Police recruits aim to improve community relations

From beloitdailynews.com: “Police recruits aim to improve community relations” — By Geoff Bruce – The most recent recruits of Blackhawk Technical College’s Police Recruit Academy are stretching their legs and building some bridges.

The first ever “Miles for a Message” campaign is the brainchild of the most recently graduated class of academy recruits, Class 13-64.

“The recruits decided that they wanted to do something. These people want to become law enforcement officers, not just study about it,” Blackhawk Technical College Recruit Academy Coordinator Doug Anderson said.

Miles for a Message will take place April 5 and consist of two halves. The first will be a relay run beginning at 8 a.m. consisting of many runners teaming up to conquer the 26.2-mile course. The morning jaunt will start from Blackhawk Technical College’s Central Campus, 6004 S. County Road G, between Beloit and Janesville, and will head south to Beloit before winding through the city to pass by nearly all of its schools. The run will conclude at the Rotary River Center in Riverside Park in Beloit.

Following the morning run will be an afternoon organization fair. The fair will run from approximately 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Rotary River Center. The purpose of the fair is to introduce citizens to all of the organizations in the area that may be able to help in difficult times. Police academy graduate Bryanne Tudor says that one ultimate goal of the event is to promote good relations between citizens and law enforcement.

“(My class) all talked about it and we realized a lot of underprivileged people don’t really know the resources available to them,” Tudor said. “As law enforcement, it’s important to us for people to know their resources.”

There is no charge for organizations wishing to take part in the event. For more information on either portion of the event, interested parties can contact Tudor at 608-436-6869.

So far, a handful of organizations have signed up to participate in the organization fair following the run including the City of Beloit, Town of Beloit, and Town of Turtle Police Departments, as well as the Rock County Sheriff’s Department.

“I think that each generation of police officers will see this grow in importance. There can no longer be that disconnection of guys just riding around in squad cars and only connecting when someone’s in need or in trouble,” Anderson said. “We need to get officers out of the car and taking the time to interact with people.”

The event’s first half will also raise money for two Stateline Area organizations via pledges. Runners who sign up to run a leg of the 26.2-mile relay will collect at least $75 in pledges and will be able to sign up to run as much, or as little, as they want.

Benefiting from the funds raised by the pledges will be Project 16:49 and the Merrill Community Center.

“Project 16:49 has really taken off, especially with the opening of their new house. I think that they tackle an issue we all need to be aware of,” Tudor said. “As for Merrill, it’s just been a great organization for so long and we really wanted to show support for it.”

Project 16:49 opened its first house to provide long-term residence for homeless teens last month. Executive Director Tammy DeGarmo says that things with the Robin House are going well so far.

“We’ve had almost everything we need for the house donated to us. We’ve had so many people want to volunteer and help out,” DeGarmo said. “We’re excited for this because it’s not easy to take the time to organize an event and right now we’re very busy with the Robin House and helping our other kids. So to have them put this on for us is wonderful.”

Merrill Community Center Executive Director Regina Dunkin recently participated in a panel at Beloit College regarding the incarceration problem in Wisconsin. Prior to that forum, she made points echoing Tudor’s desires to build bridges between law enforcement and citizens. She stood by those remarks Monday.

“I think it’s another opportunity to show the humanity of police officers,” Dunkin said. “Often we hear from kids that they have negative ideas about police because they’ve gotten in trouble or their parents have gotten in trouble. This is a way to change that perception and show that police officers are people too.”

Like DeGarmo, Dunkin was flattered by the decision by the recruits’ to make Merrill Community Center one of the beneficiaries.

“It’s just wonderful. We don’t always have people in the community willing to take the initiative on things like this for us,” Dunkin said. “It’s really going to help us in continuing to serve the children and families of the center.”

Participants who wish to have a running buddy can sign up together. Runners are not responsible for finding and fielding an entire team to run the 26.2 miles.

“Once we have all the sign-ups, we’ll sort people into teams to make sure that the distances that people want to run add up to 26.2 miles,” Tudor said. “If you have someone you want to run with you can write that down and we’ll make sure you get to.”

The run will pass by over a dozen schools in the Beloit area including Turner High School, Rock County Christian High School, and Beloit Memorial High School.

Throughout the morning, teams will go over the Rock River a couple of times. But whether it be at White, Henry, or Grand Avenue, if Tudor and her colleagues have their way, there will be plenty more crossings on a lot more bridges in the days to come.

Academy graduates ready for law enforcement careers

From chippewa.com: “Academy graduates ready for law enforcement careers” — Eau Claire, WI – It wasn’t just family tradition that attracted James Jarecki to a career in law enforcement, but he did find inspiration there.

“It’s in my family. My dad (James, Sr.) worked for Bayfield County as a patrol officer,” Jarekci said.

Now Jarecki is about to follow in his father’s footsteps. On Friday, Nov. 15, he graduated from the Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) Law Enforcement Academy, renewing his certification to work as a law enforcement officer in Wisconsin. He’s been hired as a reserve officer for the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department and is on the eligibility list for full-time work.

Jarecki, who was elected class leader, had been through the academy once before, but the 2007 Drummond High School graduate was working outside law enforcement for a time, and since he was hired by Chippewa County in January, his certification needed to be renewed. He’s looking forward to getting started in his new career.

“I like patrol,” Jarecki said of his preferred law enforcement job. “You’re not sitting in an office all the time. It’s always something different. You never know what you’re going to get into.”

Being a law enforcement officer in Wisconsin takes a great deal of training. Most of the Law Enforcement Academy graduates, including Jarecki, previously completed CVTC’s two-year Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement program or one at another technical college. Others obtained four-year university degrees before entering the academy.

That provides a good, required foundation, but the 14-week academy program gets down to the practical. Completion of an academy program is required for certification.

Eric Anderson, director of the CVTC Law Enforcement Academy and associate dean of emergency services at CVTC, said the program instructs the recruits in six areas: policing in America, tactical skills, patrol procedures, legal context, relational skills, and investigations.

“The graduates learned to interact with the community as a professional,” Anderson said in his remarks to the graduates and family members at the ceremony. “They learned how to protect themselves. . . they learned how to provide safety and security to all citizens.”

Graduate Christopher Allen, chosen as the student speaker for the ceremony, spoke of the task ahead of the graduates in their careers. “We’ll be given an awesome amount of responsibility. We will be called upon to calm chaos in the most professional manner possible,” Allen said.

“Don’t let it end here,” Judy Anibas, academy faculty member and long-time Eau Claire police officer, told the graduates. “It means a lifelong journey of continuous education and training.”

