CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — For the last two and a half years, Martin G. Lentz Cleveland Heights Police Academy has been vacant.
But, this will soon change as instructors prepare to welcome a new class.
“We’ve finally decided to get ready to go full force, and get the academy back up in 2023,” said Sergeant Matthew Lasker, who also serves as the Academy Commander.
The academy’s re-opening also comes at a unique time.
“2023 is 50 years for us, so it’s a big deal,” said Lasker. “We’ve been closed for two years now because of the pandemic and whatnot, so our big thing now is to push the fact that we are opening.”
Lasker anticipates there will be challenges, considering many agencies nationally and locally are struggling to hire staff to protect and serve communities.
But the department remains optimistic.
“I don’t see us going anywhere else than up,” said Lasker. “I see a positive future for our department, police in general and our academy.”
Lasker believes there are three key things that will set their academy apart from others.
The first two deal with their ability to find quality candidates and instructors to get recruited by the Cleveland Heights Police Agency and nearby ones.
Their other advantage is this: “We’re one of the only private academies in the area, most of them are affiliated through colleges, we’re not. And we’re one of the only cities that are affiliated with a police department that has their own academy,” said Lasker.
The deadline to apply is Friday, December 2.
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