To ensure public safety in any community, you need qualified and talented first responders in law enforcement, paramedicine and firefighting.
To excel in such rigorous careers as these requires both skill and desire, and Merced College public safety instructors have a passion for the work that they eagerly model for their students.
“You have to dedicate yourself to these academies,” said Steven Melander, Professor of Emergency Medical Care. “It’s a significant time investment. But every skill they learn will benefit the community and themselves.”
Criminal Justice
To serve in law enforcement, a student must complete three training modules to satisfy the state’s Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST).
Modules 2 and 3 are offered at Merced College. There’s room for 45 students per academy class—one in the fall and one in the spring. The college academy fits busy schedules, since it runs two nights per week and full days on Saturdays and Sundays.
After completing Module 2 and Module 3, trainees earn a certificate that qualifies them to serve as part-time Reserve Officers. To qualify for full-time positions, they must also complete Module 1, which is offered nearby at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton or with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department.
Criminal Justice students can also earn a transfer degree that’ll lead to a bachelor’s degree that opens doors to positions with federal agencies like the FBI or DEA. But law enforcement is evolving. Criminal Justice instructor David Noblett said agencies are beginning to require new officers complete associate degrees as well as POST training.
Because police academy enrollment all over the state has been down, job prospects are very good, and Noblett said Merced College enrollment is surging. The college welcomed 24 cadets this summer. Compare that to just 30 for the Los Angeles Police Department Academy, which usually boasts over 150 cadets each year.
“Marketing has helped us to get the word out,” Noblett said. “I’m proud of our program, especially with the political climate surrounding law enforcement. We’re starting to see more support, and there is some legislation coming in criminal justice reform that is positive.”
POST training also now requires an additional learning domain, LD 14, on officer wellness. Merced College’s first offering of LD 14 began on Oct. 1.
“We deal with emotions and stress and PTSD, and having to control emotions on the job,” Noblett said. “We see depression, alcohol abuse, etc., in the people we serve. An officer’s mental health can deteriorate on the job, so we’re educating them and working on maintaining good mental health overall.”
Noblett, an instructor at the college for the past nine years, loves to brag about how many former cadets stay in Merced County.
“Making a difference in your community is the best part of the work,” he said.
Paramedics
Paramedics are allied health professionals who provide pre-hospital emergency medical care, including advanced procedures like starting IVs and monitoring electrocardiograms at the advanced life support (ALS) level. Emergency Medical Technicians perform basic life support (BLS) procedures.
Students can train as an EMT (7 units) for one semester, which includes class time, hospital rotations and ambulance time.
All paramedics need EMT certification. With that, they can continue with another three semesters of intensive training for a paramedic certification (39 units). They can also continue to earn an A.A. in paramedicine (60 units).
There are three EMT cohorts of 36 students each (108 total) and one paramedic cohort of 30 offered annually. Merced College also offers EMT recertification courses for current providers, who are required to recertify every two years.
Melander said there is a nationwide shortage of EMTs and paramedics. While all of California desperately needs paramedics, the situation is most dire here in the Central Valley. The college is ready to do its part.
“We’re so excited about where these programs are headed,” Melander said. “We’re eager to answer any questions, and to have students visit the campus to see what we do. Come out on a Friday when we’re working on paramedic skills. We’ll make ourselves available to talk to anyone.”
Fire Technology
Within the Fire Technology Program at Merced College, once you complete an associate degree or certificate of achievement in Fire Technology, EMT training and the Fire Fighter 1 Academy, you’ve opened the door to so many career paths in the fire service.
“There’s a need for qualified firefighters in the city, the county, and statewide,” said fire technology instructor Donald Roe. “In fact, you could train at Merced College and practice anywhere in the country, since we have reciprocity with other states.”
To qualify for the academy, you must pass Fire 30 (the introductory course), be 18 years old, have a valid CA driver’s license, and get medical clearance from a physician. Then you take the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT).
After passing that, you can apply for one of 30-35 spots in the fire service academy. Academy applications are accepted through mid-December for an early January start.
Roe, a 19-year veteran with the Merced City Fire Department, taught fire technology at the college from 2000-07. After retiring, he was called back to the college to help take the program higher.
The college is finalizing requirements to become a fully accredited fire technology academy by the state of California. By 2024, Merced College will be one of 40 accredited fire academies among California Community Colleges.
The college has partnered with the Merced County, Merced City and Los Banos fire departments to share facilities, equipment, administrative processes and recruit more qualified instructors to strengthen the current program.
Once the academy is accredited, the college will focus on building out 16 acres at the Airport Industrial Park into a fire academy home called the Hawk Regional Training Center. By 2025, the site will have its own seven-story tower, emergency vehicle operations course, classrooms, and areas for training in urban search and rescue, aircraft rescue and more.
Roe said the long-term vision for the center is ambitious, but that vision is supported by college leadership including President Chris Vitelli, Vice President of Instruction Karissa Morehouse, and Dean of Allied Health and Public Safety Valerie Albano.
“We hope the Hawk center is not just a local draw,” Roe said. “We want it to be among the biggest and best academies in the state.”
Merced College faculty are clearly confident in promoting their programs. And they derive great satisfaction from the fact that the men and women they’re preparing to serve and protect want to do so right here in Merced County.
“I think Merced College is a lighthouse in our community,” Melander said. “Anyone who steps foot on this campus and engages here will improve their lives. And our community will improve because of it.”