Passaic County Sheriff's Office Provides Berkeley College Students with Firsthand Look Inside Law Enforcement Careers
Thursday, October 23, 2025
PASSAIC COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE PROVIDES
BERKELEY COLLEGE STUDENTS
WITH FIRSTHAND LOOK INSIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREERS
Photo Caption: (Left) K-9 Unit Jonah demonstrates his obedience skills. (Right) Michael Gilhooley, Detective, Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, discusses the benefits of using drones in policework. The Passaic County Sheriff’s Office visited Berkeley College in Woodland Park, NJ, on October 7, 2025, to offer an inside look at various law enforcement departments and special units for students interested in legal and justice studies careers.
The Passaic County Sheriff’s Office offered students an inside look at various law enforcement departments and special units when it visited Berkeley College in Woodland Park, NJ, on October 7, 2025. The K-9 Unit and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Unit attended, along with several detectives who specialize in drone surveillance.
“As a second-generation member of law enforcement, I am thrilled that the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office is engaging with students who are considering careers in this field,” said Thomas Adamo, Passaic County Sheriff. “With so many career paths available, it’s important for students to experience firsthand the diverse opportunities that law enforcement offers. The Sheriff’s Office looks forward to a long and productive partnership with Berkeley College – and we hope to one day welcome some of today’s students as members of our team.”
Detectives talked to students about the drones’ capabilities of locating missing persons, entering residences in lieu of humans to minimize potential injuries, and expanded drone usage in the future. “It doesn’t really matter if a drone gets destroyed. Drones are replaceable. A human life is priceless,” said Michael Gilhooley, Detective, Passaic County Sheriff’s Office.
CSI detectives answered questions related to the basics of investigating a crime scene and the importance of partnership on and off the job, and noted the differences between television shows and the reality of law enforcement. Officer Andrew Flax brought K-9 Jonah, a black Labrador retriever, who demonstrated his skills in odor detection and obedience.
“The Passaic County Sheriff's Department provided an enriching hands-on experience to our students by teaching them about the different facets of law enforcement,” said Ihor Andruch, Assistant Director, Career Services, Berkeley College. “By witnessing the functions across various divisions of the Sheriff’s Office, our students were provided with an inside look as to where their future careers can take them, allowing them a chance to help solidify their career goals so they can become the professionals they aspire to be.”
The experiential learning opportunity was another event in a series of opportunities the Career Services Department and Office of Student Development and Campus Life provide for Berkeley College students.
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers Continuing Education programs to enhance career credentials.
Berkeley College has campuses in New York City and in Newark, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, with more than 4,000 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans for 12 consecutive years. Berkeley College is also ranked among the Best Regional Colleges/Universities in the North in the 2026 edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges survey. The website address is https://BerkeleyCollege.edu.
The mission of Berkeley College is to empower each student to achieve lifelong success.
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