Joshua Colameta
Enrolling in the Merrimack College Police Academy Equipped Him With the Skills He Needs to Excel as a Police Officer
Joshua Colameta is an alumnus of the Merrimack College Police Academy and M.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Upon his graduation in 2023, he was hired as a full-time police officer by the Ipswich Police Department. Prior to pursuing his degree and police academy certification at Merrimack, Joshua was a reserve police officer and “I had a limited career in law enforcement before and […] I wanted more experience in that it would also help my career path, both financially and just in a promotional way.” He explains that his decision to attend Merrimack College for his master’s degree and police academy certification was inspired by positive word of mouth regarding the program:
“I was recommended the program by coworkers. They were basically told that the program I’m in, which is the master’s and police academy program, is the best in the state, and I think really highly of the skills that I want to bring to the community and the career that I want to go into, so I thought ‘nothing but the best!’”
“It’s a really good program. The professors are all really caring about what they do. They show a lot of passion and a lot of initiative in helping us as students learn and succeed, and it’s something as a student that I really appreciate. I can’t say enough good things about it.”
For Joshua, being prepared and having the proper skills to help people is extremely important to him as a police officer. He explains that his Merrimack College Police Academy training and education allows him to work full-time as a “MPTC certified police officer in the commonwealth of Massachusetts, and at the same time it will also help me financially because typically Massachusetts towns […] operate on a Quinn Bill, which is an increased salary for education incentive. But it’s not all about financials. It’s definitely a plus for career, but at the same time, as a police officer, I’d rather be more educated to be a better critical thinker, and I think the more educated the officer is, the better off you are to serve your community. You think you’re better equipped to handle high stress situations.” According to Joshua, Merrimack’s joint master’s degree and police academy certification program provided him with an in-depth and well-rounded education that allows him to make better decisions out in the field and excel in his occupation. He elaborates that the combination of his courses and academy training at Merrimack have “definitely helped me be more of a critical thinker, […] and they really try to make you think outside of the box. I really think this has kind of bridged the gap between experience and real life and […] the things you don’t really learn while you’re on the job, but they really are impacting the job you do. You kind of learn the reasons why things happen, why people do what they do and then better ways you can serve everyone involved.”
Passionate and experienced faculty enhanced his learning experience
Joshua recalls his experience with the Merrimack College Police Academy and Criminology and Criminal Justice faculty fondly:
“The faculty are great! You can really tell that they want you to succeed and they really want to help you. […] Everyone’s been super helpful, super kind and super patient in trying to best fit your situation and at the same time, best help you learn the material. It almost feels like even when there’s larger classes, it still feels like a personal conversation with the professor. I really like that kind of intimate setting.”
