SANBORN, N.Y. (WKBW) — It's a new day for law enforcement training in Niagara County. Dozens were on hand Tuesday at Niagara County Community College for ground breaking ceremonies for the new $8 million Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy.
"It's been long overdue," said William Murabito, President of Niagara County Community College, "We've been a host but this allows the academy to have facilities that we don't offer and it will allow our criminal justice students to have an experience that we don't offer right now. Together we will be able to train law enforcement across the county and beyond,"
The new Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy will be a 15,000 square foot state of the art facility that will offer cutting edge training technology. Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti believes it will be a game changer for the region.
"There are a couple key features of this academy," said Sheriff Filicetti, " One will be an use of force simulator. We just can't recreate thousands of scenarios with having this type of technology. This will really help recruits learn de escalation, communication skills, the proper use of force. You can't mimic that in drills,"
The new academy will also have a training room for active shooting situations along with meeting and classroom space. It is a facility that President Murabito believes will help in recruiting for NCCC's criminal justice program.
"As we know nationally it's been very difficult to recruit students into law enforcement," said Murabito, "We hope this will be a game changer for the region."
NCCC currently has around 100 criminal justice students. The hope is that the new academy will help double the number of men and women enrolling in NCCC's programs.
"When you are looking 'Where do I want to learn to be a police officer', a state of the art facility at NCCC, who wouldn't want to go there," said Sheriff Filicetti.
"If we have better trained law enforcement, we are going to have better service to the community," said Murabito.
The bulk of the funding for the new Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy came from Niagara County. SUNY also invested $3 million to the project. Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino also announced Tuesday that the City of Niagara Falls will be contributing $250,000.
The hope is that the new academy is open by Summer of 2024.
