Kent State University, regional partners form 'OPOTA Close to Home'
WARREN, Ohio - Ohio Attorney General, Dave Yost recently announced that Kent State University and its College of Applied and Technical Studies (CATS) joined four other regional partners to form "OPOTA Close to Home."
The program is a collaboration that extends the reach of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) for Ohio's law enforcers.
According to Yost, OPOTA Close to Home reduces cost for law enforcement agencies, enabling them to avoid staffing shortages and reduce costs of overnight stays.
Regional training partners will schedule and provide OPOTA advanced training courses to current police officers and anyone who has completed OPOTA Basic Training with a certificate.
Kent State will be utilizing all of its regional campuses including its Trumbull County campus, as well as regional law enforcement partners who have specialized facilities such as firearm ranges.
According to CATS Dean and Regional Campuses Vice President, Dr. Peggy Shadduck, Kent State's physical reach across Northeast Ohio presents a unique opportunity to provide this training.
"We can also begin to examine current policing and community issues, utilizing our resources at Kent State University, which was recently awarded the highest recognition for research universities, the prestigious R1 Carnegie Classification," Shadduck said.
One of Kent State Trumbull's Police Academy Instructors, Guy Burney works with the Commmunity Initiative to Reduce Violence in Youngstown and is developing DEI training to familiarize cadets with the culture of poverty, better equipping them to work with people in the community.
Vince Peterson, Officer In Charge and Intensive Supervision Probation for the Trumbull County Adult Parole Department has developed training interacting specifically with Black males and engagement with underserved populations.
Kent State Police Academy Director, Jim Willock is also working with various Jewish organizations including the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, along with What You Do Matters in Gilbert, Arizona to pilot a robust curriculum to ensure the core values of democracy are upheld in the future.