Anibas called upon the graduates to honor the people they work with, their community, their loved ones and themselves. “And honor the department that hires you. They saw something in you that they thought would enhance their department.”

Of the 22 graduates, four had already secured full-or part-time positions with departments.

 

FVTC hosts tribal police conference

From whby.com: “Tribal police gather in G.B.area” — Fox Valley Technical College is helping train tribal police officers from across the Midwest this week, at a conference in the Green Bay area.

Brad Russ is the director of the school’s national criminal justice training center. He says it’s the 25th annual event, and they’re focusing on issues like human trafficking and drugs.

Russ says it’s one of the premier tribal training conferences in the country.

The conference runs through Friday, at the Radisson hotel and conference center in the Green Bay area.

Column: Police officers take seriously commitment to protect, serve

From postcrescent.com: “Police officers take seriously commitment to protect, serve” — My daughter raised her right hand to be sworn in.

“On my honor, I will never betray my badge, my integrity, my character or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions. I will always uphold the Constitution, my community and the agency I serve.”

I always knew this day would come. Before she could write, she scribbled “tickets” to offending family members. Lights and sirens evoked heartfelt prayers and a million questions. Halloween “uniforms” were easy. Unusual gifts included handcuffs and police scanners. Most mothers encourage children to avoid traffic. As a Police Explorer, my daughter’s whistle and expertly executed hand motions finally allowed her access to busy intersections. It really struck home when a bulletproof vest hung in my laundry room.

Some public servants, like my daughter, are born for policing, ingrained with a sense of justice, an undeniable passion to help and an unwavering commitment to goodwill.

The police badge represents the shield medieval knights carried into battle. Daily, they strapped on armor, shields and weapons as they protected the people. Brave law enforcement officers do the same today.

None of us know what we may face when we walk out the door on any given day. Neither do our public servants. The difference is when they get ready for work; they strap on a gun, bulletproof vest, and shield and rush to help with unforeseen tragedies. They walk out their door in the morning with a noble purpose — to protect and serve.

I interviewed dozens of law enforcement officers, looking for the proverbial bad apples — the power-hungry bullies above the law whom the media loves to vilify. I couldn’t find one. Although the media would have us believe most citizens resent police officers, I found the opposite.

Grand Chute Police Chief Greg Peterson confirmed most people respect police officers.

“We consistently deal with 2 to 5 percent of the population in their worst moments — people with tremendous needs,” he said.

Safety agencies want feedback to prevent negative perceptions. Peterson said, “We encourage people to contact us if they were treated unprofessionally. We only get a handful of complaints and we take them very seriously. We want the best for our community and demand it from our officers. That is why the hiring process is so rigorous.”

Mark Kohl, the Law Enforcement Recruitment Academy director at Fox Valley Technical College, trusts the academic system.

“We set extremely high standards for these young men and women,” he said. “The recruit process weeds out candidates with wrong motives. Abilities to multitask, problem solve, collaborate and meet high cognitive standards, along with physical stamina and precise technical skills, are what graduates must prove.”

Though part social worker, health care provider, translator, counselor and advocate, police officers are also fathers, sons, brothers, sisters, mothers and daughters just like us. The difference is their commitment to a job most of us would never consider.

Academy recruits from FVTC shared their perspective about policing. They agreed values like honor, courage and commitment to community have been passed down through legacies of law enforcement. Eager to uphold values from their oath, they trust the training, academics and character tests that prepare them to take their place as the next generation of public servants.

While visiting New York City, I met NYPD Officer Lawrence DePrimo. You may remember him as one of People Magazine’s Heroes of the Year in 2012. A tourist’s photo of DePrimo giving shoes to a homeless man went viral. DePrimo humbly said, “It was just a normal day on the job. I got up, went to work and helped someone. Any officer would have done it. We do it every day.”

Most police officers are men and women of integrity who honor the badge and oath they swore to uphold. So the next time you see flashing lights in your rear-view mirror, get cited for a traffic violation or are asked to inconveniently detour, remember these men and women are working to protect the community, ensure public safety and save lives.

Today, they may provide that service to you or someone you love.

 

 

Counselors live what students will experience

From chippewa.com: “Counselors live what students will experience” — EAU CLAIRE – At McDonell Central High School in Chippewa Falls, it’s part of Jerry Van Dyke’s job to advise students on college and career selections and keep their high school experiences on track so they can reach their goals. He just got a little better at it.

Now Van Dyke will be able to tell his students from firsthand experience what they’re going to need in some of Chippewa Valley Technical College’s (CVTC’s) most popular programs.

“I’m here to learn about what young students in the program are experiencing right out of high school. It’s learning about it through practical experience,” Van Dyke said. He was one of dozens of high school counselors attending a recent conference at CVTC in which they were updated on requirements and expectations in the FireMedic, Paramedic/EMT, Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement and Paralegal programs.

However, the CVTC students who acted as instructors for the session did not just talk to the counselors about the credits required. They had them dressing in firefighter’s gear, holding a spraying fire hose, climbing ladders, tearing apart a wrecked car, checking vitals on a simulated patient, and many other activities that students in the programs face.

“I can advise kids so much better after today,” said Aaron Hass, the counselor at Mondovi High School. “I will have the practical experience to say, ‘I was in on that session, and you need (Advanced Placement) one and two.’”

Counselors from the area meet at CVTC once a year. “The purpose is to give them an overview of admission requirements and programs and update them on changes,” said Gayle Ostermann of Menomonie, an enrollment specialist at CVTC who works closely with the counselors. “This year was different because we decided to target one of our career clusters.” A survey of the counselors led to selection of the Law, Public Safety and Security cluster.

The CVTC staff planning the event decided to make it a hands-on experience, and to have students, who were so recently high school students themselves, conduct the sessions.

“The level of maturity of the students now in college was displayed to the counselors, who can talk about that with their high school students too,” Ostermann said.

Van Dyke sees the opportunity to take what he’s learned back to McDonell, where he can quickly dispel some of the misconceptions of students who think they don’t need this-or-that class to pursue a chosen career.

“One of the (Criminal Justice program) students pointed out the need for communication skills. That’s something 17-year-olds don’t realize,” Van Dyke said.

“The kids would be surprised by the amount of academics,” Hass said. “A lot of them want to skid through high school and think tech school will just be easy. (In Paramedic/EMT) they have to take anatomy and physiology.”

“In firefighting, they have to know physics, and do math right in the truck,” Van Dyke added.

“Math is so incredibly important. Kids need math skills and need to continue them because of the safety factor,” said Linda Mikunda, counselor at Barron High School.

