Broken Arrow Fire Investigator Begins His CLEET Training

Sunday, August 27th 2006, 6:41 pm

By: News On 6

Money problems have cancelled training for area law enforcement. A million dollar budget shortfall has forced The Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training or "CLEET" to put off dozens of classes.

That puts training on hold for many law enforcement officers like Paul Thompson, who wants to be a fire investigator. But that won't keep him from his goal.

Thompson is spending the next several weeks, training alongside new recruits for the Broken Arrow Police force. The department just started a training session of its own, and it welcomed him onboard.

Broken Arrow Police Captain Heath Arning: "age he has on the recruits. Heart and desire, he's pushing out the lead. He knows who he's up against, per se. And he recognizes that and there's one thing that's not in his vocabulary and that's to quit."

Thompson says he'll try to continue with his CLEET training in the fall. A CLEET spokesperson says classes are expected to start again soon.