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Public Safety Education & Training Division

The Public Safety Education and Training Division offers both degree and non-degree programs in public safety training. The degree programs – Criminal Justice/Forensic Science Technologies, Emergency Medical Science and Public Safety Administration – are designed to prepare students to successfully transfer into a similar program of study at a four-year university. The non-degree programs – Basic Law Enforcement Training, Emergency Medical Science, Fire Services, Law Enforcement, Correction & Detention and General Instructor Training – are designed to prepare students to pass exams leading to North Carolina public safety certification credentials or offer intermediate and advanced training to enhance essential knowledge and skills for public safety personnel.

The Public Safety Training Academy is accredited by CALEA®, the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education & Training Standards Commission and the North Carolina Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission. CALEA®, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, recognizes best practices and professional excellence in policy and practice. Wake Tech was the first community college in North Carolina – and the second in the nation – to earn CALEA® accreditation for its Public Safety Training Academy.

The Emergency Medical Science program is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation for the Emergency Medical Services Professions, while Fire & Rescue Training and Certification courses are certified by the North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Students can find curriculum outlines, certification descriptions and career training opportunities by clicking on specific program links, emailing a specific department or visiting Wake Tech to discuss their goals with an advisor.

Train for degrees and industry-recognized certifications leading to careers in fire, corrections, detention, Emergency Medical Science, forensics and law enforcement.

Prepare for entry-level employment as law enforcement officers with state, county or municipal governments or with private enterprise. Instruction includes practical exercises, with an ethics component woven throughout the training.
Training provided for North Carolina Department of Public Safety and county detention facility employees emphasizes officer safety and inmate security.
The Criminal Justice/Forensic Science Technologies curriculum is designed to provide knowledge of criminal justice systems and operations. Study will focus on local, state, and federal law enforcement, judicial processes, corrections, and security services
The Emergency Medical Science curriculum provides individuals with the knowledge, skills and attributes to provide advanced emergency medical care as a paramedic for critical and emergent patients
Wake Tech runs a standard rotating series of non-degree Emergency Medical Science classes and refresher courses for EMS professionals and those wishing to become an emergency medical technician.
The Fire Services program is designed to provide full-time and volunteer fire departments an opportunity to gain knowledge, practical skills and certification in modern firefighting, rescue, officer development and fire department management.
Courses are designed to provide law enforcement officers with a fundamental background in the instruction of other law enforcement personnel and prepare them to apply for certification as a law enforcement instructor.
Wake Tech offers a variety of law enforcement training opportunities in the classroom and through practical application, emphasizing legal and technological advancements in law enforcement.
The Public Safety Administration curriculum is designed to provide students, as well as practitioners, with knowledge and skills in the technical, managerial, and administrative areas necessary for entrance or advancement within various public safety and government organizations.

Professional licensure

Wake Tech academic programs (credit and non-credit) that are designed to lead to professional licenses are tied to North Carolina or national certifications.

If you intend to pursue professional licenses outside North Carolina once you have completed your academic program at Wake Tech, please refer to the Professional Licensure section on the college's distance education authorization page for additional information.