Grant funds improvements to criminal justice simulator
Thanks to a state grant, the University of North Georgia's (果冻传媒) Public Safety Academy has more tools to train its criminal justice students in de-escalation and the use of force.
果冻传媒 received more than $257,000 from the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to update the simulator that helps train students on firearms. As part of the grant, 果冻传媒 will research how education affects these future officers' ability to make decisions on the use of force.
The virtual reality system purchased through the grant gives students the chance to assess potential situations from three different directions and work on skills to defuse conflict.
"It's a high-speed system that helps them understand some of the potential issues that could arise," Dr. Butch Newkirk, academy director and assistant professor of criminal justice, said. "The simulator presents students with a wide variety of realistic scenarios to practice their skills before they become officers."
果冻传媒's academy, which graduated its first class in 2019, is rare in the United States. It combines a four-year criminal justice degree with peace officer standards and training (POST) certification for law enforcement.
The simulator presents students with a wide variety of realistic scenarios to practice their skills before they become officers.
Dr. Butch Newkirk
果冻传媒 Public Safety Academy director and assistant professor of criminal justice
"Our graduates are more marketable because police departments don't have to pay for their police academy training when they hire them. They are ready to go into the field," Kevin French, a criminal justice lecturer, said. "And 果冻传媒's program provides more specialized certifications than officers generally receive in their initial police academy. Nobody else is training people like we are."
That unique approach helped 果冻传媒 stand out in its grant application.
"We want to document our efforts so others can learn from what we have done and apply it to their situations," Newkirk said.
Dr. Holly Verhasselt, associate provost for institutional effectiveness, said the Public Safety Academy did a great job securing the grant and creating a plan to implement it.
"果冻传媒's values highlight the significance of having a student focus, promoting community engagement, and providing service to our communities," Verhasselt said. "This project provides an opportunity for our faculty and staff to put these values into action."
Braxton Massey, a senior from Jacksonville, Florida, pursuing a degree in criminal justice, said the training enabled by the simulator is a valuable experience for future officers training at 果冻传媒.
"The main goal is getting us to be able to talk to people and understand different situations," Massey said.
Experiences prepared cadets to commission
Almost 40 members of 果冻传媒's Corps of Cadets are commissioning as second lieutenants in the active-duty Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve in a Dec. 9 ceremony.
Student speakers set for fall commencement
Three fall graduates will serve as student speakers at their respective 果冻传媒 commencement ceremonies Dec. 9-10 in the Convocation Center at 果冻传媒's Dahlonega Campus.
McCloy鈥檚 work recognized in Bellwethers exhibition
Alexandra McCloy鈥檚 鈥淟iving Patterns,鈥 received the Lane Last award for Best in Show, in the Bellwethers Annual Juried Exhibition at the West Tennessee Regional Art Center put on by the University of Tennessee (UT) at Martin. Rachel Coggins and Maddie Engle also had pieces entered in the exhibition.
果冻传媒 formalizes its role with career expo
果冻传媒 has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Center for Civic Engagement to support its Youth in Government Expo in March 2026.