The University of Arkansas Cossatot will offer a new Criminal Justice Technical Certificate Program in the spring.
The program prepares students to work as a dispatcher/jailer.
This program was developed in conjunction with the Sevier County Sheriff's Office with input documenting need from other counties in the UA Cossatot service area and with the Arkansas Office of Jail Standards. Upon successful completion of the two-semester program, students may obtain certification, which will allow them to work anywhere in the state.
"We are glad to have developed this program with the local Sheriff's Office to prepare fully trained individuals who are ready for the workforce," said Barbara Lacefield, division chair.
"Collaborating with our local college to provide training and education for future dispatchers and jailers has been tremendous, and we cannot wait to hire future graduates," Sevier County Sheriff Robert Gentry said.
The annual median wage for correction officers/jailers in Arkansas is $33,810 per year and $28,720 per year for police/fire/ambulance dispatchers.
Enrollment for the program is currently under way, and classes are available after 6 p.m on Mondays and Wednesdays and at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays with some available online and set to begin on Jan. 14 on Ashdown, De Queen and Nashville campuses.
For more information, please visit cccua.edu or call the University of Arkansas Cossatot at 1-800-844-4471.