Security officials around the world could be better prepared for protecting the globe after participating in an online institute offered by MSU.
The Global Community Security Institute is an online program that educates and certifies security officials and public servants to improve security and safety.
The programs, stemming from some already existing and others newly formed, can be custom designed for individual organizations or communities.
Community officials from across the nation have shown interest in participating in programs like the global institute, said Ed McGarrell, director of the School of Criminal Justice.
“Obviously we want to first meet the needs of Michigan, but we’re thinking nationally as well,” he said.
The program is funded entirely by federal dollars from the homeland security initiative, he said.
“Every community within the state and country since Sept. 11 has re-examined what they’re doing with emergency management and at the same time anticipated needs,” McGarrell said.
The U.S. Office for Domestic Preparedness already contributes more than $500,000 to MSU’s security programs, which include physical training modules and will be supplemented with online educational activities.
The institute is a joint venture between MSU’s Global Online Connection and the School of Criminal Justice.
“The key element here that makes this unique is the institute is taking pockets of already existing programs and collaborating them into the organization,” said Jerry Rhead, director of Online Academic and Professional Programs.
“You’re involved in a very similar structure as if you were in a classroom. It just happens to be that you’re working in that structure online.”
But not everything will be done online.
Activities such as first response training to emergencies will continue with physical interaction, as will training by agriculture and supply-chain experts from MSU.
Phillip Schertzing, former assistant director in the MSU Office of Emergency Management, will be the director of the department and will be responsible for developing relations with Michigan officials and federal agencies.
The site is set to open in September.
“We’ll also take a more proactive approach, working with organizations and establishing relations and that whole network would be how they could hear about it,” Rhead said.
The implementation of this institute comes at a time when national security is on the minds of many Americans after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Merchandising management sophomore Darlene Brown said the programs could be beneficial.
“It’s other countries terrorizing us and us terrorizing ourselves,” she said. “We need to focus on security in general.”
