The University of Arkansas Cossatot is now offering a new Criminal Justice Technical Certificate Program. The program prepares students to enter into the Criminal Justice field as a dispatcher/jailer. This program was developed in conjunction with the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office with input documenting need from other counties in the UAC service area and with the Arkansas Office of Jail Standards.  Upon successful completion of the two-semester program, students may obtain certification which will allow them to work anywhere in the state.

“We are glad to have developed this program with the local Sheriff’s Office to prepare fully trained individuals who are ready for the workforce,” says Barbara Lacefield, Division Chair.

“Collaborating with our local college to provide training and education for future dispatchers and jailers, has been tremendous and cannot wait to hire future graduates,” says Sevier County Sheriff Robert Gentry. 

The annual median wage for Correction Officers/Jailers in Arkansas is $33,810 per year and $28,720 per year for Police/Fire/Ambulance Dispatchers. Enrollment for the program is currently underway, and classes are available after 6:00 pm on Monday and Wednesday and at 9:30 am on Tuesday with some available online, set to begin on January 14, 2019, on Ashdown, De Queen, and Nashville campuses.