Kenneth C. Thompson Institute of Public Safety

Welcome Message from the Director

The Kenneth C. Thompson Institute of Public Safety at Polk State College welcomes you to our website. The staff of the Institute of Public Safety is excited about the opportunities to positively influence not only the newest members to the law enforcement profession, the basic recruit class members, but also to provide the highest quality advanced and specialized training to our law enforcement professionals.

The mission of the Kenneth C. Thompson Institute of Public Safety is to provide professional and responsible training and educational programs to law enforcement, corrections and correctional probation officers. We are proud of the partnerships that have been forged with the various national, state and local law enforcement agencies to help facilitate our mission. The Core Values of the Institute of Public Safety: Integrity, Respect, Self-Discipline, Service, and Accountability, mirror those of the law enforcement profession. The staff, instructors and the students of the Institute of Public Safety pursue excellence every day through the demonstration of our mission statement and our core values.

It is an honor to be the Director of the Kenneth C. Thompson Institute of Public Safety. The staff and instructor cadre are held strictly accountable to our customers, the various law enforcement agencies we serve and to the public that employs us. The caliber of our Polk County law enforcement professionals is outstanding. It is our goal to assist them in their continued professional development and growth. It is my personal commitment to seek out new opportunities to further enhance our services for our customers so that they may continue to build on their strengths.

Our customers will continue to drive our service. Input is solicited on a continual basis from all law enforcement officers, agency executives, other trainers, and educators. Please take a moment and let us know what you think of our website and of our services.

Captain Theresa (TJ) Garcia, Director
Polk State College
Kenneth C. Thompson
Institute of Public Safety