Rasmussen College Opens Law Enforcement Training Facility In Eagan

EAGAN, Minn. (January 2, 2014) – Rasmussen College, a regionally accredited private college, today announced the opening of a Law Enforcement Training Facility at its Eagan campus. The new 8,000-square-foot location includes several modern, scenario training rooms in which students can practice situations they may encounter as a law enforcement officer. Training courses will be led by a faculty made up of currently working or recently retired officers from police departments and sheriff’s offices in the metro area. Upon completion of the Rasmussen College Law Enforcement Skills program, students take the Peace Officer Standard and Training (POST) Board licensing exam and will be certified to practice law enforcement in the state of Minnesota.

“We are extremely proud to bring law enforcement skills training to the southeast metro,” said Matt Petz, Rasmussen College School of Justice Studies dean. “Through our cutting-edge facility, favorable student-teacher ratios and a flexible training environment, our students will be fully prepared and equipped to excel in any police department or sheriff’s office in the state. Added bonus–future officers attending our program will have the tremendous opportunity to learn and receive training from the area’s finest law enforcement instructors.”

Rasmussen College is also the first program in Minnesota to offer skills training on nights and weekends only. These options give individuals working toward a degree in law enforcement the ability to continue to work while fulfilling their training requirements. Students will begin using the new training facility in January 2014.

Minnesota Seeking New Officers

The opening of the Law Enforcement Training Facility will benefit both individuals seeking opportunities to study law enforcement and communities throughout the state. Job outlook data shows an estimated 445 law enforcement job openings throughout Minnesota in 2014. Coupled with an expected 3,000 or more openings for new officers through 2020, the need for qualified new candidates continues to grow exponentially. With this new facility, Rasmussen College offers a more accessible training program and curriculum to quickly prepare future police force members for duty throughout Minnesota.

“There is no denying the growing need for new police officers in the state,” said Michael Ardolf, law enforcement skills coordinator at Rasmussen College. “Because of changes to the Police & Fire retirement under the Public Employee Retirement Association, an unexpected number of Minnesota police officers, especially in Minneapolis, may retire prior to July 2014. We knew this could be a problem, and we wanted to find a way we could help solve it. By opening this facility, we can help prepare the next wave of brave men and women to protect the communities where we live and work.”

Law Enforcement Training Facility

The facility consists of seven (7) rooms—both hands-on training and classroom environments—dedicated to skills training. Facility components include:

• A padded room for physical assessments and use of force training.
• Scenario rooms that allow students to practice tactical maneuvers and operations they may encounter as an officer in areas such as a bank, bar/tavern, apartment, crime scene lab, and convenience store.
• A simulator room featuring MILO, a video simulator that tests proper techniques and problem-solving skills and provides instructors and students with immediate feedback to aid instruction.

The training is conducted in two phases, with each session lasting three (3) months. The current faculty is primarily made up of law enforcement instructors from local police departments, sheriff’s offices and state law enforcement agencies. In addition to serving students, local metro police forces and the military are also using the new facility for ongoing professional development and training.

To celebrate the opening of its Law Enforcement Training Facility, Rasmussen College is holding an open house on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Eagan campus is located at 3500 Federal Drive, Eagan, MN 55122. For more information on the Rasmussen College School of Justice Studies, visit http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/justice-studies/.