RJTC, tribe win law enforcement training grant

Central Wyoming College’s Rural Justice Training Center (RJTC) and the Eastern Shoshone Tribe were awarded a grant to train and equip law enforcement officers both on and off the reservation for the next three years.

CWC and the tribe were awarded a $356,800 grant from the Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) office, a division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

“It is our hope that by training officers from both on and off the reservation, all of our communities will see a decrease in crime and an increase in community-oriented policing,” said Eric Heiser, the director of the RJTC. “It will also give the officers the ability to train with others from different agencies, which should result in better relationships and communication between all of the law enforcement agencies in Fremont County.”

Heiser said the participants can receive both CWC and POST credit for the courses offered by the RJTC, which is an “added value for officers.” He anticipates that some of the officers will be able to finish their associate degree programs in Criminal Justice as well.