48 Graduate Police Academy At Delaware County Community College

ASTON, PA — Nearly 50 new police officers graduated from Delaware County Community College’s Municipal Police Academy this week, the school announced.

A ceremony was held on Monday at Sun Valley High School in Aston for the 48 graduates.

Among the class are nine newly hired SEPTA police officers, five Upper Darby Police Department officers, and 10 Chester County Sheriff’s Office officers.

The class also included 12 female officers, as well as students from Neumann University. The latter took advantage of a co-op program, in which Neumann students can attend the academy in place of a semester at Neumann. The credits earned through the academy are applicable to Neumann’s degree program.

Captain Patrick Dougherty, assistant director of training, Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission, served as the ceremony's guest speaker.

"We are getting more and more women in our classes," William Davis, a retired state police trooper and the director of the DCCC MPA for the past 34 years, said.

The police cadet award winners were Nicholas Benoit of West Chester, who received both the Academic Award and the Quest for the Best Award; Abigail Tobelmann of Gap, who earned the Quest for the Best and Physical Fitness Awards; Riley Allen of Phoenixville, who won the Delaware County Police Chiefs’ Award; Deven Vongnarath of Downingtown, who received the Firearms Award; and Christopher DiBaptiste of West Chester, who was recognized with the Driving Award.

More than 95 percent of the municipal police officers in Delaware County and more than 75 percent of the police officers in Chester County graduate from the academy.

Cadets are required to complete a 920-hour curriculum that includes extensive instruction in firearms, physical fitness, self-defense, Homeland Security, scenario training and practical exercises.

The academy is certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission. Training and coursework take place at the college’s Marple campus.

The Delaware County Community College Municipal Police Academy has been serving the community since 1977 and conducts mandatory Act 180 in-service training for current municipal police officers. The next class starts in July 2026.

Learn more about the academy online here.