory Kirkpatrick, 21, of Billings, and Jeremy Boeckel, 29, of Missoula.

The class has spent the majority of its time in the classroom. The 37 officers from agencies across the state were given the opportunity to put that knowledge to the test in hands-on training situations last Monday.

Dickerson’s group spent that day focusing on building searches, but first its members had to pass a midterm — a physical fitness test.

“They always get butterflies,” said Layng, who has trained new officers at the academy for the past 7ƒ years.

The new officers must complete an obstacle course six times within 5 minutes, 30 seconds to move on in the academy. It is the same test they had to complete at the beginning of training, and they will have to do again at the end of their program.

Officers who are too slow are sent home.

Everyone passed the midterm. One officer even set the state record, completing the course in 2 minutes, 56 seconds.

Dickerson finished the course of hurdles, a balance beam and strength exercises in 4 minutes, 20 seconds.

“It wasn’t as fast as some, but I passed,” Dickerson said.

Academy training

Originally located in Bozeman, the Law Enforcement Academy moved to the outskirts of Helena in 1996. The campus was formerly a women’s reform school called the Mountain View School for Women.

The academy has four dorm areas for the officers — three for men and one for women — with enough room for up to 60 officers at a time during the three 12-week training sessions offered each year.

After each practical exercise, the officers meet up with the trainers to discuss what worked, what didn’t work and what they would do differently. The trainers have experience in a variety of law enforcement positions.

Monday, Dickerson and two other officers practiced approaching a suspect from around a corner. The officers created a space with mats set up on their sides.

One officer stood inside the semicircle mat posing as a suspect hidden from view of Dickerson, who used the “slice the pie” method to investigate. With his gun drawn, Dickerson slowly circled his way and scanned the opening in the mat with each step until he saw the hidden officer.

“Police department! Don’t move! Don’t move!” Dickerson shouted, aiming at his suspect. “I am an officer with the Billings Police Department. Put your hands in front of you.”

The suspect complied with Dickerson’s orders and slowly made his way into view. He turned around and dropped to his knees as Dickerson placed him in handcuffs.

They repeated the process until was done right, while training officers interjected advice.

“Don’t machine gun stuff out,” Training Officer Jim Thomas said to the group. “Talk slow.”

Taking it in

The experience is pretty close to what Dickerson expected going in.

“It’s all been really good stuff,” Dickerson said. “I’ve learned in the classroom a lot and what little we’ve done hands-on. … I’m looking forward to the driving stuff.”

Officers will spend the next several weeks completing driving tests, scenario training and defensive tactics. They also will spend ample time at the firing range.

Dickerson spent most of that first day of training teamed up with Kirkpatrick. Layng said they like to team officers up with people from the same or neighboring agencies when they can.

At the end of the day, the officers are able to retreat to their own room, which Dickerson said can be a relief.

“It’s nice to be by yourself,” he said. “You can go and collect yourself.”

Officers who make it through academy training will graduate Dec. 10. Before they can celebrate, they have to complete the obstacle course the day before and a 9-mile run that morning.

For now, Dickerson is just taking in the whole experience.

“It started off a little slow, but things are picking up these last couple weeks,” Dickerson said. “With so many different agencies here, you get to hear how they work as opposed to yours. That’s really interesting.”

The agility test, beginning at 10 a.m. will require applicants to run a 440-yard course in 100 seconds or less, climb a six-foot wall without assistance, drag a 200-pound object two times for 15 feet and pull the trigger and manually action a department-issued pistol. Only those applicants passing all sections of the agility test will be permitted to take the written exam.

The scores of the written exam will be forwarded to the township and the civil service commission will rank the top candidates. Should the decision be made to hire an officer, the commission will initiate the remainder of the hiring process, which includes a background investigation, physical, physiological and polygraph exams and interviews by the commission and board of commissioners.

The department has 28 sworn officers and adding to the force would serve to raise it to the figure in previous years, said. Lt. Matt Richter.

“We would hope to hire,” he added. “It would start to bring us up to the level where we have been in the past.”

Applicants are required to have a college degree, a minimum of 60 credits in criminal justice or a related field, a certificate under Act 120 police academy training requirements or at least one year of service with an accredited agency or private security company.

