The Butte College Law Enforcement Academy has distinguished itself in a number of ways, not the least of which is its ability to remain current with the ever changing regulations of the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. As such, we will remain dedicated to education and training of staff, along with implementation of new regulations and guidelines as required.

• Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
• Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
• Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning

Not only do is there a need to remain current with statutory regulations, but it is additionally imperative that we ensure students are prepared to meet the ever changing expectations of the public they will be serving.

In seeking to create environments which are most conducive to employee and student wellness, safety and quality learning, we continue to identify relevant gaps. In the case of the law enforcement academy, two of the most important venues, the firearms training range and the EVOC track, continue to be lacking restroom facilities. During training, porta-potties are rented and placed at the sites, but they are less than desirable. A priority for the future of the academy program will be to construct restroom facilities at both locations. Additionally, the EVOC track and the associated Skid Pan are lacking shade facilities to protect students from extreme weather while they wait their turns to utilize the facilities.

• Modeling Sustainability
• Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
• Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning

The absence of adequate restroom facilities and the requirement to use “out house” type porta-potties, only serves to diminish the overall potential for a fully successful teaching and learning environment.

On-campus, indoor shooting range facility with a mat room included and sufficient space for storage of additional mats for use in the range bay. 

With the passage of Measure J, one of the planned projects is an on-campus indoor shooting range. It will be many years before this comes to fruition, so this will remain a component of the Unit Plan until then to insure that the need is not forgotten.

• Modeling Sustainability
• Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
• Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
• Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning

Our current instructional firearms range is on leased land from the Department of Water Resources, and is located approximately twenty-five miles south west of the College.  This site has been used for approximately twenty-five years, during which time a number of improvements have occurred.  However, it remains a challenging site due primarily to rattlesnake threats, wasps and other hazards.  While no student has been snake bitten to date, close calls tend to occur annually.  Additionally, recent environmental interests in the area promulgated by U.S. Fish & Wildlife suggest that our lease may not be as stable as previously believed.  Finally, area build-up is resulting in complaints of noise and ricochets.  Consequently, a suitable instructional firearms facility, preferably indoor to accommodate for extreme weather, should be planned for and it would be ideal if this were part of a stand-a-lone Public Safety Education & Training Facility.

Enhance coordination with the Criminal Justice Degree Program at CSU Chico to support and encourage students who have graduated with associate degrees, matriculated into baccalaureate programs and graduated, and who wish to become California peace officers to return to Butte College to attend the Law Enforcement Academy.

• Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
• Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
• Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning

It is natural that a partnership with CSU Chico would only serve to enhance the overall criminal justice educational opportunities for students.

It does not appear the the District has historically placed a high priority on routine ongoing maintenance of key infrastructure resouces, several of which are key to all of the PSETC programs, but in particular AJLE. Additionally, the District does not appear to have historically embraced ongoing plans for funding equipment replacement. These conditions notwithstanding, it will be a PSETC priority to seek funds for routine maintenance of key facilities and equipment and for replacement of worn out and/or obsolete equipment.

• Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
• Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning

The Public Safety Training Grounds Skid Pan was constructed in 2001. It consists of the main concrete structure, and a paved apron with flexible joints around the outside edge. The EVOC track was constructed in 2003 at a cost of approximately $885,000. None of these facilities have received any maintenance whatsoever since constructed, and a consultant study in FY 12/13 indicates that they are in significant need of repair. If continued neglect to the point that they can no longer be used occurs, it is estimated that the Skid Pan will cost $1.3 million, the apron will cost $318,000 and the EVOC track will cost $2.2 million to replace. The previously described study identifies a number of intermediate and less expensive maintenance steps that can be taken to prolong the serviceability of these facilities up to 45-50 years. Absent this preventative maintenance, they will surely degrade to the point that they cannot be used. The FPM Director indicates maintenace of these facilities is not a FPM/District responsibility to prioritize - rather, it is the responsibility of the Department.

Additionally, there is other equipment that is routinely used in the now (4) law enforcement academies held each year that is reaching the end of its useful service life. These items inlcude padded suits and safety padding for defensive tactics, kettle bells or strength bands, training dummies and air soft pistols. There is other equipment that is rapidly reaching obsolescence, specifically our antiquated analog two-way radio system, which should be upgraded in the future.

