History

     The Security Training Institute was established in 1978 and provided the first professional training for the private security industry in Oklahoma. The name was later changed to the American Security Training Institute to better reflect its ever expanding role in training security professionals nationwide. Due to its expanding course offerings, the name was again changed to the Center of Professional Studies, or COPS.

C — Computer Application Training

O — Occupational Safety Training

P — Private Investigator Training

S — Security Officer Training

      George Kennedy, the current President of COPS has been associated with the school in various capacities from the beginning. His long time experience as a law enforcement/security officer and administrator, and as an educator and trainer is invaluable to his students, security industry clients, and funding agencies.

      No other security training program can match our record of success in training and placing graduates. Cops, with its vast array of personal and professional contacts in the security industry, is the leader in obtaining quality employment with the highest possible wages and benefits for its graduates. We are very successful in obtaining part-time employment for our students while in training. We Teach success!

     Many of our graduates are employed as law enforcement officers and correctional officers. Several of our graduates have established their own successful private security and/or private investigative agencies.

     Excellent opportunities exist for women, minorities, youths, senior citizens, and persons with physical disabilities in the private security field.

    In 1998, the School moved into Eastland Mall, a major metropolitan shopping mall. Abundant parking and a variety of convenient dining establishments are extremely popular with our students. Our training facility is wheelchair / handicap accessible and we are on the City of Tulsa bus routes. The Mall and its tenants provide a living laboratory for our students as they study fire prevention, recognizing fire and safety hazards, patrol techniques, theft detection and prevention, surveillance techniques, public relations, investigations, and other theoretical and practical subjects.