Individuals must return an application to the township building, 227 South Sproul Road, Broomall, by noon, Nov. 11, pay a $35 application fee and present photo identification. Photo ID will also be required the day of the test.

The allegations at the police training academy could have far reaching effect. Those cadets, who are now sworn officers, have likely made hundreds of arrests that could be thrown out or have convictions overturned.

“We’re going to have to get our arms around all of that. We’ll make decisions on a case by case basis on which we can go forward with and if necessary which ones we can’t,” said State’s Attorney Glenn Ivey.

Police launched an internal investigation and audit after allegations surfaced that an instructor provided cadets with answers on tests. The probe focuses on 34 officers who graduated in July 2009. All but two now work for Prince George’s County Police. The others are with the Maryland-National Capital Park Police. The union representing officers is reserving judgment.

“As it stands right now, these members are out there, they’re certified, they’re sworn policemen. Their arrests are lawful,” said Vince Canales, president of the Fraternal Order of Police for Prince George’s County officers.

The state’s attorney’s office set up its own task force to review cases. Once the officers are identified, that information by law must be turned over to defense attorneys. Ivey says he’s already notified the public defender’s office and is awaiting more information from the police internal investigation. Ivey admits “it’s possible” there may be hundreds of cases at risk but says “I just don’t know how many cases there are going to be involved in this at this point” until he gets more details.

The police union says an audit by state regulators at the time found no problem, but it only looked at random cadets.

“No one wants to see anyone here that shouldn’t be here and if there’s something found wrong, the department will take the action necessary,” said Canales.

The cheating scandal has the potential to end the career of these officers. Even if they are allowed to remain on the force, defense attorneys will always be able to raise the issue and question their credibility.

The police department could remove the officers from duty and force them to undergo retraining, but no decision has been made. The police department has remained silent on the investigation. Chief Roberto Hylton planned a 5 p.m. press conference, but canceled at the last minute. Instead, the department plans to release a statement later this evening.

Over 600 separate entities ranging from state colleges, private policing agencies to public safety centers utilize the POST’s services.

Since its creation in the 1960′s, the Rio Hondo Basic Police Academy has prided itself on being, “one of the premier training academies in the nation,” according to their website. The program usually runs about four classes a year and each section runs for about five months.

The academy consists of a rigorous physical training regimen that is designed to instill in each cadet, “pride, respect and discipline necessary to succeed in law enforcement,” according to their website.

The police academy curriculum also consists of an intricate series of 26 domain examinations that include basic law enforcement, fire arms training, search and seizure, evidence gathering as well as pursuit driver instruction.

Upon successful completion of the Rio Hondo College Police Academy, cadets become eligible to apply for jobs with law enforcement agencies statewide.

The POST was created in by the state legislature in 1959, for the sole purpose of creating a set selection and training standards for law enforcement in the state of California.

Over 600 separate entities ranging from state colleges, private policing agencies to public safety centers utilize the POST’s services.

Since its creation in the 1960′s, the Rio Hondo Basic Police Academy has prided itself on being, “one of the premier training academies in the nation,” according to their website. The program usually runs about four classes a year and each section runs for about five months.

The academy consists of a rigorous physical training regimen that is designed to instill in each cadet, “pride, respect and discipline necessary to succeed in law enforcement,” according to their website.

The police academy curriculum also consists of an intricate series of 26 domain examinations that include basic law enforcement, fire arms training, search and seizure, evidence gathering as well as pursuit driver instruction.

Upon successful completion of the Rio Hondo College Police Academy, cadets become eligible to apply for jobs with law enforcement agencies statewide.

Last month, 63 new State Troopers, including two women, graduated from the Kentucky State Police Academy in Frankfort.

That means 27 cadets dropped out of the class during the intensive 23-week training program.

Now, KSP is recruiting a new cadet class, with testing starting Monday at Eastern Kentucky University. But to be tested, your application must be on file at KSP headquarters by tomorrow.

Applicants must be 21, a U.S. citizen, have a good driving record, and have either some college experience, or a high school diploma and military or police experience.

The Freeport Civilian Police Academy completed its fourth session Wednesday evening, addressing internal affairs and the police commission, and continuing an ongoing process of educating citizens about the duties of police officers and the department.

The 14-week academy, organized by Police Chief Jerry Whitmore and led by Corporal Matt Summers, convenes Wednesday nights at the Freeport public library. It touches on various subjects by having experts in a specific field give presentations to the group of roughly 20 people.

