UCO Partners With Local Law Enforcement to Create Degree Pathway for Cadets and Support Cold Case Investigations

The University of Central Oklahoma has created partnerships with three local Police departments and is now adding a fourth to help police cadets gain college credit.

On Oct. 24, the university started a new partnership with the Moore Police Department. In this partnership, any graduate of the Moore Police Academy can receive 12 prior-learning academic credit hours that can be used for a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice at UCO. 

Students here at UCO can also be admitted into the Moore Police Academy and, upon graduation, will receive the 12 credit hours and get an employment offer as a peace officer with the Moore Police Department. 

“It’s allowing cadets to earn hours in criminal justice as they’re going through the academy,” said UCO’s President Todd Lamb

The University has partnered with two other local departments, Oklahoma City and Edmond. President Lamb was approached by the College of Liberal Arts dean Elizabeth Maier, Criminal Justice Professor Dr. Burns, and the Provost to initiate a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Oklahoma City Police Department.

After UCO had partnered with Oklahoma City, the Edmond police department approached the university about starting the same partnership. The Chief of the Moore Police Department also approached UCO about an MOU after Edmond.

“We’re an Edmond university, so of course we want to partner,” Lamb said about working with the Edmond Police Department.

The University of Central Oklahoma’s W. Roger Webb Forensic Science Institute and the Midwest City Police Department have also come together to work on the city’s cold cases. Forensic Science students and faculty will work with Midwest City’s Cold Case Task Force Collaboration (CCTFC), where they will be assigned cases and review them.

Through the review process, they will look into whether the cases can be advanced through DNA, artificial intelligence, and other modern techniques.

The program was originally established in 2018 in partnership with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office for advancements in forensic science.

“For us to lead our expertise in forensics to Midwest City Police Department… That’s a good partnership. It’s on the right side of justice,” said President Lamb. 

President Lamb stated that the university is excited to explore more MOUs with departments from all across the state. 

“We will entertain and listen to any department that wants to partner with us,” President Lamb said.