By J.D. Rottweiler, Ph.D.
Cochise College’s official name is the Cochise County Community College District. As such, its major function is to provide opportunities for county citizens and communities that enhance our quality of life. This year, the college is excited to develop and invest significant energy into opportunities tailored to meet the changing needs of Cochise County.
The college, Sheriff’s Office, and other local law enforcement agencies have completed ongoing discussions and will roll out in September the Southeast Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy at Cochise College. The academy seeks to train 20 agency-sponsored personnel per 17-week session, with the first ending in December and another beginning in January.
A true partnership, the academy will make use of facilities throughout the college service area for training purposes. For example, the Douglas Campus will house and feed trainees and provide classroom and physical training space. Participants will do firearms training at the Larry A. Dever Memorial Firing Range and the Defensive Tactics Room, both Sheriff’s Office facilities. The Sheriff’s Office and City of Sierra Vista Police Department will assist in providing instruction, counseling, and other necessary equipment. The academy is considering Bisbee-Douglas International Airport as a suitable defensive driving training facility. College faculty Tim Seguin has been named academy director, and Sgt. Randy Wilson of the Sheriff’s Office will serve as class sergeant. Law enforcement professionals from around the county will teach the first academy.
This arrangement allows us to keep things both local and affordable and will go a long way toward preparing the next generation of law enforcement professionals who will serve the citizens of Cochise County. The college is extremely pleased to be part of this effort to preserve the health and safety of our local communities while providing educational opportunities that lead to meaningful careers.
Recognizing recent investments in local agriculture, the college also has named Dr. Paul Sebesta as director of agriculture and natural resources initiatives. Dr. Sebesta is a former director of USDA ARS National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR). With his experience, which combines agriculture and business, the college aims to play a central role in moving forward initiatives that are important in the local agriculture and natural resources arenas.
These recent announcements, along with added positions in cybersecurity and early childhood education, and the construction of a home by residential construction technology students, are each examples of ways that the college is trying to meet the needs of local employers by preparing students to work in the new economy. Whether it’s about providing skills and knowledge through short-term training or moving students through a two-year degree and toward transfer to a university, Cochise College seeks to effectively serve the citizens of this special place we call home.
J.D. Rottweiler is president of Cochise College. Contact him at jdr@cochise.edu.