Barb Van Doorn of Lake Holcombe High School had a different perspective. Academic requirements can be found in publications. “But we saw firsthand exactly what you need for FireMedic. You get a better idea of what students are going through. We are always so concerned about cognitive abilities, but with this program we learned what is physically needed, and what is emotionally needed.”

“We thought the sessions would energize them” said Ostermann. “There were a lot of smiles today.”

 

Lakeshore Tech offers active shooter, workplace violence seminars

From shoeboyganpress.com: “LTC offers active shooter, workplace violence seminars” — Lakeshore Technical College is offering seminars intended to help the public respond to incidents of school or workplace violence. Seminars will be held Oct. 16 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Nov. 14 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the Cleveland campus in the Public Safety building.

The seminar will address school and workplace violence, with a major emphasis on the active shooter. Participants will learn how to respond to threats, what to expect from law enforcement’s response, what to teach children about the immediate actions to take when confronted by an active shooter and what plans businesses and citizens should have in place in case an incident occurs.

The seminar is designed for everyone, especially parents and those in the business and school community, according to a news release.

Instructor Jason Wilterdink, who has 15 years of experience as a law enforcement officer, is a full-time instructor at LTC, a master instructor in use of force and is certified by several organizations as a firearms instructor. He also has served as an instructor and expert witness in self-defense, training, safety, security, health, wellness and fitness.

Wilterdink also served in an international police mission for the United Nations where he served in Liberia as the team leader for the crowd control team and lead instructor for physical security, operational security and civil unrest in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1509.

The cost of the seminar is $89. To register by phone with credit card, call 888-468-6582, ext. 1366.

 

Fox Valley Tech agriculture, health simulation centers nearly ready for students

From postcrescent.com: “From referendum to reality” — These are heady times at Fox Valley Technical College, as finishing touches are being put on two major projects authorized in a 2012 referendum.

By a 2-1 margin, voters approved a $66.5 million referendum that called for the construction of three new facilities and the expansion of two existing buildings.

The college will host a media event Wednesday at its Appleton campus to unveil the $11.9 million Health Simulation and Technology Center.

The focus this week was a naming rights agreement with Service Motor Co. of Dale for the agriculture center, which received a $3.5 million expansion from the referendum. The facility is almost completed. An open house for both facilities is set for Oct. 1.

Nearly 2,800 square feet of classrooms and computer labs were added for agribusiness courses. Existing spaces were renovated into labs for hands-on learning.

Dustin Korth, a 20-year-old agribusiness and science technology student from Waldo, likes the flexibility of the new spaces.

“This is beautiful … the new classrooms are 10 times better than they were before,” Korth said. “It’s nice to have more room to accommodate more students. Like last year, packing 28 students into some rooms with four rows of tables was not comfortable at all.”

The agriculture industry is not just alive and well in Wisconsin, but flourishing, said Jim Sommer, president of Service Motor Co. The increased demand for agriculture programs — which has grown at FVTC by 87 percent since 2008 — is why the company continues its 30-plus year relationship with the college.

The equipment dealer solidified its ties to FVTC even further by donating $1.1 million for naming rights to the newly expanded agriculture center, now known as the Service Motor Co. Agriculture Center at Fox Valley Technical College.

The gift is a combination of student scholarships, equipment donations and financial support, Sommer said.

The need for skilled workers in precision agriculture, agricultural power and agribusiness will increase as technology advances, Sommer said.

“We know there’s going to be a growing need. Over the next 10 to 20 years, we’ll need employees,” Sommer said. “By providing financial support, we’re hoping to ensure quality graduates.”

The new Health Simulation and Technology Center will be a hub for the college’s medical-related programs. The three-story building features a virtual hospital, classrooms, a computer lab and physical therapy suites.

The facility will provide students with experience in real-world situations.

Bob Sternhagen, human patient simulation coordinator, said every major institution that trains medical professionals has a simulation lab.

“That’s the beauty of simulation: students can mess up, they can make mistakes and nobody gets harmed,” Sternhagen said.

Students also will learn how to work with professionals in other areas, including police officers, firefighters, paramedics, medical assistants, nurses and occupational therapy assistants.

“This is patient care as a cooperative type of event because whatever a police officer does on the scene of an auto crash will impact what a paramedic or EMT does, which will impact what an ER doctor does … it may mean the difference between a patient not surviving or surviving with a poor outcome,” Sternhagen said.

Officials invited members of the Fox Valley Healthcare Alliance to tour the facility earlier this week. Education consultant Jen Meyer represented ThedaCare, and she was impressed.

“It’s unreal,” Meyer said. “This is such a valuable asset for our community. Not only will it provide an amazing opportunity for area students, but for our existing health care workforce as well.”

Fox Valley Tech experts to review storm response

From wbay.com: “Fox Valley Tech Chosen to Review Outagamie County Storm Response” — A panel of experts at Fox Valley Technical College will conduct an independent review of Outagamie County’s August 7th storm response. A professional meteorologists will also be part of the review.

The sirens were silent as a severe storm tore across the county and spawned a number of tornadoes in the early morning hours of August 7th. The county Public Service Committee discussed possible discipline for the county’s Emergency Management director, Julie Loeffelholz.

In her defense, Loeffelholz says the National Weather Service never issued a tornado warning and no trained personnel or weather spotters reported tornadoes, but even if they had, she couldn’t have activated sirens because power was knocked out to the communications tower to signal them and the backup system she requested won’t be purchased and installed until 2014.

Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson requested an independent review, and put Outagamie Corporation Counsel Joe Guidote in charge of organizing the review panel.

Guidote says he chose FVTC “because of its expertise in public safety and emergency management training.” He says the panel will include people with credentials in law enforcement, and meteorology.

Nicolet College prepares students for law enforcement careers

From starjournalnow.com: “Nicolet College Recruit Academy students train for law enforcement careers” — Nineteen students are currently working their way through the Nicolet College Law Enforcement Recruit Academy, certifying each to work in law enforcement agencies in the state of Wisconsin.

Students are learning and practicing arrest and handcuffing techniques.
The 13-week, 520-hour program is run in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Instruction includes lectures and hands-on training that covers policing in America, tactical skills, patrol procedures, investigations and emergency medical response for law enforcement.

Specialized skills such as emergency vehicle operation, firearms, professional communications, and defense tactics are also taught.

The recruits will graduate in late August.

For more information about Nicolet’s criminal justice associate degree program, visit nicoletcollege.edu or call at (715) 365-4451, (800) 544-3039, ext. 4451; or TDD (715) 365-4448.

