Providing affordable and accessible training opportunities for law enforcement officers in Kansas is the focus of the Washburn Tech Business and Industry Center's Public Safety Institute. The initiative customizes training to fit the needs of individual safety entities, especially smaller departments that have limited resources. According to the U.S. Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, half of the approximately 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the U.S. have fewer than 10 officers, which can lead to budget constraints that limit training opportunities. Washburn Tech's Public Safety Institute is designed to meet those needs and provide opportunities that can make our communities even safer.
A number of negative forces are at work against the law enforcement profession, having power and influence on how police services are provided to communities. On the surface, these factors are alarming but it is the lesser seen damage that is truly hurting the profession. Ripple effects are expected throughout the industry for years to come.
Critical Issues of Impacting Law Enforcement is a series that reviews five trends of 2022 that are causing major shifts in the way departments mobilize personnel and provide services. According to the Law Enforcement Survival Institute, those trends are maintaining adequate staffing, changing public sentiment toward police and traditional policing practices, the ongoing effects of COVID-19, an increase in the level and threats of violence on policing and unaddressed internal agency vulnerabilities.
After reviewing and discussing the critical issues of last year, sessions will focus on the top five issues identified for law enforcement in 2023. Learn about dealing with the following:
Training is customized to fit the needs of individual public safety entities. This is especially important for smaller agencies whose budgets struggle with the expense of training, travel and shift coverage. Modules range from eight to 24 hours and will be designed to complement the 40 hours of continuing education required each year by the state of Kansas.
Cochran has spent 36 years in municipal city government which includes serving as Topeka's interim city manager, the chief of staff for the city manager’s office in Topeka and retiring as the city's chief of police.
In January 2018, Cochran was appointed as Topeka's chief of police. He joined the Topeka Police Department in 1987 and served in every bureau of the agency.
He is a graduate of the Northwestern University’s Center for Public Safety Police Staff & Command School; the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) and has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Friends University and bachelor's degree from Washburn University in Criminal Justice with minors in history, political science and sociology.
Cochran is very active in the Topeka community and serves on several boards that include The Tower Foundation through the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), United Way Kaw Valley and the Washburn University Criminal Justice Advisory Board.
He retired from the Kansas Army National Guard in 2005 after a 13-month combat tour in Iraq. He was awarded the Joint Commendation Service Medal with Valor for actions in combat and the Combat Action Badge.
Contact Bill Cochran at william.cochran@washburn.edu or (785) 383.3892.
This continuing education series includes five sessions hosted by Washburn Tech, 5724 SW Huntoon St., Topeka, Kan. 66604. Each session costs $25. Register by contacting Washburn Tech at (785) 383.3892 or william.cochran@washburn.edu.
Public's Perception of Lawlessness is scheduled for Feb. 28. Session one is from 0830-1130 and the second session, which is a repeat of the first session, is from 1300-1600.
Recruitment is scheduled for March 8. Session one is from 0830-1130 and the second session, which is a repeat of the first session, is from 1300-1600.
Homeless/Unsheltered/Behavioral is scheduled for March 21. Session one is from 0830-1130 and the second session, which is a repeat of the first session, is from 1300-1600.
Recruiting/Hiring/Background Investigations is scheduled for March 27 and 28. Attendees will be in session 0800-1200 and 1300-1600 on March 27 as well as 0800-1200 and 1300-1600 on March 28.
Community Trust is scheduled for April 4. Session one is from 0830-1130 and the second session, which is a repeat of the first session, is from 1300-1600.
Officer Well-Being is scheduled for April 18. Session one is from 0830-1130 and the second session, which is a repeat of the first session, is from 1300-1600.
Criminal Investigations for Road Officers and New Investigator is scheduled for April 26 and 27. Attendees will be in session 0800-1200 and 1300-1700 on April 26 as well as 0800-1200 and 1300-1700 on April 27.
Basic Supervisor Course is scheduled for May 17 and 18. Attendees will be in session 0800-1200 and 1300-1700 on May 17 as well as 0800-1200 and 1300-1700 on May 18.
