March 26
North Shore Community College (NSCC) welcomed three new officers to their police department roster, pictured above, l-r, Officer Favion Ortiz, Officer Genesis Polanco, and Officer James Lozzi. All three are recent graduates of the Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) - Northern Essex Community College (NECC) Police Academy’s 6th Recruit Officer Class (ROC).
The graduates successfully completed a six-month MPTC, Basic Recruit Academy, where they learned about criminal law, defensive tactics, first aid, patrol procedures, investigations and more.
After completing the academy these officers also spent a number of weeks completing the department’s field training program where they received hands-on experience prior to being sent out on solo patrol. They join nearly 350 officers who have graduated from MPTC-operated academies in training year 2024-2025.
Before coming to NSCC, Officer Polanco, a resident of Salem, was an operations associate at a local bank. “I have always been passionate about serving my community and making a positive impact in people's lives. Law enforcement offers me the opportunity to protect others, uphold justice and contribute to a safe society,” said Polanco. “I wanted to be the first woman in my family from my generation to be a police officer and here we are and we are going for more.”
Switching careers from being a barber to a police officer felt like a natural fit for Officer Ortiz, a Peabody resident. When the opportunity presented itself, he took it. “It has always been a lifelong dream of mine to become a police officer, a dream I had held onto since I was a child,” said Ortiz.
Officer Lozzi’s interest in law enforcement also began at an early age. However, after college, he followed a different path. After a stint as a sales manager at a brewery and the onset of COVID, the Salisbury resident felt it was time for a change. Lozzi went to work for the Essex County Sheriff’s Department for several years, then used that as a stepping stone to join the NSCC Police Department.
“I’ve always admired the work that police officers do and feel that I, too, can make a difference,” said Lozzi.
If you see these officers out on patrol, please give them a warm NSCC Welcome!
Click for more information on the NSCC Police Department