The academy has no tests or quizzes, but requires participants to spend at least four hours on patrol with an officer, as well as in the dispatching center, and missing no more than two sessions
Summers, a 15-year veteran of the department and leading his second academy, sees it as a crucial link between those in law enforcement and the public, allowing for officers to correct misconceptions, many of which have arisen from television shows and movies, and to bring a human side to their work.

“It allows us to educate citizens to what we can and cannot do, and to clear up the misconceptions that exist out there. We touch on everything that we come in contact with, be it training, patrol, investigations, prosecutions, judges and sentencing,” said Summers.

The first session of the academy allowed individuals to tour the Freeport Police Department and gave those in attendance a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes work of the department. The tour included a trip into the record keeping area, dispatch center and even venturing into a very small and uncomfortable interrogation room.

The civilians going through the academy come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and are doing it for numerous reasons. There are former educators, businessman, students, pastors, all attempting to learn more about the work of law enforcement, and to use this knowledge to become more involved and better citizens in the Freeport community.

“I wanted to learn a lot more about the police department, and to become better informed of how it worked. It has been an excellent experience so far, and the presentations have all been very good, informative, and I found really interesting the one on internal affairs,” said neighborhood watch leader and long-time educator Ellen Slick.

Summers, expressing his ultimate goal for the class, just wants people to be involved and understand their efforts greatly help police officers do their job.

“We can’t do our jobs without their (civilians) help, it would just be impossible,” said Summers.
The academy has had presentations by 9-11 coordinators, jail personnel, Deputy Chief Jeff Davis, Stephenson County Sheriff David Snyders, Police and Fire Commission Chairman Brian Borger, and many more. Upcoming speakers include States Attorney John Vogt, Circuit Judge Mike Bald, Patrolman Robyn Stovall, and numerous others.

Another now-disgraced Gold Coast police officer also managed to get his badge after being charged with hooning and speeding offences, including one while he was still at the police academy.

The recruiting slip-ups were highlighted today on Day 3 of the Crime and Misconduct Commission’s Operation Tesco inquiry into Gold Coast police.

CMC barrister John Allen questioned QPS human resources director Patricia Jones about recruiting policies and standards.

He cited three ‘case studies’ of recruitments-gone-wrong, including two Gold Coast officers who have been adversely named at the inquiry.

One officer, codenamed G7, was arrested in January in a CMC raid on a Fortitude Valley apartment where 30 ecstasy pills, two bags of amphetamine and steroids were found.

The officer has admitted to taking ecstasy, dealing ‘black market’ steroids and improperly processing bouncer licence applications at a nightclub where he also received free drinks.

Mr Allen said the officer was suspended from the academy for 12 months after being caught speeding in excess of 40km/h, but was re-admitted after satisfying a review panel he was fit to continue training.

“I think there’s many members of the Queensland Police Service who regret that he did,” he said.

Mr Allen also cited the case of female officer, G5, who was caught on tape during the Operation Tesco investigation telling a male colleague she wanted to catch up ‘for a giggle and a snort’.

The barrister revealed G5 had failed to disclose she had medical problems and had undergone electric shock treatment for psychiatric problems.

He said the woman, who took almost 12 months’ sick leave while working at the Gold Coast Hospital, went on sick leave as soon as she became a constable.

Ms Jones said the woman had blatatly lied on her police job application.

She said she would welcome suggestions to improve recruiting practices but there were also significant barriers’ including privacy legislation.

“We hunted squirrels and rabbits, I started with a 22-long rifle,” said Pooler.

Now, Pooler handles with ease a fully automatic submachine gun. He’s part of the latest set of recruits on the Macon Police SWAT team. The patrol officer joined the 18-man unit in July.

“Challenging environment for me to get some good training,” said Pooler.

The group is in the midst of SWAT week. Officers work scenarios like hijackings, bomb threats and shootouts. Snipers took practice shots from 123 yards away.

Advanced shooting drills are part of this year’s focus, said Major Robert Grabowski, SWAT Commander. That includes precision and multiple target tests.

“They have to hit their target and if that means in a hostage situation hittin’ a perp, holding a hostage and one of our snipers has to take the shot then we want to make sure he hits exactly what he’s aiming at,” said Grabowski.

