The IUPUC cadet program, established in the fall semester of 2015 by the Indiana University (IU) Police Department, allows qualified full-time undergraduate students an opportunity to work in law enforcement while pursuing their college degree.

The IUPUC program employs six to eight cadets each year who provide security and other services to the campus population of over 4,000 that consists of visitors, students, faculty, and staff of IUPUC, Ivy Tech, Purdue Polytech, the Columbus Learning Center and the AMCE. 

Cadets spend their first year working security. Upon completion of training, cadets receive certification on the state and national law enforcement computer system.

Upon satisfactory completion of the first year of the program, cadets attend the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Academy in Bloomington for twelve weeks during summer break. This training is required of all Indiana Law Enforcement Officers, and cadets receive the same certification. Cadets who graduate from the academy are sworn-in as officers and hired as part-time officers on campus.

“The cadet program has helped shape my future more than I will ever know, so it means the world to me,” shares Dylan Prather, IUPUC cadet.“This program is much more than a paycheck. It is about serving something greater than myself and giving back to the campus community. Through this opportunity, I am able to connect with students, faculty, and staff members on a personal level.”

From the cadet program at IUPUC, two cadets have graduated from the IU Police Academy, and the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department hired a part-time officer. Furthermore, three cadets have transferred from Ivy Tech to IUPUC to attend the IU Police Academy. “Not only is security being provided to the campus population, but also the cadet program has proven to be a valuable resource for the students interested in pursuing careers in law enforcement,” shares Captain Bryant Locus, IUPUC Director of Public Safety.

Collectively the cadets from the program provided the following statement:

The IUPD Cadet Program has been an amazing experience. It is a great stepping-stone for my career as a law enforcement officer. The program itself is not just security on campus. We are continually training in different aspects of law enforcement (i.e., tactical training, CPR training, missing person reports, strategies and tactics of patrols stops, etc.) that prepare us for the law enforcement academy. The biggest goal of the program is to send cadets through the police academy, where upon graduation we (cadets) will become sworn in police officers for the state of Indiana.

For additional information on the cadet program at IUPUC, and how to apply, please contact Captain Bryant Lucas at 812.348.7388 or go to the IUPUI website http://www.police.iupui.edu/courses/cadet-officer-program.asp