NMC improves training program for law enforcers

Citing the special need to produce competent law enforcers in the Commonwealth, the Northern Marianas College is laying the ground work to improve its training program for police, immigration and police personnel.

Review of the existing program at the Public Safety Academy of the College is now underway to refine minor flaws that require immediate fix, according to NMC Continuing Education Dean Edward Camacho.

The Public Safety Academy program offered by the Commonwealth’s lone higher learning institution does not offer courses on sociology, psychology and substance abuse, which are all essential to the effective delivery of law enforcement services in the community.

There is a special need among government personnel to have basic knowledge on psychology and sociology since they deal with people in their everyday work and that these courses would allow them to better understand the needs of the community they serve.

The increasing number of substance abuse cases in the Northern Marianas has necessitated the institution of a public safety program that would broaden the knowledge of CNMI law enforcers in combating the emerging social problem, College officials said.

The NMC Board of Regents committee on continuing education during Wednesday’s meeting admitted that the courses offered in the public safety training program badly requires to undergo immediate improvement.

The committee is suggesting that a new module be prepared for the training course to make the program more in line with the demands of the developing Northern Marianas community.

Under the present setup, students taking up courses in immigration, customs and public safety are crammed in a single program despite the obvious need to provide them with separate training and workshops due to the noted difference in their future field of work.

Acknowledging this, NMC’s continuing education committee conducted a close study of the program from where they come up with a recommendation to improve the program and provide different training for immigration, customs and public safety students.

NMC has been undergoing significant transformation with the prospects of securing an accreditation from the very discriminating Western Association of Schools and Colleges to offer its own four-year bachelor’s degree course on elementary education.

Discussions are also underway to institute an educational program aimed at attracting indigenous students into the information technology as part of government efforts to diversify the local economy through a proposed software production industry in the Northern Marianas.

Since its establishment in 1981, more than 16,000 people have enrolled in regular NMC degree and certificate courses, with over 1,200 individuals receiving Certificates of Completion and Achievement, as well as associate, baccalaureate and masters degrees in programs offered or coordinated by the College.

Also, more than 3,200 have enrolled in Adult Basic Education courses while approximately 7,000 have participated in Community Services classes and over 1,000 served each year by NMC’s Land Grant Research and Extension Programs.

The Public School System and the College are now carrying out efforts to put up trade and vocational programs that will not only prepare students to take private sector jobs but will also shift their concept on guest worker-held jobs.

At the same time, the government is also looking at developing apprenticeship programs in partnership with the business community, as well as the Certificate of Initial Mastery program wherein educators will develop a special curriculum for the Certificate of Initial Mastery program.

The Commonwealth’s school curricula has been suggested to focus building up local force to gradually replace guest workers. Changes in the educational thrust should also be looked at seriously to prepare local residents for the proposed shift in business activities.