Miguel Romero ’95 M’26 has always wanted a master’s degree in criminology and criminal justice, but he didn’t want to get one from just any college. The 25-year veteran of the Lawrence Police Department wanted to challenge himself and he knew just where to find it.
Merrimack College, Romero’s undergrad alma mater, pushed his academic skills in ways it had never been before. Now, 30 years after earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration, he’s back for another round.
“When I got my first assignment in my Criminological Theory over the summer, I felt so nauseous that I went to bed,” he laughed. “That was challenging. I’ve never been in such an intense course. But, what’s great about Merrimack is the support that the professors offer.”
Despite the challenge, Romero said the class greatly prepared him for Ethics in Law Enforcement, which he’s currently taking this spring semester. Despite the age gap, he said he’s been getting along well with his fellow students. A few have sought Romero out for advice regarding their early careers in law enforcement. In turn, Romero has been getting insight on how the current generation of young adults view police work and criminology.
Romero himself was once a young adult attending Lawrence Technical High School. He got the attention of the Lawrence Police Department (LPD) due to his natural leadership skills on the school’s basketball team. After graduating from Merrimack College in the 1990s, Romero transferred those skills to various roles at the Boys and Girls Club in Lawrence and Haverhill.
The LPD still attempted to recruit Romero to the force due to his various ties to the Lawrence community.
“They asked me for a number of years about taking the exam and I was never really interested,” he explained.
However, after his mother passed away in 2000, Romero decided to make some life changes.
“My best friend who was on the job said, ’The captain wants you now,’ so I had no real choice there,” he laughed. “Sure enough, I was in the academy within six months.”
Romero’s community ties have strengthened even more as a member of the LPD. After working in various sectors over the years, he built a reputation with many as a trustworthy officer to discuss issues with or report crimes to.
“I love the job and I love Lawrence,” Romero said. “The best part about the job is that you’re out in the community every day. Right now, I’m assigned to four major housing developments in Lawrence. I used to live in these projects so I’m back in my element. The best part is when it’s summer. I’m always out playing basketball with the kids.”
As for his education at Merrimack, Romero said he hopes to learn more about policing in schools so he can better serve his summertime basketball teammates.
“(The program) has given me a different perspective (on policing),” he explained.
