Classen-Buck Seminars Inc. in Alpine, the only woman-owned law enforcement training center in the country, and the only privately owned training facility in Texas, is moving a branch to San Diego, Calif., in June, said owner Marian Hoy.

She said the 12-year-old business, which provides independent home study to its students, maintains approximately 900 students at all times. The courses are now being loaded onto the Internet for more convenience.

Ms. Hoy explained there is no classroom training through the center. She believes more training can be achieved through independent home study and in-house training by the law enforcement department.

After an individual completes training, the center issues a certificate and reports the training to the state the individual is employed in.

She said the courses are designed for law enforcement personnel that want to expand their knowledge, but a few courses – such as Spanish, dispatch certification, report writing and courses dealing in child abuse, can be taken by someone not in law enforcement.

Most of the courses, however, are sensitive to the safety of officers, and she will not allow people who aren’t in law enforcement to take them.

“We have a closed audience, and I’m very respectful of my authors,” she said, adding that the center has trained nearly 40,000 students since its beginning.

Courses the center offers range from basic officer survival to crime scene investigation, report writing, tactics for counter terrorism, and K-9 science. Ms. Hoy said there are certain courses taught that pertain to Texas laws, and others that can be used in various states.

The center also offers training for private investigators.

“I try to give these guys some ideas that will keep them alive out there,” Ms. Hoy said, adding that one of the hardest parts of her job is finding out that a former student has been killed.

Along with allowing officers to expand their knowledge and learn how to survive, Classen-Buck Seminars, Inc. also encourages students to respect the rights of citizens they deal with.

The forward to each manual states “We encourage law enforcement personnel to maintain an attitude which regards all persons with respect. Any officers initiating an arrest will utilize only that amount of force necessary to secure the prisoner. The Civil Rights of an individual will always be protected by law enforcement personnel.”

Ms. Hoy said she is able to do this business with the help of authors that are experts in certain fields. What she isn’t an expert in, she finds the people who are. They write a particular course and she makes approvals.

She added that her business is also successful because the people she works with make it happen. “This is the best group of employees I’ve ever had,” she said.

The business began in Austin, then moved to Alaska, Colorado, then Alpine. “I came [here] because I wanted to get out of the city,” she said, adding that the center in Alpine will remain open.

Ms. Hoy said the center is approved in a number of states and pending approval in others, and has students in countries all over the world, including Australia, France, Spain, Canada and the Bahamas.

Ms. Hoy, one of the first eight women hired at the Dallas Police Department for patrol in the early 70s, left active duty to finish her master’s and fulfill her wish to teach.

Being in law enforcement a total of 28 years, teaching approximately 20 of those, she taught at various universities and academies until beginning Classen-Buck.

For more information on courses available through Classen-Buck Seminars, Inc., call 1-888-758-1919 or e-mail seminars@classen-buck2.com.

Picture - President Marian Hoy