MANSFIELD, PA (03/07/2023) The Mansfield Public Safety Training Institute (MUPSTI) at Commonwealth University-Mansfield recently hosted some high-profile guests from state government for a presentation on establishing a consistent and adaptable training model for law enforcement, designed to be proactive, addressing crises before they happen.
Among those attending the sessions were Auditor General Tim DeFoor, PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency Executive Director Michael Pennington, and the Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, as well as members of the PA Inspector General’s Law Enforcement Commission, and members of the PA State Police.
Members of the Emergency Response Training and Certification Association (ERTCA), MUPSTI, Arcadia Cognerati, MILO, and Commissioner Erick Coolidge gave the presentation.
“The intent is to fund a pilot training program to assess its effectiveness in enhancing public safety and the safety of law enforcement officers,” said Dr. Joshua Battin, senior associate dean of the MUPSTI. “Secondarily, the data collected will focus, not only on safety outcomes, but the training needs of the agencies.”
The model establishes that continual, interconnected training is essential to the comprehension, digestion, and proper employment of proactive law enforcement techniques in the community. The foundation of the model is to focus specifically on identifying and addressing variables that lead to undesirable outcomes before they happen. It also assumes and accounts for the ever-changing landscape of police training, technology, and techniques.
“It is important that our stakeholders, including elected officials, know the many ways our institution, through the MUPSTI, is working to offer training to law enforcement, first responders and other public safety professionals in Pennsylvania that is grounded in best practices,” said Commonwealth University President Bashar Hanna.
“The Mansfield University Public Safety Training Institute is an exceptional resource, and I was thrilled to visit and see what it’s all about,” Treasurer Garrity said. “Great work is being done here to ensure first responders and community members have the training they need to care for and protect their communities. I’m certain that as the need for this type of training continues to grow and evolve, Tioga County will become a hub for this top-notch training, not only in the northern tier, but for our whole Commonwealth and beyond.”
The MUPSTI provides comprehensive initial and continuing education to first responders. Established in 2018, MUPSTI was specifically created to fill the apparent need for this training in the north central region of Pennsylvania. The foundation of the institute is PA Act 120 Municipal Police Officers Training Academy and PA Act 235-Armed Security Guard Academy.