Kish College Criminal Justice Program receives $5,000 grant

The Kishwaukee College Criminal Justice Program has received a $5,000 grant from the DeKalb County Community Foundation that will contribute toward creation of a Use of Force Training Lab.

Kevin McArtor, Community Foundation Board member, was at the College on Friday, May 5, to present the grant to Dr. Laurie Borowicz, President of Kishwaukee College. “This grant from the Community Foundation will support our students in a meaningful way and enhance our Criminal Justice curriculum,” said Dr. Borowicz. “This will impact all of our communities. I want to thank the Community Foundation for this grant but also for their continuing support of Kishwaukee College.”

Dave Dammon stated, “We are very grateful to the DeKalb County Community Foundation for this generous grant towards funding this project. The lab will help our students and also local law enforcement as our graduates move into professional positions within those agencies.”

The Lab will be an interactive Use of Force and Firearms Simulation system that combines the latest technologies with unique feature sets, allowing for authentic scenarios that any future officer may encounter. Loaded with over 800 scenarios, the Training Lab provides a theater-style simulation experience that will help students prepare for challenging situations where they will have to think quickly and critically, evaluate complicated scenarios, and apply the most appropriate response.

Dave Dammon, Coordinator of the Criminal Justice Program, explained that the new Lab will assist students in the program to become better prepared law enforcement professionals. Students will use the new lab at several key points during the curriculum, gaining an understanding of behavioral aspects of criminal behavior as well as how seemingly benign situations, such as traffic stops, can escalate. Dammon’s goal is to make certain that Kishwaukee College Criminal Justice students will enter the workforce able to confidently respond to complicated situations in which the use of force may be required.

For more information on giving opportunities to assist with fully funding the Use of Force Lab, contact Bill Nicklas, Executive Director of the Kishwaukee College Foundation at 815-825- 2952 or at foundation@kishwaukeecollege.edu.

For more information on the DeKalb County Community Foundation, visit http://dekalbccf.org. For more information on the Criminal Justice Program at Kishwaukee College, contact Dave Dammon at 815-825- 9538 or at david.dammon@kishwaukeecollege.edu.