Last year, he says they mostly served high-risk warrants. So far this year, the Grabowski says they’ve responded to two situations, a barricaded man and several people held hostage.

Grabowski says SWAT training has stricter physical and shooting requirements. He says officers with a minimum of two years experience can tryout for the unit.

As for Pooler, he says he’s got his eye on the sniper position but until then, the officer says he’ll continue to gain the needed experience and shoot straight, precisely on the bullseye.

“Keep my mind focused on helping people and just doin’ the job,” said Pooler.

Redd was found not guilty of resisting arrest, and his charge of disorderly conduct was dismissed. An internal investigation by Police Chief Brad Hill found that his officers acted appropriately in the situation, a decision accepted 2-1 by the Police Merit Commission.

Police Sgt. Doug Schneider said increasing the diversity of the local police force would help avoid similar public concerns in the future.

“The ultimate goal of the police force is to find good men, women and minorities to create a force that reflects the demographics of the community,” he said.

Central to the department’s efforts, Schneider said, are its outreach programs for middle and high school students.

“It takes a special person to be a police officer,” he said. “Police work is either a calling for someone or a great unknown.”

The department hopes to reduce the mystery around policing and public safety by engaging with students early, Schneider said, fostering interest in the career path.

Increasing the diversity of the department has presented some challenges though.

The department received about 400 applications last year. Of those applicants, 12 percent were from minorities and only 9 percent from women.

According to the Census Bureau in 2000, 10.9 percent of Evansville’s metropolitan population identified as a minority and 53 percent as female.

Physical fitness among recruits has been another problem area.

“The U.S. military sees this, too. … Many of our young men and women are not taking care of themselves,” Schneider said.

About 53 percent of last year’s applicants failed the physical assessment. Defined by the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board, the standards require a minimum performance of 25 push-ups in one minute, 29 sit-ups within one minute and the completion of a 1.5-mile run in 16 minutes and 28 seconds, among other requirements. The standards are the same for male and female applicants.

While Schneider admitted the disparities between the demographics of the community and the applicant pool would make it difficult to quickly improve the composition of the Police Department, he said the department was committed to doing better.

Building ‘a better department’

“We are lacking in some areas, and we are tackling them head-on. We are trying to build a better department and a better community,” Schneider said.

Officer appointments, promotions and hiring are done by the Police Merit Commission, which is composed of three civilians.

Applications received before Dec. 31 will be considered during the next testing period in March.

Last year, the school evened out the entrance requirements for both genders. Since then, the number of women studying in the college has decreased substantially, and the times during which women constituted half of the students are in the past.

Last year, there were only four women among 54 cadets, and this year there were six out of 70. Nevertheless, Toompere said qualification requirements between men and women are still not completely equal, since they depend on the candidate’s body weight.

Cadets obtain both police and boarder control skills in their training.

Cindy Carroll, assistant director of UTC’s Office of University Relations said the program is not only the first of its kind offered completely online at any of UT’s campuses, but also is one of the few offered nationwide.

“Each cohort of up to 25 students will be offered regularly scheduled courses. Participants are encouraged to take six credit hours or two courses each semester — those who keep this academic schedule can expect to graduate in three years,” she added.

Carroll said students who apply for the new online Criminal Justice program must have completed an Associate of Arts or Science Degree in Criminal Justice. Students with 60 hours of college work who have a degree in another field will be advised at UTC to be sure general education coursework requirements have been met.

Chuck Cantrell, UTC assistant vice chancellor, credits the university’s 10-year relationship with law enforcement with the idea for the program’s inception.

“It was really to meet the professional needs of working law enforcement officials,” he said.

“They have been coming to UT Chattanooga for the summers for several years, basically as a leadership academy experience.

“The folks were saying, ‘We really liked your program so much that we would like to be able to complete a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from UTC.’ So that was the catalyst for the creation of this program … to cater to working professionals in law enforcement,” Cantrell added.

Carroll said UTC’s Law Enforcement Innovation Center’s Southeastern Command and Leadership Academy, held for the last 10 years on the UTC campus, is A seven-week law enforcement leadership and management program designed for progressive and innovative police managers.

“More than 240 law enforcement chiefs, sheriffs and command-level officers have graduated from this university-level educational experience as a direct result of the unique educational partnership between LEIC and The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga,” Carroll added.

