Regional Police Academy to Start on Cape Cod in July

BARNSTABLE – A regional police academy will be coming to Cape Cod this summer.

The Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee recently unanimously approved the establishment of the Cape Cod Municipal Police Academy at Joint Base Cape Cod.

The academy will offer a nearby cost-effect training course for local police departments.

“It’s a huge cost savings for the towns,” said Jack Yunits, the Barnstable County Administrator. “They won’t be paying overtime. They won’t be paying housing. They won’t be paying meals at different locales.”

Yunits said the academy will also allow for much more fluid for regional police training.

“Hopefully someday, we will have the capacity to continue with existing police officers in professional development programs,” Yunits said.

The academy will also set up an opportunity for the county to provide interdepartmental training with firefighers and EMTs.

“They will get to know each other. They get to train in unison. They get to know how to respond. They get to know chains of commands and they get to know how to communicate,” Yunits said. “Things that are critically important if you have a major event.”

The academy will operate on the base in existing facilities.

It will support up to 45 recruits and will begin July 8.

The state board approved operation of the academy for one year, which the possibility of an extension pending a review.

The academy will require no capital investment for any infrastructure needs.

“There will be some props, training equipment, and some laptops and so forth that will have to be purchased,” Yunits said.

The base will provide classrooms, shooting areas, emergency vehicle operations training areas, tracks for running and a gymnasium for running.

The Barnstable County Commissioners included $50,000 for the training academy in its Fiscal Year 2020 budget for startup costs.

The county will continue to fund the academy which will operate at a deficit in the first year. Officials hope the academy will generate revenue for the county in the future.

Retired Yarmouth Police Chief Peter Carnes will be the director of the academy. Retired Shrewsbury Police Chief Wayne Sampson will serve as assistant director.