New degrees offer more options

The Public Safety Project (PSP) Grant was established by Crowder College from the United States Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The purpose is to help individuals who are unemployed, underemployed and/or military veterans with training and education needed to enter into or advance with a career in public safety.

“PSP has allowed Crowder to highlight a need for a better educated and trained workforce in the field of Public Safety in Southwest Missouri,” said Justin Baucom, the PSP Grant coordinator.

The project includes criminal justice, fire science, emergency medical services (EMT and paramedic) as well as a brand new Public Management program.

“Completion of each program will provide students with employment opportunities in a growing and diverse field,” Baucom said.

Prior to last year, the Criminal Justice program was referred to as Law Enforcement

“The name was changed to Criminal Justice to conform our program to other criminal justice programs in the area,” said Baucom, “and to better represent a field that includes a large variety of careers other than being a police officer.”

Two new courses, Ethics in Criminal Justice and Juvenile Justice System, have been added in the spring 2013 semester and two more, Patrol Operations and Crime Scene Processing, have been approved to begin in the upcoming spring 2014 semester. Oren Barnes, a retired Newton County deputy, was hired on as a full-time Criminal Justice instructor.

A new class offered in the spring of 2014, Introduction to Public Management, is part of Crowder’s new Associate of Arts degree in Public Management. Joplin’s Police Department Chief, Lane Roberts, will be the instructor.

“The Public Management program provides a solid stepping stone towards completing a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Political Science and Business Administration,” according to the PSP brochure.

“I’m looking forward to taking this class [Introduction to Public Management] with hopes of building my educational foundation in city management,” said Audrey Cox, a first-year student majoring in Art and Design.