Northlands Job Corps Academy in Vermont was honored to have Vergennes Police Chief George Merkel and his dog Akita come to campus to help train staff on safety issues. Chief Merkel focused much of his talk on ensuring Northlands is drug-free and volunteered the services of his staff to maintain that objective.

Academy Director Tony Staynings thanked the chief for his commitment to help Northlands be a safe place for students to achieve their educational goals. The session was an excellent example of Northlands and the City of Vergennes working together for the benefit of our students.