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Penn State Fayette recognized
	Penn State Fayette has received a national award from the Association for Continuing Higher Education (ACHE) for its Constables’ Training Program and Curriculum, according to Gregory Gray, campus executive officer (CEO).   “We are delighted that a Continuing Education program of this magnitude and impact has been recognized with the national Distinguished Non-Credit Program Award by the ACHE,” Gray said. “As a new CEO at Penn State Fayette, I am committed to identifying the education and training needs and opportunities in our communities and rapidly responding to address those needs. It is important for us to marshal all of our Penn State resources to achieve this. Through our Continuing Education office and our Cooperative Extension infrastructure, we are uniquely positioned to identify and respond to the needs of individuals, communities and organizations.”   The Constables’ Training Program was established in response to a 1994 state mandate requiring that all Pennsylvania constables receive formal training, according to Joe Segilia, director of continuing education at Penn State Fayette. At that time, no formal training was available. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency awarded one of six regional training grants to Penn State Fayette to provide training in a nine-county area.   District Justice James Russo, who was appointed chair of the Constables Education Training Board, noted, “We have put a lot of work into this program. We had more than 2,000 constables statewide that needed enhanced training to perform their jobs at the highest level. It is the good work of the Penn State Fayette team, working in collaboration with our board, Steve Spangenberg from the Civil and Criminal Training Division and the other regional training providers—Temple University, Mansfield University, Mercyhurst College, Lackawanna Junior College and Harrisburg Community College—that has resulted in an outstanding education program. Three years ago, I thought this mandate was insurmountable. Together we have successfully achieved the goal set forth by Gov. Tom Ridge.”   Ted Mellors, continuing education project manager at Penn State Fayette, assembled a team comprised of local, state and federal law enforcement officers to develop the curriculum and deliver the training in the Penn State Fayette region. He proposed that Penn State Fayette also develop the curriculum for all six regional providers to ensure training consistency and quality control. According to Mellors, Penn State Fayette now develops the curriculum, videos, transparencies, manuals and workbooks for the entire state. Last fall, a project team from Penn State published a textbook for use by all regional providers.   Training consists of an 80-hour basic course and a 20-hour annual refresher course, as well as a 20-hour firearm course for constables who carry firearms. Courses include Civil Law and Process, Criminal Law and Process, Use of Force, Courtroom Security, Prisoner Transport and Custody, Defense Tactics, Mechanics of Arrest, and Crisis Intervention.   Spangenberg, manager of the Civil and Criminal Training Division for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, noted, “Constables serve a vital function in supporting the judiciary and criminal justice system. The purpose of the Constable Training Program is to enhance the professional skills and knowledge-base for constables throughout the Commonwealth. Penn State Fayette has been key in standardizing the training provided by the six regional contractors in the state. Penn State Fayette’s guidance has been extremely valuable.”   Segilia added, “This program represents a successful model of cooperation and partnership with state government to fulfill a public policy initiative. Penn State Fayette has received consistently high marks for assembling a first-rate instruction team, for developing clear, comprehensive materials and for making valuable suggestions that have led to improvements across the state, while remaining consistently under budget. This serves as an exemplary outreach program model.”   For more information on Penn State Fayette outreach programs, contact Joe Segilia or Ted Mellors in the Continuing Education office at (724) 430-4215.