Dr. Helen Eigenberg, head of UTC’s Department of Criminal Justice said those students who missed the registration deadlines for the fall 2010 cohort may join in spring 2011.

“Students accepted to the program must apply to UTC and to the UTC Department of Criminal Justice. They need to be computer savvy. And while it is true students in this program can do their online work anywhere, they must be self-motivated and complete work on time. This program is not self-paced or independent study,” she added.

Cantrell said students from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville also may participate in the program as long as the core requirements have been met.

Eigenberg said UTC is committed to meeting the demands of professionals in the field, and police officers, those in probation, parole and corrections and victims’ services would all benefit from this completion degree.

“Increased education for police officers allows them to write better and develop better problem-solving skills. Data shows that a better educated police force means less civilian complaints and less excessive force used,” she said.

“All graduates become more marketable, more prepared to request a promotion or transfer,” Eigenberg added.

For additional information on this program, visit UTC’s Web site at www.utc.edu/

That’s not Melissa Burch.

Her name may sound like a tree, but “I never even went hiking,” said Burch, a park ranger intern who clearly wasn’t all that eager to start communing with nature (or bears) on a regular basis.

That makes her perfect for the job.

Burch is one of 13 Temple University students involved in a pilot partnership with the National Park Service to cultivate and train gun-carrying law enforcement rangers who want to work in urban parks such as Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia.

“Most people who want to be park rangers want to be in places like Yellowstone National Park,” said Burch, who interns at Independence Park. “I think they want to get on a horse and ride around. But I love the city. I love that you can leave here and get on a bus.”

If only chief regional ranger Jill A. Hawk (another appropriate park name) could have a forest of Burches.

Hawk, who is stationed in Philadelphia, says she struggles to keep the law enforcement park ranger positions filled in cities like Philadelphia, or downtown Boston, where the national park includes Faneuil Hall.

“That’s why we are going after students who like the urban environment and want to stay here,” said Hawk. Temple was a perfect fit, she said, because its graduates tend to remain in the area. The student body is also diverse, another plus for the primarily Caucasian park service.

“There’s a myth that being a park ranger is all about the big western parks,” said Hawk, who supervises 230 to 250 law enforcement rangers in the region, which includes Acadia National Park in Maine and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

Burch said she had heard people say that they did not become park rangers to deal with the homeless. “But that’s an issue you have to deal with because we live in a city.”

At a time when unemployment stands at 9.3 percent in the Philadelphia area, filling these jobs should be easy.

But the requirements are tough. Rangers must pass an annual physical, in addition to background and drug tests.

The job includes search and rescue, police work, forest and building firefighting, and emergency medical response.

Unlike other park service jobs, law enforcement officers must retire by age 57 and can’t be hired after age 37. “We need a young and rigorous workforce,” she said.

Hawk says 55 percent of her crew are eligible to retire in the next five years.

The ranger jobs start at $33,400 with the potential to earn as much as $65,800.

Temple’s ProRanger Philadelphia interns earn $13 an hour in a program that can begin after their freshman year. The first summer, they are exposed to all facets of park management, from interpretation to maintenance. (Yes, they clean toilets.)

The second summer, they focus on law enforcement, followed by firearms training in a law enforcement program similar to a police academy in the third summer. When they graduate, they are guaranteed jobs. All majors can apply.

Burch, 35, a criminal-justice major from Upper Darby, already had experience as an armored-truck guard. A senior this fall, she will barely finish the program in time to be hired before she turns 37.

“I had never thought about the national parks,” she said.

Her park partner is Giancarlo Graziani, 21, an urban-planning major who plans to complete the ranger program, but he is not sure whether law enforcement is for him.

He sees it as a possible doorway to working in planning in the park system.

Hawk said the park service had tried various experiments with internships, but many had not been successful, partly because the park system, a paramilitary organization, failed to understand the sensibilities of college students.

The service would assign them to remote locations where there were no other young people and no Internet. In the Temple program, most students work in pairs, some living in dorms near the eight participating parks, she said.

The Temple student assigned to Gettysburg National Military Park lives with students from other universities involved in other internship projects at the park. “She’s having a great time,” said Anthony J. Luongo, director of Temple’s Criminal Justice training programs and one of the creators of the internship.