Metro Tech breaks ground on Public Safety Academy at South Bryant Campus

Metro Technology Centers celebrated the start of construction today on its new Public Safety Academy located at the South Bryant Campus. The new academy will offer a Basic Peace Officer Certification program, in addition to Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA), 911 dispatch, security, defensive tactics, and mental health and de-escalation training. The Public Safety Academy will expand career opportunities for Oklahoma students by giving them a head start in the public safety sector and creating a direct pipeline for them into full-time jobs through high-level, real-world training, powered by Oklahoma CareerTech.

"The new academy is an innovative way to engage students across the Oklahoma City metro and diversify the workforce throughout all public safety sectors,” Mayor David Holt said. “I’m grateful to Metro Tech and many local partners for collaborating to make this vision a reality.”

An $80-milion bond issue, passed by Oklahoma City voters in 2019, will fund the Public Safety Academy and support training programs and technology upgrades. The academy involves local partnerships between Metro Tech and the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office, Oklahoma City Police Department, Oklahoma City Fire Department and Oklahoma 9-1-1 Management Authority to establish credentialed programs and train students for critical public safety occupations in Oklahoma.

"The new Public Safety Academy will create a pipeline to transition students into critical occupations such as law enforcement officers and 911 dispatchers,” Sheriff Tommie Johnson III said. “The goal is to foster a strong public safety workforce that reflects the communities we serve, bringing the best of the best into these crucial positions.”

New state legislation, requested by Metro Tech, authorized the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) to develop a statewide law enforcement and public safety program, making it easier for new police recruits to complete basic training without traveling to the training site in Ada.

Enrollment for the Public Safety Academy at Metro Tech’s South Bryant Campus is ongoing, with the new facility opening in 2023. 

“At Metro Tech, we believe in training that is practical, affordable and accessible for all students in our community,” said Metro Tech Superintendent Aaron Collins. “That approach, along with our new law enforcement partnerships, will equip our students with real-world skills to help strengthen the workforce, and advance much-needed career training in Oklahoma.” 

Metro Tech's South Campus is located at 4901 S Bryant Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73129. For more information about Metro Tech, visit metrotech.edu.

About Metro Technology Centers

Metro Technology Centers is a career and technology center with four campuses. The school was established in 1979 by a vote of the people to serve Oklahoma City in providing career and technology education (CTE). Metro Tech is one of 29 technology centers in the state of Oklahoma, providing full-time career majors for high school and adult students.