Honor and Sacrifice: Public Safety Student, Kaitlyn Gladhill, Awarded the Michael Callin Memorial Scholarship
The legacy of Michael Callin can be summarized in two words: honor and sacrifice. Michael, a deputy with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, was killed in the line of duty in 2006. To honor his…
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,…
Retired Police Chief Teaching at Polk, Aims to Make Students “A Cut Above the Rest”
In his more than 30 years in law enforcement, Raymond Oberg saw many changes. Walkie-talkies and beepers gave way to smartphones. Fingerprinting went digital. With the rise of DNA technology, a single strand of hair could…
Polk State’s Shea Nationally Recognized for Improvements to Online Criminal Justice Courses
Polk State Criminal Justice Program Director Sgt. Christen Shea has received national recognition for her efforts to improve the online learning experience for students. Shea, a sergeant with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, received the…
Polk County Sheriff’s Sgt.: “You Have to Have Your Education to Be Successful”
Newly promoted Polk County Sheriff’s Sgt. Austin Milligan has some advice for law enforcement officers seeking a college degree: “College,” he said, “just has to feel right.” For Milligan, what “felt right” was Polk State…
Since Earning Bachelor’s Degree from Polk State, Polk County Sheriff’s Sgt. Tracy Smith an Advocate for Education
Tracy Smith had worked for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for nearly two decades, doing the things he loves most: solving crimes and helping people. But he realized that if he was ever going to…
Polk State Alumna Who Made Local Law Enforcement History Returns to Campus to Teach
A Polk State College alumna, who earlier this year became the highest-ranking sworn female law enforcement officer in Polk County Sheriff’s Office history, has returned to campus to teach criminal justice students. Polk County Sheriff’s…
Polk State Receives Final $3 Million Needed for Center for Public Safety Construction
Florida’s 2016 budget includes the remaining $3.08 million Polk State College needs to finish its Center for Public Safety — and local delegates and public officials couldn’t be happier. “I am pleased and relieved that…
