A 556-hour basic training program with 112 optional add-on hours designed to prepare Seasonal Park Rangers to perform law enforcement in areas administered by the National Park Service. The sessions are fourteen-fifteen (14-15) weeks in duration, 8:00am - 6:00pm, Monday through Friday, with evening and Saturday classes scheduled. Successful graduates will be eligible to receive a Type II Seasonal Law Enforcement Commission. The Type II Law Enforcement Commission will be issued by the appropriate park Superintendent and will be surrendered to the Superintendent at the completion of the season. Commissions may be reissued for subsequent periods of employment upon certification that required annual training has been met. This commission enables the bearer to carry firearms, make arrests, investigate violations of the Code of Federal Regulations, investigate motor vehicle accidents (excluding fatalities), take initial reports on felonies and fatalities and assist in the follow-up investigations under the supervision and direction of an employee with Type I Law Enforcement Commission Authority and serve subpoenas and assist in the serving of a warrant under the immediate direction of an employee with Type I Law Enforcement Commission Authority. There are currently 11 existing training academies that are approved for preparing Seasonal Law Enforcement for commission to work at one of the more than 300 parks, monuments and other facilities of the National Parks in the contiguous 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.

The National Park Service Seasonal Law Enforcement Ranger training is approved by the Department of Interior and coordinated by the National Park Service Law Enforcement Training Manager who is located at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. The certification enables the graduate to work in law enforcement positions with the National Park Service, U. S. Fish & Wildlife, and the Bureau of Land Management. Other agencies, such as the U. S. Forest Service, Army Corp of Engineers, and Tennessee Valley Authority also recognize the value of this training in obtaining potential employees.

The National Park Service does not recognize any law enforcement training other than certain types of Federal law enforcement training (please contact the Public Safety Training Center for further information). Attendance in this program, in its entirety, is a requirement in order to be eligible for a Type II Seasonal Law Enforcement commission.

Applications must be completed in their entirety and submitted a minimum of two weeks before the session begins. Application must be notarized and legible copy of driver’s license, birth certificate, and high school diploma or GED sent with application.

In addition to attending all sessions and successfully completing each topic area, the candidate must be recommended by the School Director to take the final exam at the conclusion of the program. Therefore, proper attitude, conduct and attendance is mandatory in order to receive recommendation. Only serious applicants should apply.

SESSION DATES:

HOW TO APPLY:

Registration Fee - $ 175.00 (effective August 15, 2009)
Supply and Material Fee - $ 800.00 - must accompany application to secure a position

(These fees do NOT include housing or meals)

There is not an additional fee for the Medical First Responder and Firefighting.

Requests for a refund of the supply and material fee must be made in writing, 60-days prior to the beginning of the class, to the Director of Public Safety Training. Request can be in the form of an email and should state reason for refund requested. Request must also include full name, current address, date of birth, and complete social security number. If approved a recommendation for refund will be made to the Vice President of Extension Education and Economic Development. Each request will be reviewed and approval will be on a case-by-case basis. Last minute refund request will not be allowed. A student can also request to change to the next available scheduled offering of the program (this would only be allowed one time). Uniform orders shall not be subjected to refunds. Please allow up to 90-days to process refund request.

COLLEGE CREDIT:

In an effort to make the training at SCC more affordable, we offer the program through the Continuing Education Division of the College. As a result, all enrollees pay the same registration fee regardless of state residency, and there is not an additional fee for tuition. Therefore, only CEU’s are awarded at the conclusion of the program. Regular college credit is not earned, though consortium agreements have been established which enables graduates to be granted credit at their home university/college.

If you would like to establish a consortium agreement with your home university, you will need to discuss this option with someone at your university (usually an Advisor or Admissions Officer), and provide us with a contact name and number. Most universities are agreeable to providing credit.

ADMISSION:

LOCATION:

Southwestern Community College Public Safety Training Complex is located in Franklin, North Carolina, 80 miles south of Asheville, North Carolina, and approximately 40 miles from the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Complex is located in the Macon County Industrial Park on Highway 64 West. (map)

The population of Macon County is around 30,000, and is a rural community.

Medical First Responder is a 72 hour course of instruction which meets the DOT National Standards for First Responder. This course is typically delivered during the evenings weekends throughout the core program. There is an additional fee to sit for the National Exam.

Firefighting (S-130 and S-190) is currently being offered during the regular schedule.

OTHER INFORMATION: