COD Public Safety Academy Recognizes Cadets

From College of the Desert: The College of the Desert (COD) Public Safety Academy (PSA) Basic Peace Officer Training and Basic Fire Academy Training Awards Ceremony recognized 24 cadets on Tuesday evening at the McCallum Theatre.

Twelve cadets from the Basic Peace Officer Academy and 12 cadets from the Basic Fire Academy programs received certificates for meeting the training requirements prescribed by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training and Office of State Fire Marshal, respectively.

Public Safety Academy Director Neil D. Lingle provided welcoming remarks and emceed the event attended by hundreds of family members, friends, community members and local public safety leaders.

Cadet class leaders Albert Melara (Peace Officer Recruit) and Taylor Wolter (Firefighter Cadet) spoke on behalf of their classmates.

Selected cadets were also recognized for their excellence in leadership, academics and marksmanship.

Academic Achievement Awards:

• Firefighter Cadet Dylan Schneider
• Peace Officer Cadet Albert Melara

Marksmanship Award:

• Peace Officer Cadet Patrick W. Lauritizen

Outstanding Cadet Awards:

• Firefighter Cadet James Wadlund
• Peace Officer Cadet Yuan E. Hernandez

Palm Springs Fire Chief Kevin Nalder served as the event’s keynote speaker. He began his fire service career in 1985 as a firefighter in Utah with the Salt Lake City Fire Department. In September 2015, he became the fire chief for the City of Palm Springs.

The college’s Public Safety Academy has been training first responders, filling an increasingly important public safety need for the Coachella Valley and surrounding communities, since 2001. From Banning to Blythe and from Yucca Valley to El Centro, the academy is an invaluable asset for training peace officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians.

For more information about public safety programs, please contact COD’s Public Safety Academy at MyPSA@collegeofthedesert.edu.

Photos courtesy of COD