METRO, HCC Northeast preview Public Safety Institute program

METRO police officers demonstrate a robot that is used by the bomb squad. In the background is a Command Station and the Metro SWAT Team

NORTHEAST HOUSTON– METRO and Houston Community College Northeast have combined resources, to offer a program to train police, fire and emergency personnel.
HCC/Northeast held a presentation and demonstration event for the press, on December 11th to show the PSI (Public Safety Institue) facilities, and to receive a check for $500,000 from METRO to the HCCS Foundation, to fund the institute’s programs for Metro officers. This money is to be used for more PSI programs, long-term training, and scholarships.
At the event, media personnel experienced the heat, smoke and confusion that firefighters face when they enter a blazing highrise, in PSI’s training tower. They also had the opportunity to ride along with police officers as they cashe suspects, on the high speed emergency vehicle operations track. And finally, they tested their shooting skills on PSI’s 15 lane firearms training range.
All of these facilities are at Houston Community College’s Northeast Facility, near the intersection of I-10 and I-610.

This event showcased PSI’s role in training emergency professionals from throughout the Houston region, and its selection as a training partner for METRO’s police officers and other employees. METRO’s tactical equipment vehicles were on hand for tours and demonstrations, including a bomb truck, a command bus, motorcycles, canine units and a Special Operations Response Team.
HCC and METRO signed an agreement in November in which the transit agency pledged $500,000 for future development of PSI facilities and training programs.
Since the Institute opened in July, thousands of professionals and students have enrolled in the 100-plus courses taught through the PSI, which offers associate degrees, certificates and continuing education certifications.