Elite arson investigator training at WCTC

From todaystmj4.com: “Today’s TMJ4 goes inside elite arson investigator training” — WAUKESHA – It happens time and time again right here in southeast Wisconsin.  Intentionally set fires destroying homes and businesses, putting firefighters in danger and neighborhoods at risk.

TODAY’S TMJ4’s cameras were invited for an exclusive look at an elite training program for arson investigators. Instructors carefully, deliberately set multiple fires in an old Hartford farmhouse before students arrived, turning it into a hands-on classroom.

“It’s a two-week, National Fire Academy course, a very prestigious course,” said Brian Dorow, Dean of Criminal Justice at Waukesha County Technical College.  “What we’re setting is seven different crime scenes.  The students come through during the course.  They have to determine the motive, the origin.”

This is all done under the careful supervision of the Hartford Fire and Rescue Department.  Chief Paul Stephens had a message for those who see arson as a way out.

“It puts firefighters’ lives at risk,” Stephens said.  “It puts citizens at risk and fire kills people.”

We first met the students as they watched a demonstration at the technical college campus.  A living room scene had been set up inside a garage. The students watched the instructor spray a trail of lighter fluid along the floor, up to a couch cushion.

The instructor started the fire with a single match.  It took less than two minutes for the fire to rage.

“We can talk about it through PowerPoint and lecture,” the instructor said.  “We can show video of it.  But, we want the students to be able come out and actually see how it evolves.”

Back at the old farmhouse, the students put that classroom arson training to the test. Instructors posed as witnesses, like the fire chief and the homeowner. One of the instructors is Wisconsin State Fire Marshal Michael Rindt.

“Every fire is a challenging scene,” Rindt said.  “We try not to make these scenes as challenging as you’d see in the real world because we want these to be a learning experience for them.”

There are seven different fire mysteries within this house.  Some are set up as accidental fires and others as arson fires.  Students take their notes back to the classroom and try to determine the cause.

Students will take these skills back to their communities, better equipped to catch the criminals who start fires.  The students are firefighters, sheriff’s deputies and police officers.

“I don’t know if we have a shortage of adequately trained fire investigators, but it certainly is a profession where you need to have continued training,” Rindt said.

WCTC said every one of the students passed the course and that the students correctly solved each of the seven mock cases.

The college did not allow TODAY’S TMJ4 to interview the students because of their active roles in law enforcement.

Dreams come true for local CVTC grads

From chippewa.com: “Dreams come true for local CVTC grads” — Eau Claire — Friday night was a dream come true for Lori Hruza of Chippewa Falls and Devyne Gass of Cornell. Their paths were longer and a bit more winding than many of their fellow Chippewa Valley Technical College graduates, but they all came to the same place together: walking across the stage to receive their diplomas.

Hruza, 42, and Gass, 45, received associate degrees in nursing. They are now well prepared to pass their exams and become registered nurses, opening up greater career opportunities than they have experienced before in their lives.

“Dreams do come true,” said Hruza. “I always wanted to do nursing, and after my third child I decided to go back to school.“

Hruza has been many places in her adult life, as her husband pursued a military career. She worked in child care and taught preschool, at one point in Hawaii. But she always dreamt of becoming a nurse.

“It’s interesting learning about the human body, and I always enjoyed helping people,” she said. It became easier to pursue her dream after her children were older, and she chose CVTC’s nursing program.

Now, ready to enter the nursing profession and after seven years living in Chippewa Falls, she’s excited about a new adventure. “We’re moving to Hawaii!” she said.

Gass has already been working as a licensed practical nurse at a nursing home in Ladysmith. She attended Northcentral Technical College in Wausau some years ago for that training. She’s been wanting to advance her career.

“I wanted to get into a school that’s closer,” she said. “But it took a while to get back into the program.“

Now she’s on the verge of being an RN. It won’t mean an immediate change of scenery for her, but Gass knows it will open up many more employment possibilities.

“It’s been a long time coming,” she said.

That feeling was shared by hundreds of people at UW-Eau Claire’s Zorn Arena, which hosts the CVTC graduation each fall and spring.

CVTC honored 626 graduates in 47 different programs Friday night, with 375 graduates receiving associate degrees and 251 receiving technical diplomas. On Thursday night, CVTC honored 67 graduates at its River Falls campus, including 60 receiving associate degrees and seven receiving technical diplomas.

The most popular programs among this spring’s graduates were nursing, with 60 graduates, criminal justice/law enforcement with 54 graduates, and business management with 53.

Among the graduates was Randi Johnson of Eau Claire, in the dental hygienist program, who was chosen as the student speaker. She urged the graduates to get out of their comfort zones.

“Being willing to step out of our comfort zones led us here,” she said. “Now that we’ve gotten to this point in life, we should push ourselves to keep improving. We will feel uncomfortable in the future, whether it’s in an interview for our dream job or buying our first house. But the moments where we feel unsure usually turn out to be the ones that change our lives and help define who we are.“

Featured speaker Paul Gabriel, executive director of the Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association, put a new twist on the notion of wishing graduates “good luck.“

“For years, I’ve heard graduates refer to themselves as ’lucky’ to have made it here,” he said. “But, what’s luck really got to do with it? … If you feel fortunate to be here, it’s not luck at all. It’s the success that you have created for yourself.“

 

CVTC instructor honored by Girl Scouts

From chippewa.com: “Girl Scouts honor CVTC instructor Judi Anibas” — EAU CLAIRE – When Judi Anibas overheard an inappropriate comment during one of the classes she teaches at Chippewa Valley Technical College’s (CVTC) Law Enforcement Academy, she thought it was time for a quick real-world exercise.

The 25-year veteran of the Eau Claire Police Department had all of the students privately write down the names of four women who they loved and respected and were important in their lives. Then she asked the (mostly male) class if they would ever make such a comment to or about one of those women.

“There was dead silence,” Anibas says. She went on to insist that no such comments would be heard again in that class, and she didn’t need to know who made it. The students, like the law enforcement officers they aspire to become, are to be held to the highest standards of integrity, and sensitivity to the members of the public they serve.

Upholding standards in such a way is one of the reasons the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes honored Anibas at its annual Women of Courage, Confidence and Character banquet Monday evening, April 1. The award honors area women who demonstrate a commitment to serving their communities and embody the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character.

Anyone who knows Judi Anibas will agree that she has those qualities, and a look at her career shows her commitment to serving the community.

Originally from Milwaukee, the UW-Platteville criminal justice program graduate took the first law enforcement job offered to her, with the city of Eau Claire. She was put on a walking beat in the Water Street area, an area with taverns frequented by the local college crowd.

