Law enforcement experts at Kellogg Community College this month are training 24 Michigan Department of Corrections officers in methods that will help the state’s Absconder Recovery Unit be more effective in capturing offenders who have violated their paroles.
KCC’s Criminal Justice instructors, who include officers from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department and Battle Creek Police Department, are providing classroom and hands-on training in the following areas: Basic Investigator Training; Basic Surveillance Training; Tactical Building Clearing; Tactical Driving Training; and Vehicle Extraction.
Training consists of classroom instruction at KCC’s North Avenue campus and Regional Manufacturing Technology Center in Battle Creek as well as tactical and scenario training conducted at various locations in the city. The training began Oct. 1 and is expected to be complete on Oct. 25.
Upon completion of the course, participants will receive a certificate of training and continuing education credits on their academic records.
“The Criminal Justice Program at KCC has vast experience in providing law enforcement training and we are proud to be a partner with the State of Michigan to ensure that the Absconder Recovery Unit is using the latest techniques and most modern methods as it keeps our citizens safe from runaway criminals,” said Ron Ivey, director of the College’s Criminal Justice Program.
KCC’s Law Enforcement Training Center, which includes three full-time positions and a host of adjunct instructors, has provided in-service and pre-service training for more than 20 years. The College also has created the Tri-County Law Enforcement Training Consortium, which includes about 420 members and 20 agencies who work together to request and provide customized training programs on topics and methods that are most needed.
The College’s Criminal Justice Program uses state-of-the-art training equipment, including a MILO simulation training system, Simunition handguns and protective gear and a scenario house. The program also trains students on traditional law enforcement tools, including the Colt M4 rifle, Glock pistol, batons, handcuffs and vests. Training includes Basic and Advanced SWAT; Tactical Driving; Firearms; Crime Scene Investigation; Verbal Judo; Interview and Interrogation; and more.
Pictured above, Kellogg Community College Criminal Justice Program instructors lead a tactical building clearing exercise for Michigan Department of Corrections officers in a Battle Creek training house on Oct. 11, 2012.