Law enforcement officers at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) will have the opportunity to add more specialized criminal justice advanced training to their resumes under a new partnership with the Criminal Justice Institute. Under the agreement, officers will be able to combine specialized and supervisory courses in order to earn certificates of proficiency, technical certificates and associate of applied science degrees for those looking for career advancement in the business, crime scene investigation or administration side of the profession. The school joins approximately 20 other 2- and 4-year colleges already participating in the collaboration. Conway Police Chief A.J. Gary told the Log Cabin Democrat that offering law enforcement officers additional training locally benefits the whole community. "The collaboration between the Criminal Justice Institute and UCA is a great opportunity for officers to complete or start working toward a degree,” Gary added. “Here at the Conway Police Department we believe continued education is important. UCA and CJI are both outstanding organizations and this venture is a benefit to law enforcement and our community." According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for detectives and criminal investigator are expected to grow by 17% through 2018. |