Peace Officer Academy Fall Graduation is October 31

#1229

For Release: October 19, 2011

Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR

912.443.5512

SAVANNAH – Six students will graduate from the Savannah Technical College Peace Officer Academy at its graduation completion ceremony at 10:30 AM on Monday, October 31, 2011, in the Eckburg Auditorium on the Savannah Campus, 5717 White Bluff Road.

Two candidates are currently affiliated with the Chatham County Sheriff’s Department. Several others are in various stages of application at local area agencies.

Each cohort selects a fallen officer for whom the graduating class will be named. This cohort selected Savannah Police Department Officer Willie Samuel Smith whose tour of duty ended on March 11, 1994.

Tybee Island Police Department Chief Robert (Bob) Bryson will be the keynote speaker. The blessing will be given by Pastor Travis Cowart, whose daughter graduated in the second cohort of 2010. The Honorable Kevin Street, graduate of the first cohort of 2009 will deliver the Oath.

This is the ninth group of students to complete the program since its inception in 2009. To date, the program has graduated 115 P.O.S.T.-certified officers. The Academy has a 98-precent placement rate for graduates.

The Basic Law Enforcement Technical Certificate of Credit provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to become competent law enforcement officers. The 18-week cohort program utilizes classroom instruction pertaining to criminal justice theory and the prevailing principles of modern law enforcement, as well as practical application of pertinent enforcement skills.College coursework contains the entire Georgia Peace Officers Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.) Basic Law Enforcement Training Course so that successful completion of the program will qualify the student to be a state-certified peace officer.

To attend, please contact Claire Pimentel at 912.443.5191 or cpimentel@savannahtech.edu by Tuesday, October 25, 2011.

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Savannah Technical College serves Coastal Georgia with quality, market-driven technical education with campus locations in Chatham, Effingham and Liberty Counties. Serving more than 10,000 credit and non-credit students annually, Savannah Tech offers nearly 150 different instructional programs in Aviation Technology, Business and Professional Services, Industrial Technology, and Health Sciences in addition to Adult Education classes, industry-specific training and continuing education. The College serves as an economic and community development partner for the region, offering corporate and customized training and assessment programs for business and industry.

Savannah Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. Questions about the accreditation of Savannah Technical College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).