History
NECSOTA was established in 1997 and godfathered by several enthusiastic and dedicated Bates Security staff members in response to a serious need for training geared exclusively towards campus security.
The lack of such specialized training in previous years had been noticeably stark. Campus security officers in the past were sent to either police reserve academies, or to special training seminars, none of which could adequately address the specific needs and requirements posed by modern campus security. Other academies that focused explicitly on the field of campus security did indeed exist, but did not offer sufficient content and quality at least not enough to satisfy the ever growing needs for high quality service and professionalism in the training of our own officers at Bates College.
After extensive research and planning, the first Academy was set to go in June of 1998. It was an immediate success, and in the years to follow it not only increased its student body, but also expanded its recruitment boundaries, with students coming from as far as Wisconsin and Oregon. The ever increasing number and more diverse background of our students raised the need for an even better and more competitive curriculum. In the year 2000 the Academy welcomed its first international staff member, a Security Director of the American University in Bulgaria, Europe, who attended in hopes to bring back information and training philosophies to his department, and share his experience and views on the different campus security issues. The idea of incorporating an international perspective into our curriculum was achieved a couple of years later in 2002 when we had visiting lecturers not only from Bulgaria, but form South Africa as well. Courses from NECSOTA are currently being taught in two other countries and a sister academy inspired by our educational values and philosophies was developed and launched in South Africa in 2003.
More then 10 years since NECSOTAs first steps, our philosophy and standard have made us the envy of other training programs. We take profoundly pride in the progress we have made, and consider our accomplishment to be the best reward for our enthusiasm and hard work. To date, 49 different colleges, universities, and schools from 12 states ranging from New England to the Mid West have been represented at the Academy. Whether new officers or veterans, more than 200 officers have walked away with a new found knowledge and skills. They are also awarded 5 Continued Education Credits (CEC), which give graduates the opportunity to continue their education. NECSOTA is widely recognized as a symbol of professional and an exceptional quality training academy.