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

Posted on by Polk Newsroom

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 from the perspective of criminal justice professionals,” said Polk State Criminal Justice Program Director Sgt. Christen Shea.

“It’s an invaluable event for anyone considering a career in criminal justice, or anyone who simply wants to better understand the criminal justice system.”

This year’s event will take place at the Polk State Center for Public Safety, 1251 Jim Keene Blvd. in Winter Haven, adjacent to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Operations Center. The 101,500-square-foot building opened in January and includes the very latest in criminal justice training capabilities, including an outdoor immersion area complete with mock storefronts, and an indoor immersion lab where walls are suspended from a ceiling-mounted track system, allowing for the easy re-creation of virtually any floorplan.

The schedule of events for the Criminal Justice Teach-In includes:

8:30-8:45 a.m. — Opening remarks from Polk State Criminal Justice Program Director Sgt. Christen Shea
8:45-9:30 a.m. — TBA
9:45-10:45 a.m. — “Social Media and Criminal Justice”
11 a.m.-noon  — “Truth and Facts with the Florida Highway Patrol”
Noon-1 p.m. — Tour of the Polk State Center for Public Safety and Q&A with the Florida Highway Patrol
1-2:30 p.m. — “How to Survive an Active Shooter”

All sessions will take place in the auditorium of the Polk State Center for Public Safety.

The event is open to the public and there is no cost to attend. Lunch will be provided. To RSVP or for more information, contact Shea at cshea@polk.edu.
In addition to associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice, Polk State Public Safety includes degrees and training in Emergency Medical Services and Fire Science Technology, and the CALEA with Excellence-accredited Polk State Kenneth C. Thompson Institute of Public Safety