“You see more because you’re on foot,” she recalls. There were enough problems to deal with, including motorcycle gangs and drugs, but she also got to know the local residents and business owners and learned to listen to their concerns.

“Doing that really assisted me later when I had an inside job in crime prevention,” Anibas says.

In the following years, Anibas took on just about every duty that comes the way of a law enforcement officer. She was a patrol officer for nine years, spent four years as a detective and then went back to patrol. She learned to deal with child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence cases and so much more, both as an officer responding to calls and as a detective investigating them.

That role of being the one catching the bad guys held much satisfaction for her, but so did the other duties she took on over the years. She became a hostage negotiator, firearms instructor, evidence technician, community policing specialist and eventually law enforcement instructor.

Anibas says she particularly liked working with community organizations and neighborhood watch groups. She came to appreciate the value of listening, and learned that what people often wanted from their police force was different from what police themselves thought of their duties.

“Wherever I worked I enjoyed myself,” she says. “But it was great to meet people who really enjoyed their community and had respect for the police.

“The cool thing is I can use all of that today when I teach community policing,” she added.

Anibas joined CVTC in 1992 as an instructor and became full time in 2006. She became Dean of the Law Enforcement and other areas, is still working as an instructor in the program, and as a safety instructor for the Business and Industry team.

She has as much enthusiasm for teaching as she does for law enforcement. “It’s inspirational, knowing that with the experience I’ve had I can give back to students.”

Anibas has been generous with her time outside of work as well. Anibas served as president of the board of directors for the Wisconsin Association of Women Police, Eau Claire Police Benevolent Association, Eau Claire Police Local 9, and Eau Claire Police Supervisors Local 39. She has been involved with Indianhead Special Olympics, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and is the current president of the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Wisconsin board of directors.

 

Seminar to cover safety, lockdown in the workplace

From beloitdailynews.com: “Seminar to cover safety, lockdown in the workplace” — 

“If you don’t think it can happen where you work, think again.”

That’s what Sgt. Shena Kohler with the Rock County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management said about making a plan for a potentially deadly situation in light of recent mass shootings.

 

She is encouraging people from education, business, healthcare and just about any organization to attend a seminar on forging an emergency plan held by the Rock County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with Blackhawk Technical College (BTC). Jesus Villahermosa, from Crisis Reality Training, will give a seminar titled “Staff, This is a Lockdown.”

This training seminar will focus on active threats of violence, mass shootings, lockdowns and emergency planning. It will be held at BTC’s central campus, 6004 S. CTH G, Janesville.

The sessions will be held April 29 and 30 from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Seating is limited to 150 each day. There is an April 26 deadline to register.

Otherwise if people go to the website, www.crisisrealitytraining.com they can click on “Upcoming Seminars” and go to “Staff, This is a Lockdown” to see the listings for BTC.

The cost is $109 per person, but Kohler said it’s worth every dime. Calling Villahermosa an amazing and powerful presenter is an understatement, she said.

“You will walk out of that training ready to go and to hit the ground running,” she said.

The objectives of the workshop include: teaching employers and employees about what a lockdown plan is, demonstrating why every work place needs one, examining realistic considerations in developing the lockdown plans, empowering the employee with knowledge of the plan and providing those on scene with the necessary tools to increase their survival rate.

Kohler said it’s important not to forget the tragic school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., as well as the many mass shootings at schools, movie theaters and businesses.

For example, there have been six mass shootings in Wisconsin since 2004, with two of them being just last year.

In August of 2012, a gunman shot six people and injured four others at a Sikh temple south of Milwaukee before killing himself.

The Azana Spa shooting occurred in October of 2012 when a gunman accused of domestic violence went into his wife’s workplace in Brookfield, Wis., shooting three and injuring four before killing himself.

Kohler highly encourages teachers and school administrators to attend. Although the Sheriff’s Department will look over school district plans and bring up suggestions, it’s ultimately the school district’s responsibility for emergency preparedness. With many school districts reaching out to the Department, she said the seminar was brought to Rock County to help give the latest information on best preparing for an emergency situation.

Kohler also encourages those with malls, big box stores, places of worship and other organizations to consider attending as well. She said it’s important for school districts, businesses and other organizations to communicate and said the event is likely to generate much conversation on preparedness.

Being prepared starts with agreement about who would be called in a crisis situation. Kohler didn’t want to give too much away about the seminar, but said that some of the commonly held beliefs about preparing and lock downs may be challenged.

Jesus M. Villahermosa, Jr. has been a deputy sheriff with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department since 1981. He is currently a Sergeant for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department serving in the Patrol Division at the South Hill Precinct after serving as the Supervisor of the Court Security Division of the County/City Building for four years where he coordinated and supervised the security for high profile criminal and civil cases.

He also served 15 months as the Director of Campus Safety at Pacific Lutheran University in a contract partnership where he worked all security aspects related to staff and student safety at the University. He was the first certified Master Defensive Tactics Instructor for law enforcement personnel in the state of Washington and was also a Firearm’s Instructor. He has been on the Pierce County Sheriff’s S.W.A.T. Team since 1983 where he currently serves as the point man on the entry team.

MSTC students give back to community

From marshfieldnewsherald.com: “Column: MSTC students give back to community” — Winter is ending — I am sure of it! Well, almost sure. Despite the weather, Mid-State Technical College students have been actively engaged in our communities, demonstrating service learning at its finest. MSTC students and employees positively impact hundreds, possibly thousands, of lives each year through volunteerism and service learning.

Service learning is a method of instruction that combines classroom knowledge and skills with real-world experience through community service. Many MSTC students engage in service learning and charitable activities, demonstrating that a technical college education not only provides students with the skills they need to succeed in the workforce, but also community spirit to be valuable contributors to central Wisconsin.

The number of MSTC community projects is too great to list them all, but I’d like to share a sample of the spirit of giving among our students.

Many MSTC programs arrange service learning to help meet specific community needs. For instance, the Early Childhood Education, or ECE, Club filled pillowcases with pajamas, toys, personal hygiene items and games for children who have been removed from their home due to possible neglect or abuse. Mid-State Student Nurses Association, or MSNA, sponsors an on-campus blood drive every semester.

Students also are quick to address tragic events and previously unforeseen needs. Corrections students sponsored a walk that raised $9,800 to assist a local family with their child’s medical expenses. The same group of students is raising money for the family of an Adams County deputy injured in the line of duty.

