Springfield Technical Community College

« Back to Recent News

Springfield police officer enrolled at STCC driven by desire to serve community

Eric Blair applies lessons from classroom when he's on the job

by Jim Danko

Resending to correct the name in the first paragraph.

Springfield, MA (10/14/2021) — Springfield Technical Community College Student Eric Blair believes in community service. It's what motivated him to serve in the military and then later serve as a police officer.

"I want to give back to the community. It gave a lot to me growing up," said Blair, a student in the criminal justice program at STCC and a full-time police officer for the Springfield Police Department.

Blair has worked with his K-9 partner, named Mr. Warner, since joining the department in 2014.

As a result of their service, Blair and Mr. Warner received the 2021 Animal Hero Award from the Dakin Humane Society. Over the years, Blair and Mr. Warner have worked on narcotics investigations. They've located missing persons. Using his sensitive snout, Mr. Warner has found elderly people who have wandered off and tracked down weapons involved in criminal activity.

For their work, the Dakin Humane Society awarded Blair and Mr. Warner the 2021 Animal Hero Award during a Humane Awards ceremony in September.

"I am proud of our entire K-9 Unit, and this accomplishment by Mr. Warner exemplifies what a successful career he has had," Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood said. "Officer Blair and K-9 Mr. Warner are well-deserving of this award, and it shows how dedicated our officers and our K-9s are in serving and working toward the betterment of our community."

Officer Blair recently stopped by STCC to talk about his career and his studies in the criminal justice program. He is pursuing an associate degree from STCC, and hopes to transfer and one day earn a master's degree.

Blair has received guidance from Akeilee Murchison, Veteran Academic Counselor at STCC.

"Eric is a great example of going from 'service to community,'" Murchison said. "He served for several years in the military and continues to give back to his community through his work. He's focused on his studies and his career and is driven by a desire to help people."

Blair wasn't so clear-eyed about what he wanted to do when he was a new graduate of West Springfield High School in 2001. But then came the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Feeling the need to serve his country, he enlisted in the military. He was active in the Air Force until 2010, and officially ended his military career in 2015.

"It helped me grow up fast," Blair said of his military experience. "It caused me to be independent and not rely on my parents. I met a lot of friends and traveled all over the place. I received good direction on what career path to take."

After getting out of the service, he was ready to start his career as a police officer. He joined the Springfield Police Department in part because he likes the city and the people. "It's very diverse. You learn a lot from different ethnic groups," Blair said.

His K-9 partner received his name through a contest at Warner School. A student wrote an essay about why "Warner" would be the best name. Blair added "mister" because he thought his partner demanded respect.

Now approaching retirement, Mr. Warner has a large following on social media, Blair said. "People know him in the community," he said.

This fall, Blair enrolled in the criminal justice program at STCC. He has some credits from another college, and his tuition and fees are paid for through the GI Bill, which provides student financial aid to veterans.

"The criminal justice program at STCC is great," said Blair, a Wilbraham resident. "It's hands-on, and they keep it in line with criminal justice, which keeps my interest."

Blair said he can apply lessons he learns at STCC to the work he does for the Springfield Police Department. Classes in the program have titles such as "Policing," "Criminal Investigation," "Ethics in Criminal Justice," to name a few of the course titles.

"The criminal justice program at STCC offers opportunities to working officers like Eric Blair," said STCC Professor Daniel Hebert. "Graduates of the program understand the legal, technical and practical aspects of law enforcement procedures. We prepare them for demanding yet rewarding careers where they can make a meaningful difference in their community. Police officers in our program not only can build their knowledge of law enforcement, but they can use the degree to get promotions and move up through the ranks."

A degree in criminal justice is ideal for working police officers or anyone who is considering a career as an officer. But the program also opens the door to other law enforcement careers. Some graduates have gone on to law school to become prosecuting attorneys. Others serve as officers in courts.

For Blair, enrolling at STCC was part of his long-standing belief in giving back to the community.

"I'm getting a degree because I want to better understand the career field I'm in and to better understand the needs of the public," Blair said.

Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.

Media Attachments

Copyright © 2024 Merit Pages, Inc. • All Rights Reserved. • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Opt Out