Cadet Officer Program
IU's Cadet Officer Program (COP) is the only program in the country that allows students to work as police officers. IU East cadets work as officers for IUPD-East for two years while pursuing their degree.
Earn a competitive edge and graduate with on-the-job experience!
Description of the video:
Derek Line, Cadet, Criminal Justice (2019): The Cadet Program holds you accountable for reaching your goals. It sets pretty high standards for you, and there's a lot of good people in the program that kinda help keep you motivated in reaching the goals.
Jana Banschbach, Part-time Officer, Criminal Justice B.A. (2016): Throughout the Academy I learned that I loved criminal law, and so I decided to go to Maurer here at IU where I could still be a part-time officer and learn the law. And I definitely wouldn't have gotten into law school without this program.
Matt Weitkamp, Part-time Officer, Health Fitness Specialist (2018): Throughout the Academy you get really, really close with your peers. Basically, you're forced to spend so much time around people, that people that you normally wouldn't spend time around become your best friends. I still talk to pretty much everybody from my class, and love them like brothers.
Garrit Heitink, Cadet, Criminal Justice & Psychology (2020): If you're on top of your stuff, and you know when your classes are, your homework schedule, your exam schedule, you should be fine. You get to plan out your own schedule, when you work and when you don't.
Major Stephen "Nick" Luce, Director of Public Safety Education, 33rd Class of IUPA: Students at Indiana University that have an interest in law enforcement should definitely look into the IUPD Cadet Officer Program and the training offered by the IU Police Academy. As a cadet, you are not sworn, and you are not an official law enforcement officer. After graduation of the Police Academy, you will then become a part-time officer at one of our IUPD divisions, where you will be a full-fledged, fully-sworn police officer in Indiana. All while working towards finishing your degree and graduating from Indiana University.
Matt Weitkamp: The worst thing that could happen is you come in and you waste a day applying, and you decide you don't wanna do it. The best thing that could happen is you end up changing your life.