Student projects also increase awareness and educate. Students Environmentally United for a Sustainable Society, or SEUSS, a club made up of students from MSTC’s five renewable energy programs and the Urban Forestry program, regularly promote environmental sustainability through a variety of events and charitable giving. In one instance, the SEUSS club recently bought and prepared locally grown foods and served dinner to about 180 people at The Neighborhood Table in Wisconsin Rapids. MSTC law enforcement students mentor local high school students and members of the community through the police academies.

I am humbled and inspired by these outstanding and selfless acts of kindness. Generosity and service learning are truly a part of our culture at MSTC. The student club concept fosters self-improvement by providing opportunities to develop leadership qualities, social awareness, occupational understanding and civic consciousness. Development of these skills helps students discover new interests, make connections, and enhance opportunities for employment — all while positively impacting their future employers and the fabric of our communities.

NWTC looks to train students to identify human trafficking

From wbay.com: “NWTC looks to train students to identify human trafficking” — Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is exploring ways to help train students in fields like law enforcement how to be on the look out for the signs of human trafficking.

Becky McDonald is the co-founder of Women at Risk International, an organization that raises awareness about human trafficking.

“It is not a foreign problem, it is not an intercity problem, it is not an ethnicity problem, it’s a human condition problem,” explained McDonald.

Staff on Northeast Wisconsin Technical College’s campus have been selling jewelry made by survivors through Women at Risk International and raised $6,000 which goes directly back to those survivors.

Those involved say they had no idea human trafficking hit so close to home.

“It’s been amazing. People who’ve seen the sale and have come up and told us stories of people they know. It’s just been amazing and alarming at the same time,” said NWTC regional manager, Sarah  Nelson.

The founder of Women at Risk International is meeting with NWTC staff and professors to find out how students going into things like human services and law enforcement can be better trained to look for the signs of human trafficking.

“How, as a lawyer or law enforcement, do you look at the person as a victim and not a criminal? How do you interview instead of interrogate?” asked McDonald.

Right now students don’t get that kind of specific training.

“When they see something that doesn’t make sense, they haven’t been empowered by the law to address it, they haven’t been empowered with resources and they don’t even know what they’re seeing,” explained McDonald.

NWTC hopes to organize a training program that could be used statewide.

Demand drives need for new dispatcher training course

From wbay.com: “Demand drives need for new dispatcher training course” — Brown County -Action 2 News has learned plans are underway for a new partnership with the Brown County Communications Center, local law enforcement, and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.

They’re teaming up to create what they’re calling the area’s first dispatcher certification program.

It’s partly in response to a problem we first told you about back in October, after several dispatchers at the Brown County 911 Center walked off the job, fed up with scheduling issues, overtime, and stress.

At the time, the center was down six full-time dispatchers — about 10 percent of its staff.

The county brought in representatives from the police, fire, and sheriff’s departments to look at the problems and recommend solutions. Employees told them one of the biggest concerns is training.

Now the dispatch center and school are working to start a new training program.

Before Brown County dispatchers ever answer your 911 call or talk to police or fire crews on their own, they undergo three months of intense on-the-job training.

It’s stressful work, and some people are simply not cut out for it. Dispatchers have a national turnover rate of 18 percent a year.

“In our case, that would be anywhere from 10 to 12 people a year that we potentially could lose. And training 10 to 12 people a year for 13 weeks out of the year is an extensive amount of training,” says Brown County Communications Center Interim Director Cullen Peltier.

At the suggestion of law enforcement, NWTC realized a need for what it says would be the area’s first dispatcher certification program, and just a few weeks ago agreed to create it.

“Basically what we’re doing is just giving them very, very basic fundamental skills with regards to dispatching,” says John Flannery, NWTC Criminal Justice Instructor.

Flannery just became certified to teach this new course, a sort of basic training, so dispatchers don’t start a new job feeling blindfolded.

“When I was in law enforcement full time, I didn’t really understand until I went through the training myself the kind of stress that dispatchers have to put up with,” says Flannery.

They’re still working out all the details of the class, but the school hopes to start it as soon as early summer, with 25 to 30 students enrolled right away.

“Shortening up anything for us would be great because it’s time, it’s training effort, it’s dollars that we spend on the trainees while they’re doing the training program, so anything is a benefit to us,” says Peltier.

While the certification won’t be required, Peltier thinks it will make a big difference.

“It’s going to be a good program for the people that are coming through it,” he says.

Peltier says since September, the county has been slowly filling vacancies and has hired 14 new employees. He hopes to be at full staffing of 62 dispatchers in April.

 

Law enforcement recruiters come to FVTC

From nbc26.com: “Job fair focuses on valley trained police officers” — APPLETON — Police departments from across the state are in Appleton looking for the next generation of crime fighters.

Law enforcement recruiters say shrinking budgets are limiting the number of new officer positions. As a result, new recruits are being held to higher standards than in years past in what has become a very competitive job market.

Hundreds of students came to Fox Valley Technical College to speak one on one with police recruiters from dozens of agencies.

Steven Kincaid is in the midst of a career change, making the rounds at the job fair.

The 43 year old FVTC criminal justice has a background in computer forensics.

“I wanted to apply my knowledge in computers to fighting computer crime, internet crime, and all that goes along with that,” Kincaid said.

The college’s 10^th annual recruiting event features about 25 departments from across the state.

Departments are on the lookout for officers to help curb cyber crime.

“Having a background like that it’s as important as having a second language, if somebody can speak a second language we’re also looking for those kinds of skills, said Sgt. Dave Lund of the Appleton police department.

For future officers like Kincaid, these types of networking experiences with police agencies are invaluable.

Each police recruiter speaks with between 20 and 50 potential officers during the 4 hour job fair.

The college will soon offer a class specializing in cyber crime. It’s called “Financial Fraud Detection” will be offered for the first time this fall.

 

NTC receives donation to Emergency Village training project

From wifc.com: “NTC receives donation to Emergency Village training project” — Northcentral Technical College is getting a donation to install state-of-the-art law enforcement training equipment at the Merrill campus. A check presentation ceremony starts at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning at Church Mutual Insurance.

NTC’s Emergency Village project will use the funding to provide moving target training equipment, including tactical targets and robots. Police Science and Emergency Medical Service students will face real-time, computer- simulated situations that all public safety workers must know how to handle in a safe and controlled environment.

Campus President Lori Weyers expects several thousand public safety personnel a year to gain practical, hands-on experience at the Merrill center. The Emergency Village project is expected to be fully operational for training by next spring.

FVTC breaks ground on training center

From fox11.com: “FVTC breaks ground on training center” — GREENVILLE – The beginning of a step forward Wednesday in the training of emergency responders.  Those involved in building a $34 million public safety training center for Fox Valley Technical College hope it will eventually improve the protection of area communities.

“This is gonna make us move forward with a public safety training center that is second to none,” said Fire Protection Department Chair Jeremy Hansen.

The facility is going up in Greenville on Outagamie County Airport land.  It’s part of a more than $60 million referendum the community approved last spring.

Hansen told FOX 11 some highlights the 80-acre site will include are a mock village, a water-rescue pond and driving courses.  He said it will provide training for police, firefighters and EMT’s all at once.

“If we respond to it in the real world, we should be training together as well,” said Hansen.

The school trains both new recruits and those already working in public safety.  The Grand Chute Police Department is one of the local agencies that works with Fox Valley Tech.

“This will put officers into an environment that is exactly as they will face on the street,” Chief Greg Peterson told FOX 11.

The airport’s director told us construction will not interrupt airport traffic.  In fact, he said, he hopes the center brings more tourism to the area.

“It gives us a state-of-the-art facility to draw visitors to the area to spend a few days in the hotels, to show, to go to restaurants,” said Martin Lenss

Those involved say the center will also make the area safer.

“My officers will perform better, we will perform better as an organization, but the level of services we provide will dramatically increase,” said Peterson.

But Hansen told us the citizens have earned a good return on the investment.

“If it wasn’t for the community’s support, we wouldn’t have this facility,” said Hansen.

Contractors expect to have the project complete in about two years.

Police officers train at WCTC for “active shooter” situations

From fox11nonline.com: “Officers train for scenarios after Sikh shooting” — PEWAUKEE – The Sikh Temple shooting is changing the way police officers train. Some are getting a “refresher course” in dealing with active shooters.

It’s a scenario no law enforcement officer can predict, but if or when it happens, quick action is all it takes to put down an active shooter.

At the Waukesha County Technical College, a dozen officers from agencies across southeast Wisconsin got a refresher course on how to handle the most dangerous situations.

“I can’t emphasize training, training, training. They come to us with various levels of experience and training. and it’s our job to elevate their training,” says Brian Dorow, dean of WCTC’s criminal justice program.

One situation involves a resisting suspect and how to apprehend and handcuff them.

“It’s what we call diminishing skill sets. if you don’t practice them, you may not be as sharp as when you have to do it,” says Dorow.

Another involves clearing a staircase where a suspect may be hiding.

“There’s a skill set as well as a technique to clearing a staircase. We call that metering,” says Dorow.

The most relevant skill is dealing with an ambush situation.

After the Sikh Temple shooting, instructors say it’s the most important training.

“What we’re putting the officers in is the most realistic situation so that their heart rate is elevated. They’re processing it like it could happen anywhere else. It makes them so much better when they’re out on the street,” says Dorow.

This training is part of a rotating 17-week training. By the end of it, instructors will have trained close to 3,000 officers throughout southeast Wisconsin.

CVTC grad is new Arcadia police chief

From weau.com: “Arcadia Police Department makes historic hire” — After graduating from UW-Stout and CVTC, 28-year-old Diana Anderson is taking on the role of new mother and police chief.

“This is something that I’ve strived to do in my career. I didn’t think it would happen this early in my career,” said Diana Anderson, Arcadia Police Chief.

The Independence native worked in the Arcadia Police Department for more than five years after working in Dunn County and she says she wants to help people.

“I’ve always wanted to give back to the community and help out the community. A lot of times within our job were seen as the people who hand out tickets,” said Anderson.

Diana says although she has a lot of paperwork to do in the office, she still gets the opportunity to drive police cars and help the community. She also gets to assist officers.

Mayor John Kimmel says the previous police chief served about 25 years in the department but decided to try new things.

“He’s got big shoes to fill but I think she is certainly up to the challenge. She’s energetic. She’s got some great ideas,” said Mayor John Kimmel.

Anderson says she’s not worried about being young as well as the first female chief.

She says she’s respected and hopes to help serve as a role model.

“I hope the younger youth within our community look up to me, e specially young girls and know that they’re able to do this job in the future if they like to,” said Anderson.

“The two roles she’s going to serve is obviously the function of the police chief but I think she’s going to be a great liaison to the city,” said Kimmel.

“I want people and citizens of the city of Arcadia to see us in a positive light and they understand whatever they need us for we’re here to help them,” said Anderson.

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One year later: WCTC facility provides high level of training

From Patch.com:  “One year later: WCTC facility provides high level of training” — PEWAUKEE — One year after it opened its doors, Waukesha County Technical College’s criminal justice training center in Pewaukee is getting strong reviews from area police officers.

The 20,000-square-foot facility, located at a former day care center, provides scenario-based training for police officers.

A recent evaluation of the program has ranged from comments such as “great facility” or “Can’t believe how high-tech it is.”

The Muskego Police trains officers there, and has also included the use of the facility to “train” citizens as part of its twice-yearly Citizens’ Academy.

“It has allowed us to the holistic scenario-based training,” said Brian Dorow, associate dean of the criminal justice program at the college. “We have received just an incredible response from the police officers that are training there. … It is the highest level of training where someone is actively learning when you are able to do the scenario based training. We actually try to replicate what an officer is going to encounter on the streets from start to finish.”

Before conducting exercises in which an officer may have to determine whether to use physical force against a suspect, the training program first does what it can to raise an officer’s heart rate and increase adrenaline before the officer responds to the calls. The trainers will present different variables during the calls.

“They are fatigued, they are breathing hard,” explained Dorow. “That is going a long way.”

About 3,000 officers from throughout southeastern Wisconsin have used the  center. Police officers need 24 hours of continuing education in law enforcement training in order to maintain their certificates.

Waukesha Police Capt. Ron Oremus said his department uses the facility for in-service for annual training updates for its officers. It also gets a lot of use during new officer training.

“It is very helpful to have a facility like that,” said Oremus, who is an instructor during the training.

Before the center was located on Morris Street, the police department used a ranch-style home near WCTC. The training center’s an improvement when it comes to scenario-based trainings.

“I can tell you that while (the ranch-style home) is nice, it just didn’t have the room to train like the new facility does,” Oremus said.

The training center at WCTC could be even more enhanced in the future. Dorow said he wants to add the element of sound into the scenarios. It is not uncommon for area police to be called to scenes that have couples arguing or children crying.

Emily trains with the best at FVTC — Training officers for danger

Fox 11 News VIDEO: Training officers for danger:  GRAND CHUTE – Have you ever wanted to see how an officer trains for danger?  FOX 11’s Emily Deem spent Wednesday morning at the Fox Valley Technical College to learn the ins-and-outs of their training.

