x
Breaking News
More () »

Maine police chief says NYU School of Med model could work for law enforcement

New York University announced last week that it would provide all of its medical students full-tuition scholarships, an attempt to sway new doctors from chasing higher-paying fields due to rising costs and six-figure loans.

SOUTH PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER Maine) — OK, who wants to go to college for free? Everyone, right?

New York University (NYU) announced last week that all current and future medical school students will have their tuition bill of about $55,000 per year waived.

Because med school is so expensive, NYU is finding its graduates choose more lucrative specialties, which has created a need for doctors who serve more of the public.

But what about other occupations that need help?

Law enforcement agencies across the nation and in Maine are short-handed, and if something like debt forgiveness could be offered to people interested in that field, the candidate pool could be a lot deeper.

South Portland Police Chief Ed Googins said it's a concept that certainly warrants consideration.

"Very few folks that we hire an hour come to us with just a GED or high school diploma," Chief Googins said. "Almost all have at least a two-year degree and most of the officers we have hired recently have at least a four-year degree.

"We have seen some pretty staggering figures of college loans the young people have, waiting for them to be paid. So this could be a good model for law enforcement."

Before You Leave, Check This Out