New Peace Officer and Public Safety associate degree at Hennepin Tech

Brooklyn Park, Sept. 16, 2022 – Beginning in the spring of 2023, Hennepin Technical College (Hennepin Tech) will offer a new Peace Officer and Public Safety associate degree.

Since 2010, Hennepin Tech has been a leading provider of education and training for licensed peace officers.

“Our new Peace Officer and Public Safety associate degree is intended to develop a graduate who is prepared to think critically, communicate effectively, and cultivate cultural awareness to better serve our communities,” said Cara Garrett, academic dean, Hennepin Tech. “To enhance learning, students will complete public service projects and training designed to improve their response to mental health incidents.”

In developing this new degree, the college worked in partnership with area public safety leaders, elected officials and members of the community, including groups representing people of color. In addition, the college incorporated directives from a statewide task force that was formed to improve peace officer education at Minnesota State institutions.

With significant increases in retirements, public safety departments are struggling to hire enough new officers, deputies and other licensed peace officers. The new two-year degree at Hennepin Tech demonstrates the college’s commitment to meeting statewide workforce needs while providing students with an affordable, quality education needed to enter in-demand careers.

Hennepin Tech is launching the new associate degree to improve the quality of public safety education – and make it more convenient.

Previously, in order to meet all the education and training requirements for licensed peace officers, students in the metro were faced with options that were inconvenient for some. Either they had to transfer between two colleges or they had to attend outstate colleges. Now, with this new degree, Hennepin Tech will be the first institution that offers everything at one campus in the Twin Cities.

“We believe the program is designed to increase the success rate of students pursuing public safety careers,” said Tom Draper, director/professional peace officer education coordinator, Hennepin Tech. “By providing all of the educational requirements on one campus in the metro, many logistical and financial barriers are eliminated. This is especially important for students from underrepresented communities.”

The college is providing a wide range of support services to students including free tutoring, classes to help students prepare for the licensing exam, access to a social worker, free groceries for those experiencing food insecurity, and a comprehensive assistance program for low-income students and first generation students.

The new Peace Officer and Public Safety program is offered at the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Center on the college’s Brooklyn Park campus. The facility is the largest of its kind in the metro with classrooms, a fleet of squad cars for student training, two firearms ranges, and a state-of-the-art simulator that recreates crisis incidents. More than a dozen state and local law enforcement agencies routinely use Hennepin Tech’s facilities to provide ongoing training to their current officers and deputies.

The college is now enrolling students for spring semester. Classes begin Jan 8, 2023. Financial aid and scholarships are available. Request information or schedule a tour of the campus.

About Hennepin Technical College
Founded in 1972, Hennepin Technical College (Hennepin Tech) is the largest stand-alone technical college in Minnesota. With campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, the college offers degree and non-degree courses in over 40 programs. Achieving a high job placement rate, Hennepin Tech prepares students for in-demand and high-paying employment opportunities.