Applications are open for the Chattanooga Police Department’s fall Community Police Academy.
The academy will start Sept. 4 and run through Oct. 31, every Thursday 6-8 p.m. at the Police Services Center on 3410 Amnicola Highway.
In this free academy, residents will have a behind-the-scenes look at how the department operates and trains for the important work officers do each and every day. From immersive driving simulators to live demonstrations of K9 handling, participants will have the chance to better understand what police officers do and how they train.
Those interested in participating in the Community Police Academy can download and complete the application on CPD’s website. Once completed, email it to cpdcommunityoutreach@chattanooga.gov or drop it off at the Police Services Center. Applications will be open until Aug. 28.
Erlanger breast health center reaccredited
The Erlanger Center for Breast Health received a three-year full reaccreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. Erlanger is the only NAPBC-accredited program in the region.
Since earning initial accreditation in 2018, the Erlanger Center for Breast Health has continuously earned reaccreditation at each checkpoint. Accreditation by the NAPBC is only given to those centers that have voluntarily committed to provide the highest level of quality breast care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance.
During the survey process, the center must demonstrate compliance with standards established by the NAPBC. A breast center that achieves NAPBC accreditation has demonstrated a firm commitment to offer its patients every significant advantage in their battle against breast disease. Erlanger’s accreditation applies to Erlanger Baroness Hospital, Erlanger East Hospital and Erlanger North Hospital – the only accredited breast centers in the region.
Aquarium earns praise from nonprofit evaluators
The Tennessee Aquarium has been recognized as an exemplary nonprofit organization by two leading independent nonprofit evaluators, Candid and Charity Navigator.
After evaluating the Chattanooga facility’s stewardship of its financial resources, Candid awarded the facility its Gold Seal of Transparency. The Aquarium was scored based on submitted financial statements, program descriptions, goals and strategies, feedback solicitation methods and demographic analyses.
Likewise, Charity Navigator now lists the Aquarium as a four-star charity – its highest rating. Charity Navigator only confers this designation on an organization that “exceeds or meets best practices and industry standards across almost all areas, likely to be a highly effective charity.”
The evaluator’s 98% score and four-star rating single out the Tennessee Aquarium as an official “Give with Confidence” charity. This indicates donors can trust an organization receiving their support to use donations effectively, based on Charity Navigator’s independent criteria.
New Office of Outdoor Recreation announced
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has announced the creation of the Office of Outdoor Recreation to further the state’s conservation efforts and to help residents and visitors have more access to Tennessee’s great outdoors.
Gov. Bill Lee made the announcement at the second annual Tennessee Conservation Summit in Nashville last week, where key stakeholders gathered to align priorities and develop further strategies around conservation.
Brian Clifford has been appointed director to lead the office, headquartered at TDEC in Nashville.
“This office will help us leverage Tennessee’s unparalleled natural resources and beauty to improve our quality of life and create lasting memories for Tennessee families and visitors,” Lee says.
“Conservation is a team sport, including federal, state, local and private partners,“ Clifford says. “We’re already making great strides to protect and share Tennessee’s great outdoors, and this new office will capitalize on that momentum. The office is one of, if not the most, comprehensive offices of outdoor recreation in the nation, with a strong focus on actually getting things done on the ground.”
The office was created with existing resources to further state conservation efforts without expanding government.
High on the agenda for the Office of Outdoor Recreation is the Tennessee Blueways initiative – focusing on developing high-quality water trails across the state. The plan is to ensure that Tennessee has the cleanest and most accessible system of recreation waterways in the nation.
Comprehensive forest inventory underway
Tennessee’s state forests are undergoing a comprehensive inventory aimed at promoting sustainable forest management.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry engaged Steigerwaldt Land Services to conduct an in-depth inventory of the state’s 15 state forests.
The inventory will provide better data about current forest composition, from young, regenerating trees to mature timber. This will allow TDF’s state forest management team to develop growth and yield projections with greater accuracy and will enable the team to plan and manage based on current and future forest volume rather than area.