The police training at Fox Valley Technical College includes: Shooting range simulation technology, a state-of-the-art driving pad, Pursuit Intervention Techniques and more.

First Hmong woman in Wisconsin earns law enforcement certification

From wqow.com: “First Hmong woman in Wisconsin earns law enforcement certification” — For one local student, the graduation march is not only significant because of the certification she’s earned but the barriers she is breaking.

Shoua Bauer, from Altoona, is the first Hmong female in Wisconsin to earn a law enforcement certification, and only the second in the entire country. Friday she received her certificate from Chippewa Valley Technical College.

Shoua Bauer, was presented with her law enforcement certification.  She is the first Hmong female in Wisconsin to go into the field.

CVTC Graduate, Shoua Bauer, says, “This is a really hands on, dirty, gritty job that we were taught from a young age this is mens work and then there’s girls work. And I think it’s one of those things where we’re still really new to the country and still changing into the American culture and I think that’s one of the reasons why we don’t see too many Hmong females in this type of profession.”

For a long time, Shoua kept her training a secret.

“I didn’t tell anybody until my dad passed away, it was actually the day before he passed away that I told him I was going into law enforcement” says Bauer.

In 2008 Shoua’s dad passed away suddenly from a heart attack, but she says she is happy she was able to tell him.

She says, “He was supportive, the only thing he wanted me to do was remember, who I was, where I came from, and don’t get a power trip.

“My dad’s final words to me were, leadership is not a position you have, it’s in the actions that you take.” These are the words Shoua shared with her classmates during their graduation ceremony. She was chosen by her peers to be their class leader throughout training.

“She’s a lot of things that were very important to the academy, through communication and leadership. She did a lot of mentoring with the students and helping other students and at the same time she’s trying to get herself through the academy. She’s stepping up and being a mentor and a leader to others” says, CVTC Law Enforcement Academy Director, Eric Anderson.

Shoua stands at 4-feet 10-inches, and as she prepares to enter the work force, she has concerns.

“I am not intimidating appearance wise by any means. I fear that I many not set the right impression to be a law enforcement officer, I do worry about that” says Bauer.

But what has Shoua excited about her career path is one of the reasons she pursued law enforcement in the first place ….. The chance to help other people in the Hmong culture.

“There’s the Hmong females out there that do need help and sometimes they’re not comfortable with speaking to those, to those guys, and so I think by me brining myself out there, I will  be saying, hey, it’s ok. You can talk to me, you can talk to anybody out there” says Bauer.

Shoua says she would like to stay in the area and has been applying for jobs.  Eventually, she would like to be a canine officer.

Teens learn about law enforcement careers

From greenbaypressgazette.com: “Teens, Green Bay police get chance to connect” — Dylan Mancoske’s close friend died in a drunken-driving crash earlier this year.

While coping with the tragedy, the 16-year-old Denmark High School student decided he wanted to one day become a patrol officer.

“After that incident, it really got me to thinking how I could help somehow,” he said of the death of Luke Watzka, also 16, who registered a 0.249 percent blood-alcohol content after the minivan he was driving overturned March 24 on Rosecrans Road in New Denmark.

“I don’t want that to happen to other teenagers,” Mancoske said.

He was one of 26 teens who recently took part in a weeklong series of activities as part of the Green Bay Police Department’s 12th annual teen police academy, which gives participants an insider’s look at several law enforcement careers to dispel myths and builds relationships with young people.

Previously, the program only accepted teens from Green Bay high schools, but this year partnered with several agencies to recruit teens interested in policing across Brown County.

“For high school kids who are thinking about going into a career in law enforcement, we’re trying to give them a little taste of what that would be like,” Green Bay police crime prevention officer Dave Schmitz said. “We want to make that connection with teens so they feel comfortable connecting to law enforcement.”

School resource officers informed many students about the academy, which required all participants be in good academic standing.

Students were treated to presentations from Green Bay SWAT team and K-9 officers, probation agents and others. Participants also completed an obstacle course and went to a gun range. This year’s program was bolstered by a $1,825 grant from the Crime Prevention Foundation of Brown County, which supports initiatives focused on teens and other at-risk groups.

“The academy works to open doors for them,” Schmitz added.

Law enforcement jobs

Nationwide, police and detective jobs are projected to grow by 7 percent from 2010 to 2020, which is slower than average for all jobs, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Agencies are increasingly looking for bilingual applicants and those with a bachelor’s degree or military experience.

Following those projections, more people are graduating with law enforcement degrees at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay.

The number of graduates with two-year law enforcement degrees increased from 62 in 2009 to 100 in 2011, a 61 percent jump. During that span, more graduates also completed a two-year degree program to work at jails or prisons, and the college’s 13-week law enforcement academy.

Chris Madson, public safety training manager at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, said a growing number of officers retiring statewide has opened up opportunities in law enforcement. Graduates learn about firearms, defensive tactics, traffic accident investigations and the law.

“The need is out there. Every day there is new technology and new challenges and you have to step in and address those right away before you fall behind,” he said.

Students who pass the law enforcement academy become certified to become an officer in the state. About half of those students say that they have wanted to be officers since childhood, Madson said.

A good fit?

Teenagers considering policing careers should have no criminal record. Even too many traffic violations can hurt an applicant’s chances of being hired, he said.

“The little things that they don’t think of how it will affect them five years down the line does affect them.”

Andy Lundin, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources conservation warden, spoke to the teen academy and said some people do not know wardens have arresting powers.

“People may not understand that conservation wardens get involved in a lot more than hunting and fishing,” he said, noting cases that involve weapons, drugs or alcohol. “The goal is to give these kids a clear understanding of law enforcement and all the different areas and fields.”

Teens who participate in the program also received a tour of the maximum-security Green Bay Correctional Institution in Allouez, which included a walk through the prison cafeteria.

Kaitlin Nimmer, 17, who is going to be a senior at Green Bay Preble High School, said she expected the prison would be more raucous.

“I thought people would be shouting,” she said, but found there wasn’t much noise. Kaitlin, one of five girls in the program, said she was impressed by the K-9 presentation, which revealed how a dog could be trained to detect drugs.

“It’s really interesting to see how smart a dog can be,” she said. “The program gives you an actual idea of what law enforcement is compared to TV shows.”

Mancoske, one of the participants in Green Bay’s teen police academy, said he plans to study law enforcement in college after graduating high school.

“The academy just made me want to be a cop even more,” he said.