Law enforcement center gets smart
By Melanie Christianson
Published February 2010
On Sept. 21, 2009, Metropolitan State University held a ceremony in celebration of the new Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Education Center. The new, two-story building, valued at $16.25 million, is located on the Hennepin Technical College campus (at Highway 169 and Brooklyn Boulevard) in Brooklyn Park.
Ginny Lane, executive director of the Metropolitan State School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, emceed the event. The keynote speaker was Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson. Other speakers at the event included Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) Chancellor James McCormick, MnSCU Trustee Cheryl Dickson, Metropolitan State University President Sue Hammersmith, Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC)Vice President Irene Kovala and Hennepin Technical College (HTC) President Cecilia Cervantes.
Construction on the new building began last spring and its expected completion is July 2010. When finished, the building will provide 67,154 square feet for faculty and administrative offices, classrooms and much-needed forensics and skills development space for students pursuing associate, baccalaureate and graduate level education. It will feature 12 “smart” classrooms, a forensic lab, two computer classrooms and a tactical and fixed firing range. There will also be scenario-based training and simulation areas and an outdoor tactical area.
The center will also provide continuing education and a Center for Applied Research and Policy Analysis. The center is a collaborative project between MCTC and HTC for their law enforcement, criminal justice, fire protection and emergency management programs.
As noted by Lane, “Today’s criminal justice and public safety agencies require leadership from professionals who are analytically sophisticated, conceptually strong, skilled in technical, written and oral communication and able to assess needs and trends in the field. This new state-of-the-art education center represents a major contribution to providing the best preparation possible for current and future criminal justice and public safety professionals.”
When completed, the new center will provide the ultimate in education and training programs that help students, professionals and the community deal more effectively with issues related to crime and public safety. Planned opening of the center is fall 2010.