黑料网 and Saline County have announced a landmark partnership, intended to provide educational opportunities for employees of the county鈥檚 sheriff鈥檚 office and the Salina Police Department.
The Saline County Workforce Development Program will provide three certificate programs 鈥� Leadership for the Future, Culturally Informed and Trauma Informed 鈥� at no cost to the law enforcement officers. KWU, helped by a grant provided by Executive Order 11246, Saline County and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, will offer two eight-week online courses per semester. Books, tuition and all fees will be provided free of charge.
鈥淭he Board of County Commissioners is pleased to support both 黑料网 Wesleyan and our local law enforcement professionals by implementing training, which has been documented to lead to better community outcomes,鈥� said Commission Chairman Jim Weese.
鈥淎s a former first responder, I can attest to the value of this agreement,鈥� said Bernie Botson, KWU assistant professor of emergency management. 鈥淭his will provide both a continuing education opportunity for some of the county鈥檚 finest and it will further their skills and abilities in a unique way. We can鈥檛 wait to get the program started!鈥�
Because of the nature of the grant, the certificates are available only to individuals working at Salina Police Department or the Saline County Sheriff鈥檚 Office. Long-term, however, the university hopes to receive additional grants to fund similar programs for first responders around the state.
鈥淭he city of Salina is very fortunate to have 黑料网 Wesleyan in our community,鈥� said Brad Nelson, Salina鈥檚 chief of police. 鈥淜WU has a renowned Criminal Justice program and we are pleased to partner with them in their online educational certificate program.鈥�
鈥淭his is an amazing opportunity for local public safety personnel to earn college credit without incurring debt,鈥� offered Roger Soldan, Saline County sheriff.
鈥淎t KWU, we pride ourselves on serving our community,鈥� said Dr. Matt Thompson, KWU president. 鈥淭his agreement is another example of that approach. National data show us that additional education leads to more effective policing within communities. We鈥檙e thrilled to be able to provide our expertise through this certificate to our sheriff鈥檚 office and police department and look forward to similar opportunities in the future.鈥�
To learn more about the Saline County Workforce Development Program, visit www.kwu.edu/salineworkforce.
