Three newly-certified student police officers are helping to keep Troy University students safe as part of the university police department’s new Student Officer Certification Program.

John Wayne Lambert, from Jack; Matthew Bond, a senior from Red Level; and Alaina Arnold, a graduate student from Atmore, just received their Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission certification.

Another student officer, Klint Rhodes, a senior from Troy, will also receive training beginning in September.

“I couldn’t be more pleased,” said Troy University Police Chief John McCall. “This is something we started discussing and planning when I came to work here in May.”

The four students were hired in April and began work as rookie officers. They are criminal justice students and part-time employees that work 32 hours each week.

As part of the competitive program the officers were selected for, Troy University pays for their 12-week APOSTC certification course.

“We send them to the police academy and pay for their training and they agree, in turn, to stay two years and work with us,” McCall said. “When they leave us, they should have a graduate degree and post certificate which will make them very competitive in the job market.”

Students must be at least 20 years old to apply for the program. These four officers are the first to benefit from the newly-developed opportunity, but McCall said they won’t be the last.

“We were trying to find a cost effective way to increase our police presence on campus and help students on campus excel and we found that with this program,” McCall said. “They are good, hard working and young. They’re really eager to learn and eager to work. I am liking what I see.”