Public Safety Telecommunications Trainee Academy

SEACOM (Southeastern Arizona Communications) handles the emergency 911 calls for the Sierra Vista Police Department and the Cochise County Sheriff's Office, along with other local Police and Fire agencies. 

SEACOM, in partnership with Cochise College, has a "Public Safety Telecommunications Trainee Academy" on the Sierra Vista campus. Currently, thirteen people are going through the training. As they go through the Academy, they are paid SEACOM employees. Along with the training and classwork, they have heard from the Director of SEACOM, Mike Cline, Sierra Vista Police Chief Adam Thrasher, Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, Cochise County Emergency Services, Tammi Jo Wilkins, and other Police Chiefs and Fire Chiefs.  

Carol Capas, Public Information Officer with the Cochise County Sheriff's Office, said, "We want to help them succeed by giving them basic training and certifications, in a more condensed amount of time, but in a group setting that is outside of the communications center." She continues, "We are excited and appreciate everybody at SEACOM for their support." Carol Capas and Tammi Jo Wilkins are co-directors of the Academy. 

Cochise College has also teamed up with local Law Enforcement for the Police Academy on the Douglas Campus. Sheriff Dannels showed his support for the continuing Cochise College partnership by saying, "They do a fantastic job, and there's a reason they call community colleges; they're all about the community, and this is a prime example." 

SEACOM serves the Cochise County Sheriff's Office, Sierra Vista Police Department, Sierra Vista Fire and Medical, Huachuca City Police Department, Bowie Fire District, Elfrida Fire District, Fry Fire District, Naco Fire District, Palominas Fire District, Pirtleville Fire District, Portal Rescue, San Jose Fire District, San Simon Fire District, Sunnyside, and Tombstone Fire Department. 

Here is the link to apply to SEACOM City of Sierra Vista website HERE 

The Academy took a field trip around Cochise County to learn where towns, streets, and businesses are located; this will help them be more familiar with knowledge of locations when they begin taking calls for service. One of the stops was the radio station. Here are some pictures of their visit: