“Most highly enrolled class” in the Police Academy’s 48-year history includes 13 new SEPTA Officers, 9 Chester County Sheriffs, and more

(Delaware and Chester Counties, PA)—Sixty-one new police officers graduated from Delaware County Community College’s Municipal Police Academy on Thursday, June 12 during a ceremony held at Ridley High School in Folsom. The graduation class included 13 newly hired officers for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), nine Chester County Sheriff’s Office officers, four Chester City officers, three Drexel University officers and one Upper Darby Township officer.

Among the graduating class were five female officers. The guest speaker was Chester County Sheriff Kevin D. Dykes. The oldest graduate was Jerry Beavers, 48, of Thorndale.

Among the police cadet award winners were Joshua Chisholm of Malvern, who received both the Academic Award and the Delaware County Police Chiefs Award; Christopher Dawson of Folsom and Ariel Brown of Philadelphia, who earned the Quest for the Best Award; Trey Tolbert of Philadelphia and Isaac Fries of Telford,  who won the Physical Fitness Award; Sean Hackett of Ridley, who earned the Firearms Award; and William McGoldrick of Media, who received the Driving Award.

Chester County Sheriff Kevin D. Dykes.

“This is the most highly enrolled class in our history,” noted William Davis, a retired state police trooper and the director of the DCCC Municipal Police Academy for the past 34 years.

The Class Lieutenant was Evan Gohl of Hatboro and the Class Sergeants were Chisholm and Sean Small of Havertown.

Cadets Paige Perdue of Philadelphia, Jenna Maaty of Coatesville, Amanda Heins of Malvern, Nicolette Galligar of Philadelphia and Sinead Martinez of Philadelphia.

More than 95 percent of the municipal police officers in Delaware County and more than 75 percent of the police officers in Chester County graduate from the College’s Police Academy. Cadets are required to complete a rigorous, 920-hour curriculum that includes extensive instruction in firearms, physical fitness, self-defense, Homeland Security, scenario training and practical exercises. The Academy is certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission. Training and coursework take place at the College’s Marple Campus.

The MPA has been serving the community since 1977 and conducts mandatory Act 180 in-service training for current municipal police officers. The next Police Academy class starts in July 2025. Interested individuals should visit dccc.edu/mpa for more information.