From left to right: Lisa Hurda, Blackhawk Advancement & Foundation Director; Mitch Suchomel, JP Cullen Project Coordinator; George Cullen, Co-President of JP Cullen; Mike Kemp, JP Cullen Superintendent; Troy Egger, Law Enforcement Program Administrator; Tracy Pierner, President of Blackhawk; Joe Stadelman, President of Angus-Young; Bradley Werginz, Angus-Young Architect; Rob Balsamo, Administrative Chair of Blackhawk’s Fire, EMS, Human Services and SUDC Programs; Moira Lafayette, Blackhawk Dean of Health & Public Safety.

Blackhawk Technical College marked a significant milestone on Thursday with the official unveiling of its newly completed Public Safety Center during a special open house and ribbon-cutting event.

As the final piece of the $32 million Public Safety and Transportation Complex, the state-of-the-art facility serves as a vital training hub for students pursuing careers in emergency services and law enforcement.

The path to this milestone began in November 2020 when a community-supported referendum was passed, securing crucial funding for the construction of the entire complex. This funding enabled the development of the Center for Transportation Studies, an Emergency Vehicle Operator Course, a Fire Tower, an Observation Building, a Scenario Training Village, and the newly completed Public Safety Center. Construction on the Public Safety Center specifically began in October 2022.

“This building is the cornerstone of our new campus and reflects a changing college,” Dr. Tracy Pierner, President of Blackhawk, said during the ribbon-cutting event. “Workforce will continue to be our focus, but our mission is growing to encapsulate a boarder portfolio for our community.”

The open house drew local officials, community members, faculty and students, offering self-guided tours of the new center’s classrooms, simulation labs and training facilities.

Blackhawk’s annual Fall Festival also was held on Thursday evening, allowing community members to enjoy family-friendly activities alongside the open-house event