History was made at the most recent WCC Police Academy graduation.
Brian Gellasch and Carter Thompson joined the WCC Public Safety Department as full-time sworn Campus Resource Officers shortly after becoming the department’s first in-service recruits to complete the academy.
In-service recruits secure employment and are sent through the academy by a sponsoring law enforcement department.
Gellasch, 20, is quite familiar with the department, having served as a part-time WCC Public Safety Service Officer for 10 months before entering the academy. Because of that familiarity, Gellasch was aware he and Thompson were the first officers to be sponsored through the academy by WCC.
“For me, it holds significance because it helps give additional credibility to our department,” said Gellasch. “It shows that this is a place for officers of all ages, veteran officers and new officers fresh from the academy.”
Thompson, 21, was unaware he and Gellasch were making history, but said learning so was “very significant to me, knowing the college put that investment into me and gave me the opportunity to work at the college.”
Since it added sworn officers in September 2017, all previous hires had prior experience with other law enforcement departments. However, WCC Chief of Public Safety John Leacher said it was only natural for him to capitalize on the college’s highly respected, in-house police academy for new hires.
Leacher pointed out that police chiefs and sheriffs from around the state would drive to WCC to check in on their recruits, but he only had to walk approximately 150 yards from the WCC Public Safety office to the Morris Lawrence Building, where the Police Academy is conducted.
Leacher added that it’s important to him that the WCC Police Academy spends many hours training recruits about cultural diversity, unbiased policing, de-escalation strategies, interpersonal communications and more. In all, the recruits receive more than 800 hours of classroom and hands-on training.
“Policing in a college environment requires connecting with the campus community and the only way to do that is to understand your community,” Leacher said. “The academy really gave Brian and Carter the right tools to deal with campus life.”
Let’s get to know WCC’s newest Campus Safety Officers:
Background Information
Gellasch: Born in Eschenbach, Germany when his father was stationed there as part of the U.S. Army and moved all over the United States throughout his childhood before settling in Ann Arbor. He graduated from Ann Arbor Huron High School in 2023.
Thompson: A 2022 graduate of Clinton High School currently residing in Tecumseh. He earned an associate degree in Criminal Justice from WCC in December 2024.
Academy Experience
Gellasch: “The academy was certainly tough – 18 weeks of early mornings and long days – but I made a lot of great memories and some very good friends. The experience was a challenge and it helped show me my own limits and who I am under pressure.”
Thompson: “I found the academy to be a great experience. While there were tough days and some long hours, working with the staff, instructors and my fellow recruits were the best part.”
Why Police Work?
Gellasch:“I wasn’t really interested in law enforcement as a career until I started working for Public Safety. Working with the officers daily opened my eyes to the true world of law enforcement and helped me realize this is how I want to make a difference and serve my community.”
Thompson: “My main reason for going through the academy is to get the opportunity to help people every day I work.”
Why WCC?
Gellasch: “The most appealing thing about working as an officer for WCC is the community aspect. Rather than a normal township or city officer who spends much of their shift in the car or office, here I get to walk around and have friendly, positive contacts with students and employees alike, helping make those small positive influences and truly embody the meaning of ‘community policing’.”
Thompson: “For me, WCC has been a very welcoming environment from when I was a student here to now. The staff and students have been the best part of working at WCC.”
Tags: Police Academy, Public Safety