When Noel C. March, Director of the Maine Community Policing Institute and Senior Lecturer of Justice Studies at the University of Maine at Augusta, steps into a classroom, his mission is always clear: to prepare leaders who serve with integrity and compassion.
That commitment was front and center when March returned to the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, as an invited instructor for 96 law enforcement leaders from across the nation and around the world. His seminar, “What You Do Matters: Lessons from the Holocaust,” invites participants to explore the ethical responsibilities of law enforcement through the lens of history. Originated at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and developed by the What You Do Matters Institute, the program examines how police officers in Nazi Germany became complicit in advancing a corrupt political ideology, and how today’s officers can ensure their own service protects democratic values and human rights.
“The seminar reminds us that every decision matters,” March said. “Law enforcement officers have immense authority, but also the opportunity and responsibility, to safeguard justice in their communities every single day.”
The FBI National Academy is widely recognized as a premier professional development program for law enforcement executives, drawing participants from all 50 states, U.S. territories, and more than 150 partner nations. March, a graduate of the 170th session of the Academy, has taught there multiple times, sharing his expertise in ethical and community-focused policing with law enforcement professionals worldwide
At UMA, March leads the Maine Community Policing Institute, which provides education and training that bridge classroom learning with community impact. His ongoing work exemplifies UMA’s role as a catalyst for positive change — preparing graduates to serve with skill, empathy and purpose in Maine and beyond.
Discover ways you can make positive changes in your community with a degree in Justice Studies from UMA.