MARIETTA, OH — Joseph Browning, former Gallia County Sheriff, is joining Washington State College of Ohio (WSCO) as its new Peace Officer Basic Academy (POBA) Commander.
Browning joins the institution after an illustrious career in law enforcement that spanned 30 years. His experiences during those three decades included corrections, patrol deputy, shift sergeant, division commander – lieutenant, chief deputy, operations captain, finally retiring after serving eight years as an elected county sheriff.
“WSCO has a solid foundation in Criminal Justice programs,” said Browning. “I want to be able to work with the area law enforcement agencies and help train our future responders.” He added that, “The Criminal Justice program here is a great opportunity for local officers to advance their education.”
Browning fills the role of WSCO’s former Commander, John Burdette who retired after 47 years in law enforcement, including 11 and a half years with WSCO. “Nothing could have been more rewarding for me than to finish out my career by playing a part in preparing the next generation of Law Enforcement and Corrections Officers,” said Burdette in his farewell message to campus.
WSCO is currently accepting applications for enrollment in the Fall academy which begins August 16. Classes will run in the evenings Monday through Friday with some weekends and will span the fall and spring semesters. First point of entry into the academy is passing the state-mandated physical training test. The endurance test includes one minute of sit-ups, one minute of push-ups, and a mile and a half run.
There will be multiple opportunities to take the PT exam. The first will be on June 26 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and June 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. All tests will be held at the Williamstown High School track. For additional information contact Browning at jbrowning1@wscc.edu or call 740-885-5645.
Completion of the academy results in 26 credit hours, which can be applied toward both a one year POBA certificate as well as a two-year associate degree in criminal justice. Both the certificate and associate degree are eligible for financial aid.
