Moraine Park Technical College (MPTC) and Fond du Lac County have officially entered into a Memorandum of Understanding agreement, which allows MPTC to offer a correctional officer training academy. The program, called the Jail Academy, is a Department of Justice (DOJ) accredited 200-hour program offered to both current Fond du Lac County and surrounding County employees to gain certification as a correctional officer.
In the State of Wisconsin, individuals must be DOJ-certified to work in a county jail. Currently, officers are sent to training classes as they become available throughout the state, resulting in increased costs to the County. Often, state-wide academies fill up fast, causing significant wait times for officers waiting to train. The newly developed Jail Academy partnership will fulfill the certification requirements while saving the County time and resources—allowing them to train their officers faster and more affordably.
Additionally, the Jail Academy will be utilizing classroom and training space at the former UW-O Fond du Lac Campus Art Building, now renamed the Public Safety Training Center, located within the newly created Fond du Lac County Campus (FCC). As part of the partnership, Fond du Lac County is providing the learning spaces, and Moraine Park will provide the curriculum and instructors. Moraine Park’s criminal justice instructor, Jeff Gruss, will lead the program as the Academy Director. The College will utilize various instructors to teach the different modules and curriculum throughout the academy.
“This program and partnership opportunity is being met with much excitement and optimism here at MPTC,” Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park president, said. “Not only are we able to help Fond du Lac County fill their training needs locally, and with Moraine Park’s instructional experts, but together we will help cut training costs and utilize currently vacant learning spaces once occupied by UW-O Fond du Lac.”
Fond du Lac County Executive Sam Kaufman said, “The creation of the Public Safety Training Center within the FCC and this new partnership with MPTC represent a continuation of County support for our law enforcement agencies within Fond du Lac County. We are very fortunate to have MPTC within our community; and I look forward to the first of many opportunities to create partnerships with MPTC.”
The first cohort of 18 students will begin training at the Jail Academy this fall. The College and Fond du Lac County plan to offer one academy each year as a starting point. County employees who complete the academy will earn a certificate through the DOJ for completing the program.