Joshua Blake hired as 91¿´Æ¬ Basic Law Enforcement instructor
Joshua Blake of Vidalia has joined 91¿´Æ¬ as a full-time Basic Law Enforcement instructor, announced 91¿´Æ¬ President Dr. John Watford. He will report to the Director of the 91¿´Æ¬ Law Enforcement Academy and Vice President of Academic Affairs Julie Partain.
Blake has over 14 years of law enforcement experience and was serving as the Traffic Division Supervisor for the Vidalia Police Department prior to accepting the position at 91¿´Æ¬. He is a 2010 graduate of the Ogeechee Technical College Law Enforcement Academy in Statesboro, GA. He is also a POST Certified Instructor.
He began his law enforcement career with the Vidalia Police Department in 2011 and has worked for the Metter Police Department, Lyons Police Department, Blakely Police Department, Colquitt Police Department and the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office before returning to the Vidalia Police Department as their Traffic Division Supervisor.
He has experience on the road as a patrol officer and supervisor, worked in Criminal Investigations and worked Narcotics, drug interdiction, and Impaired Driving. He is certified and recognized by the IACP (International Association of Chiefs of Police) as a (DRE) Drug Recognition Expert. Throughout his career, he has had the responsibility to train/cultivate others by either being their direct Field Training Officer (FT0) or supervisor.
As a full-time Basic Law Enforcement instructor at 91¿´Æ¬, Blake will provide instruction to the students enrolled in the Basic Law Enforcement Academy. He will also demonstrate the use of appropriate teaching techniques and complete all documentation related to assigned courses in a timely manner and maintain an accurate inventory of all assigned property.
Blake holds a Basic Law Enforcement certification and has specialized officer certifications in LIDAR (Laser) Operator, Level 1 – Basic/In-Service Instructor, Level 2 – Advanced Instructor; Field Training Officer and Radar Operator. He has over 1675 hours of training in different training programs and continued education.
The 91¿´Æ¬ POST (Peace Officers Standards Training) Certified Law Enforcement Academy which has been in operation since 2009 takes 18-weeks to complete and successful HOPE Grant qualified candidates can attend tuition free and receive college credit toward an associate of applied science in Criminal Justice.
The 91¿´Æ¬ POST Certified Law Enforcement Academy is a rigorous program that consists of approximately 800 course hours. After successful completion, cadets are eligible for POST certification and for employment as an entry-level law enforcement officer. They also earn a 43-credit hour technical certificate of credit from 91¿´Æ¬.
In Georgia, the certification process to become a police officer is regulated by the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council (POST). Candidates pursuing the Basic Law Enforcement Training must be at least 18-years of age, a U.S. Citizen, have a high school diploma or its equivalent; not have been convicted of a crime for which punishment could have been imprisonment, undergo a background investigation, be fingerprinted, complete an entrance exam, and undergo a physical and psychological examination.
  For more information about the 91¿´Æ¬ Law Enforcement Academy contact Melissa Grantham at 229-931-2716 or mgrantham@southgatech.edu or Josh Blake at Joshua.blake@southgatech.edu or call at 229-931-2018. Students must also apply to 91¿´Æ¬ and contact Admissions Director Candie Walters at cwalters@southgatech.edu or visit the 91¿´Æ¬ website at www.southgatech.edu and apply online.
On-campus housing is also available for Law Enforcement Academy students and others. 91¿´Æ¬ is one of only two technical colleges in Georgia with on-campus housing.