CHILLICOTHE — The Pickaway-Ross Adult Education Basic Peace Officer Academy, in partnership with Ohio University Chillicothe, has achieved the Ohio Attorney General's STAR Academy designation.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost visited the Adult Education campus on June 28 to present this award, recognizing the outstanding achievements of the inaugural academy.
Yost, along with members of his office, presented the STAR Academy designation to Academy Commander Terri Mikesh. Mikesh, who was instrumental in the creation of the initial criteria for the STAR program as part of the original committee, spoke about the significance of this honor and its impact on the academy.
"Achieving this award brings our efforts full circle," Mikesh remarked, highlighting the academy's dedication to excellence in law enforcement training. "This designation validates our commitment to providing top-notch training.”
The STAR Training Center program aims to elevate police training quality across Ohio by encouraging academies to exceed basic standards. Recognized academies must meet both mandatory and supplemental criteria, including:
- An 85% pass rate for cadets eligible to sit for the state certification exam.
- An 85% pass rate at the 50th percentile or better for cadets attempting the final physical fitness assessment.
- More than 15 cumulative hours of training in high-risk topics such as crisis intervention, building searches, and search and seizure.
- Training for cadets on technological devices such as body cameras and drones.
The Pickaway-Ross Academy has successfully met all these criteria, demonstrating its commitment to producing highly capable and well-prepared law enforcement officers.
Director of Adult Education Carrie Fife spoke at the ceremony about the academy's impact and the efforts required to bring this vision to reality.
"The success of our program is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and cadets," Fife said.
Ohio University Chillicothe campus dean Roberta Milliken was also in attendance, underscoring the vital partnership between Ohio University Chillicothe and Pickaway-Ross. Milliken emphasized that this collaboration is what makes the program a true success and an asset to our community and praised Mikesh for her leadership of the academy.
"Being a career center, running service-minded programs is at the core of what we do. The STAR designation is a tremendous honor for our academy and reflects our commitment to training students who will serve our community with the highest standards," said Pickaway-Ross CTC Superintendent Jonathan Davis.
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Pickaway-Ross Basic Peace Officer Academy receives STAR Academy Designation
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