
Polk State College and Polk County Sheriff’s Office officially announce National Public Safety Innovation Academy

The world got a first look at the new National Public Safety Innovation Academy (NIA) during a news conference at the Polk State College Center for Public Safety. NIA is an eight-week executive program for…

NIA prepares participants mentally and physically for next stage of career

The STEM-based National Public Safety Innovation Academy (NIA) gives participants the knowledge needed to become agency leaders and to keep up with the ever-evolving professions of law enforcement and corrections. Over the eight-week executive-level course…

NIA instructor and award-winning journalist helps bridge gap between media, law enforcement

For the past 15 years, investigative journalist Steve Gregory – intentionally or not – has been bridging the gap between media and law enforcement. Gregory is among several renowned guest lecturers at the National Public…

Quality of presenters, networking opportunities, facilities stand out for first NIA class

As far as command schools go, the National Public Safety Innovation Academy (NIA) at Polk State College’s Center for Public Safety has it all. Polk State and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office launched NIA in…

NIA sends off 20 members of first graduating class

Law enforcement and corrections officers, from agencies large and small, left Polk State’s Center for Public Safety on Nov. 18 equipped with the tools needed to take the next step in their careers and to…

National Public Safety Innovation Academy prepares law enforcement and corrections for next step in careers

Launched in September at Polk State College’s Center for Public Safety in partnership with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the National Public Safety Innovation Academy (NIA) gives law enforcement and corrections staff the tools they…

Polk State KCTIPS cadets sit in on “eye-opening” hearings

Students at the Kenneth C. Thompson Institute of Public Safety (KCTIPS) at Polk State College put in hundreds of hours of training to become certified as law enforcement, corrections, or probation officers. On Tuesday, Sept.…

Polk State Criminal Justice Teach-In Is April 22; Topics Include Social Media, Active Shooters

Polk State College will host its third-annual Criminal Justice Teach-In at its state-of-the art Center for Public Safety on April 22. “This daylong event gives students and the public a glance at the real-world life…

Community Celebrates Opening of Center for Public Safety

The ribbon has been cut and the Polk State Center for Public Safety is officially open for business. Polk State celebrated the grand opening of the state-of-the-art, 101,450-square-foot facility with a ceremony on Friday,…

Five Questions with Chasity Branham: How Putting Public Safety Cadets on the Stand Prepares Them for the Future

As Polk State Kenneth C. Thompson Institute of Public Safety cadets near the end of their training, they have their day in court. There is no subpoena. The cases are completely fictional. But the setting,…