2023 Campus Peace Officer recruits with instructors (front row left to right: Matthew Patire, Pised Yoeun, Johnathon Wazen and Samantha Nagen; back row left to right: Alex Hitchcock, Ivan Cruz, Montague Kreis, Sgt. Adam Wheeler, Officer Patsos and Officer Dishaw)
Earlier today, families, friends and colleagues of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) Campus Peace Officer Academy recruits gathered together to celebrate their graduation. The ceremony, held at Drumlins Country Club, was an opportunity to reflect on their accomplishments but also look forward to the journey that awaits them.
“I believe that an officer’s job is more than just a craft and a profession. It is a career and a calling. Throughout your career, you will have the opportunity to make an impact on people’s lives,” said Craig Stone, associate vice president and chief of the DPS, while addressing the friends and families of the recruits.
The graduates joining the ϲ DPS are:
The graduates joining the Ithaca College DPS are:
“Anytime we have held an academy, there is a sense of pride and accomplishment that you feel as it wraps up,” says Sgt. Adam Wheeler, academy director, “I’m proud of the growth that I saw from this group over the past several months.” This is now the seventh time that the Department of Public Safety has held its own peace officer academy.
During the ceremony, in addition to the badge pinning and certificates being distributed, special honors were given to a few of the graduates, including Montague Kreis and Johnathan Wazen, who received performance-based awards, while Matthew Patire was honored as the Valedictorian of the class.
The newest DPS graduates will now begin their time as field training officers, working side-by-side with veteran DPS officers as they complete the required 480 hours of training before becoming fully qualified officers and officially complete the training program.
The University’s Department of Public Safety provides round-the-clock protection to the ϲ campus. Through various patrol and crime prevention efforts, DPS partners with students, faculty and staff to identify, recognize and eliminate crime hazards and risks within the campus community.
