Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has announced a college program that will prepare aspiring police officers for a career in law enforcement.

On Wednesday, DeWine unveiled the Ohio Office of Law Enforcement Recruitment's new College to Law Enforcement Pathway Program. It's an entry-level leadership development program that partners with law enforcement agencies and Ohio's colleges and universities. The program will pair criminal justice students with law enforcement mentors.

The program will pilot at Cedarville University and Central State University during the upcoming fall semester. The program will be open to qualifying upper-class criminal justice majors. Those who take part will be guaranteed a job with a partnering law enforcement agency upon graduation, DeWine said.

"Students who graduate from this rigorous professional development program will have great potential to become Ohio's next generation of law enforcement leaders," DeWine said. "In a time when many law enforcement agencies are struggling to recruit highly-qualified candidates, this program will create a pool of pre-qualified applicants with a strong understanding of criminal justice issues and the know-how to form positive relationships within their communities."

When the pilot program is completed, the College to Law Enforcement Pathway Program will expand to other law enforcement agencies, colleges and universities in the state.

Law enforcement agencies that are planning to participate in the pilot project include the Beavercreek Police Department, Dublin Police Department, Fairfield Township Police Department, Fairview Park Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Lancaster Police Department, Lebanon Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Reynoldsburg Police Department, West Chester Police Department and Xenia Police Department.