Criminal Justice program tours State Police Training Academy

Nearly 30 local high school juniors and seniors in the Criminal Justice class at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center recently toured the Michigan State Police (MSP) Training Academy in Lansing. Tour stops included the academy's fitness center, firing range, driving track, K-9 kennels, and the water "tank" in which rescue trainings are conducted. Sgt. Marc Shore also spent time with the students answering questions as well as discussing the MSP hiring process and what to expect as a trooper.

"I think some of the students’ eyes were opened as to what would be required of them if they wanted to pursue a job with the MSP,” said Criminal Justice Instructor DJ Newman. “I feel that it is very important to show them as many different types of careers in the field as I can. Some of the kids are strongly considering becoming a Michigan State Police Trooper. The experience gained today will hopefully push them in or out of that."

Criminal Justice is one of nine career and technical education (CTE) offerings of the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD. High School juniors and seniors from Clare and Gladwin counties spend half of their school day in their CTE program and the other half at their local high school.

For more information about the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, visit www.cgresd.net. 

Clare-Gladwin Career Center student completes Michigan State Police Training Academy

Brad Gallagher of the career and technical education (CTE) Criminal Justice program at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD, attended the American Legion Michigan State Police Training Academy this summer in Lansing. The week-long offering teaches students in grades 10-12 about careers in law enforcement.

After 5 a.m. physical training sessions, the Gladwin High School senior’s days were filled with classroom sessions where he learned about the proper handling of firearms, self-defense techniques, water safety, the crime lab, and forensics.  His regimented schedule continued with a second physical training session in the afternoon, followed by additional classroom sessions until 10 p.m.

According to Gallagher, students attending the academy learned directly from experts in specialized forces of the police academy, including the SWAT team and the K-9 Unit.

“The academy really made me realize I want a career in law enforcement,” said Gallagher. “I’m especially interested in becoming a corrections officer or a state trooper.”

Gallagher also credited his experience in the CTE Criminal Justice program at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center for preparing him for the academy. “Because of CTE, I was already familiar with some of the laws and other topics we learned about at the academy, which was really helpful.”

Following graduation this spring, Gallagher plans to pursue a degree in criminal justice at Ferris State University.

Criminal Justice is one of nine career and technical education (CTE) programs offered to local high school juniors and seniors at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their regular school day in CTE and the other half at their local high school. For more information, please visit www.cgresd.net.

Criminal Justice students tour Gladwin Jail and State Police Training Academy

Local high school juniors and seniors from the Clare-Gladwin Career Center’s Criminal Justice class, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD, explored the variety of careers available to them in the law enforcement field through visits to the Gladwin County Jail and the Michigan State Police Training Academy in Lansing.

At the jail, students viewed the construction of the jail, interviewed the corrections officers, and witnessed how the inmates lived day-to-day while incarcerated.

The Michigan State Police Training Academy offered the juniors and seniors an overview of what recruits experience when becoming a trooper, as well as a tour of the firing range, pool, gym, and drive track.  “The students also received a K-9 demonstration,” said Clare-Gladwin Career Center Criminal Justice Instructor DJ Newman. “They watched the dog find cocaine in a training car and learned that the MSP’s cadaver dogs can sniff out corpses that are as deep as 55 feet underwater. It was very neat!”

Criminal Justice is one of nine career and technical education (CTE) programs offered to local high school juniors and seniors at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their regular school day in CTE and the other half at their local high school. For more information, please visit www.cgresd.net.

Career and Technical Education student completes Law Enforcement Career Academy

Haley Forbes

Clare-Gladwin CTE Criminal Justice student Haley Forbes of Beaverton graduated from the 38^th Kiwanis Law Enforcement Career Academy at the Michigan State Police Training Academy this summer in Lansing. 

As one of 50 students who participated in the week-long camp led by ten Michigan State Troopers, Forbes’ days began with physical training at 5 a.m., followed by a strict schedule allowing limited time to get ready, eat breakfast, and attend classes covering a variety of topics, including the canine team, first aid, defensive tactics, drug and alcohol patrols, the forensics lab, and more.  

Forbes also practiced water safety using the training tanks, rode in the patrol cars with the troopers on the drive track, and shot rounds at the shooting range. “At the drive track, the troopers were hitting speeds of up to 90 mph,” she said. “It was a heck of an adrenaline rush.”   

Forbes’ knowledge and passion for criminal justice proved to be beneficial as the troopers selected her as a Class Commander for the final two days of the week, giving her the responsibility of leading her fellow cadets to and from class, through the graduation ceremony, and ensuring they always arrived at their destination on time. “It was scary, but exciting at the same time,” she said. “I got to yell just like the troopers!” 

Forbes credits the Clare-Gladwin Career and Technical Education (CTE) class for her success at the academy. “CTE really put me at an advantage because, for the most part, I had an idea of what I was doing,” she said. “I felt a lot more comfortable because I had learned so much in CTE last year.”   

Although Forbes is still discovering exactly what career she’d like to eventually pursue in the criminal justice field, she said the academy gave her a new respect for those in law enforcement. “As our class progressed through the week, I learned a lot about what it takes to become a State Trooper, and it takes all you have,” she said. “It’s truly unbelievable. I can honestly say this job takes the most amazing men and women.”  

Forbes will be attending Delta College in the fall of 2014 and plans to get involved in the school’s criminal justice program. 

Forbes encourages her peers to take part in a CTE class to gain experience in a profession they may be interested in. “Most people think the CTE Criminal Justice class is just for kids wanting to be police officers, but you learn so much about all the different jobs within the field,” she said. “If you don’t know what you want to do, CTE classes are great because they give you an idea of what the job is really going to be like.” 

Criminal Justice is one of nine career and technical education (CTE) programs offered to local high school juniors and seniors at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their regular school day in CTE and the other half at their local high school. For more information, please visit www.cgresd.net.