Online Degrees

Curtis McKenzie
Adjunct Faculty

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Biography

Curtis M. McKenzie began his criminal justice career at the age of 18 in 1982 as a police cadet with the Springfield, Massachusetts Police Department. In 1984, he received an Associate’s Degree in Law Enforcement from Springfield Technical Community College.

In 1985, McKenzie was appointed a Springfield Police Officer and worked a combination of patrol and detective assignments, including crime prevention, vice,  youth services and narcotics.

In 1992, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and served as the Commanding Officer of three of Springfield’s community policing districts.  Additionally, he served as the Commanding Officer of the K9 Unit and the Mounted Patrol Unit. He also served on the department's Tactical Response Unit and the Underwater Search & Rescue Unit. Later in his career in Springfield, he served as the Executive Officer of the Intelligence Unit and as an Aide to the Chief of Police. During his tenure with the Springfield Police Department he was awarded over twenty commendations, awards and citations including the Hampden County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award in 1996 and citations from two Massachusetts Governors. 
In 1998, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Magna Cum Laude, from Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts.

In 2000, McKenzie assumed a part time instructors position with the Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee at the Western Massachusetts Regional Police Academy. He served as an instructor at both the recruit and veteran officer level specializing in constitutional law, report writing, ethics, incident command systems, legal updates, community policing and incident response to bombing incidents.
In 2002, McKenzie was appointed Chief of Police in the Town of Monson, Massachusetts. During his tenure there he managed, supervised and coordinated all police services with a staff of 24 sworn officers and several non-sworn police employees. He also served as the Municipal E911 Coordinator, Public Information Officer and member of the Local Emergency Planning Committee.

In 2005, he was appointed Chief of Police in the Town of Granville, Massachusetts. As Chief, his duties were similar in nature to his previous appointment in Monson. During his tenure as Chief, he researched and authored the department’s first comprehensive policy and procedure manual.

In 2006, McKenzie received his Masters Degree in Criminal Justice from Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts.

Also in 2006, he left municipal law enforcement after 24 years of combined service and accepted a position as a Law Enforcement Coordinator/Field Representative for the New England State Police Information Network in Franklin, Massachusetts. NESPIN is one of six regional RISS centers that operate under the authority of the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance. NESPIN provides technical, analytical and forensic assistance as well as training to over 840 state, local and federal law enforcement agencies throughout New England.

Throughout his professional career McKenzie has completed over 40 specialized investigatory and administrative trainings and holds numerous certifications from state and federal agencies. He has also published several articles regarding law enforcement and criminal justice topics. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association and the Western Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association.

In 2008, McKenzie joined the Criminal Justice Division at Post University as an Adjunct Instructor. He has taught both traditional and online courses such as Juvenile Justice, Police Administration & Management, Organized Crime, Criminological Theory, Criminal Investigations, Introduction to Law Enforcement and Electronic Investigations.