Specialized training strengthens law enforcement and the community
The state of Wisconsin actively employs more than 16,000 police officers, and those officers are always working to update their skills. In fact, Wisconsin officers are required to complete at least 24 hours of continuing education each year to maintain their license. WCTC is proud to be a liaison, providing a wide array of specialized training.
The 2018-19 academic year boasted 368 offerings, with 4,186 officers enrolled. While continuing education is key to any successful career, it’s especially important for law enforcement professionals to keep their knowledge and skills up to date.
“Whether you’ve been on the job for 20 minutes or 20 years, everybody needs it,” says City of Waukesha Deputy Police Chief Dennis Angle.
“A huge chunk of police work is made up of perishable skills, and these skills need constant practice to maintain proficiency. We also need to address changing crime trends and technological needs to be efficient at a job that is so dynamic.”
WCTC aims to create offerings that keep up with those emerging trends and serve the unique needs of local police departments. Those needs can shift as a department grows. “Specialized training is especially useful when an officer takes on a new assignment,” says Angle. “For example, an officer who takes on a new role as a tactical operator can really benefit from a Basic SWAT training to get those foundational skills.”
Many training topics resonate beyond law enforcement. “Some of our classes are applicable to business and industry,” says Jodi Crozier, associate dean of Law Enforcement. “For example, businesses have a lot of questions about the shifts in marijuana laws. We are currently developing marijuana update training that many outside of law enforcement may find useful.” WCTC also offers training in human trafficking prevention and is developing a course on identifying and preventing elder abuse—both appealing to a wider audience.
“What we enjoy most about WCTC is that, because they’re local, they help us build those backyard relationships,” says Angle. “So many of our local municipalities participate in trainings at WCTC. The interactions with our peers in such close proximity help us build partnerships that are really important.”
From WCTC IMPACT, Fall 2019 edition
--By Chelsey Porth, Writer/Marketing Specialist