Historically, the public safety training programs have been core components of the college since it's beginning. The addition of the AHPS building and the various facilities at the Public Safety Training Grounds allowed the PSETC to place it's programs in a modern, permanent building but did not take into account potential future growth. It has now become clear that to fully realize the potential of the public safety training programs a new dedicated building with features and facilities unique to public safety training is needed. As future financing opportunities are sought by the District, serious consideration should be given to prioritizing a new building that will reasonably meet the needs of the PSETC in perpetuity. Oddly, despite discussions with FPM prior to the completion of the District's Facilities Master Plan, there is no mention of PSETC needs in the plan. In order to clarify the specific needs of the Department in the future, it is suggested that a comprehensive, consultant supported study be conducted to determine the specific PSETC needs.

• Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
• Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
• Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning

Currently, PSETC is essentially land locked with no potential room for growth available. Available space in the AHPS building is insufficient to meet all of the current needs of the Department's programs.

Several years ago, development of a "Scenario Village" in the center of the EVOC track was initiated. A master plan was prepared, and significant preliminary work was completed. This strategy proposes that the plan be revisited and updated, and that the project be completed. The previously completed work notwithstanding, it is not a foregone conclusion that there will actually be a "village" constructed. A number of options are being examined, and the ultimate plan will be based upon what is determined to best meet the needs of the program for the funding available.

This will be one of the initial projects under the recently passed Measure J, but will remain as a strategy until it is completed.

• Modeling Sustainability
• Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
• Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
• Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning

Much of the training in the law enforcement academies is based upon mock scenarios. Additionally, students are tested in each academy 14 separate times on scneario situations. In the fire academy, manipulative skills in realistic environments are a significant part of the training. With space for scenarios or manipulative skills at a premium on campus, and with 6 different public safety academies per year, it has become increasingly difficult to find space for conducting the required activities. Establishment of an on-campus venue for scenario training will allow nearly 300 public safety students per year to conduct their training and testing in an environment which more closely resembles some of the real-life locations they will encounter in the field. In addition to the obvious benefit for public safety academies, the scenario village could support learning activities for many other campus CTE programs.

In order to insure there is adequate leadership for all of the programs and disciplines included with the PSETC, since the Director position has been elevated to 100%, there is still a need to establish a Chair position which could be responsible for AJ and FSC together in order to allow the Director to focus on the academy related responsibilities.

• Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
• Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
• Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning

Administration of Justice, Fire Technology, the Fire Academy, the Fish and Wildlife Academy, the State Parks Academy and the Basic Law Enforcement Academy are combined under the umbrella of the Public Safety Education and Training Center (PSETC). The Director position for the PSETC had been until recently a 60% position at Management Range #20, and is responsible for 2 FT faculty, 3 FT clerical support personnel and 275 PT associate faculty and classified employees. There are no Department Chairs for AJ or FSC, and the PSETC Director has been acting as the Chair for over 3 years. The Director position as it currently exists is a hybrid consisting of the following: 1) Academic Manager; 2) Department Chair; 3) Peer to Deans and Directors, who occasionally serves as Acting Dean and has even served as Acting Vice President in the absence of all other administrators; 4) Subordinate to Deans. The Department has responsibility for 7 different AS degrees, 6 Certificates of Achievement, 5 small certificates, and more than a dozen industry-specific professional certificates. Over the last 3 years, the number of law enforcement academies presented annually has doubled (from 2 to 4), and the ped caps in all AJ and FSC classes are among the highest in the District. Anecdotally, it is noted that few, if any, other community colleges place such a significant load on a part-time hybrid position such as Butte's. Rather, industry practice seems to be based in a clear division of management responsibility based on a separation of the various programs and disciplines. With no Chairs for the academic disciplines, and only a part-time Director, the cumulative responsibilities for all of these programs and disciplines are impossible to keep up with. It has become clear that in addition to the PSETC Director position becoming full-time there needs to be a Chair assigned to AJ and FSC (one part-time chair could handle both disciplines).

Create new half time (.5) Secretary I position to provide administrative/clerical support to the PSETC.

• Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
• Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
• Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning

The workload in the PSETC has reached a point where the 2 full time secretaries are each responsible for three academies a year + an academic discipline (either AJ or FSC), and the program Assistant is perpetually immersed in processing employment applications, managing the budget and paying bills for all of the Department's programs. As such, the Department has come to depend on Student Assistants to provide front counter/receptionist coverage in the PSETC office. As the Department is very fast paced, and there are a myriad of confidential records related to academy students that must be handled, processed and filed it has been challenging to find students who can keep up with the pace. The addition of this lower level clerical position would insure that there is receptionist/counter coverage during peak hours and reduce the challenge of trying to find students who can keep up with the pace of the office.