Anna Shanks is an outstanding graduate of CNCC’s Park Ranger Law Enforcement Academy (PRLEA) and is an exciting addition to the law enforcement community. She started her law enforcement journey at CNCC by enrolling in the general education courses linked to the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S) in Park Ranger Studies for two semesters prior to taking the required courses in the National Park Service Park Ranger Law Enforcement Academy (NPS PRLEA).
Anna Shanks in front of her NPS cruiser at Colorado National Monument.
Anna is one of those students who excels in what she does, and she took advantage of coming to CNCC prior to her PRLEA semester by involving herself in the program in advance. She participated with the academy as a ‘role player’ where PRLEA cadets practice techniques learned in class using real life scenarios/exercises with role players acting out the scenarios – which is about as close to the ‘real deal’ as you will get prior to becoming a park ranger! This experience gives PRLEA cadets a view of what it may be like while out in the field as an NPS or other law enforcement officer.
Anna “…appreciated the amazing teachers [at CNCC] both in the basic courses [general education] I took and especially in the law enforcement academy.” She continued saying that in the PRLEA program, there are “many teachers that came from many different areas who were specialized in the skills they were teaching. Having all those different opinions and ideas helped us really grow a fuller picture of the career of law enforcement.” NPS PRLEA Program Director Huyck expanded more on Anna’s comment of instructor quality. CNCC’s program stands out by the “diversity of adjunct instructors and years of experience they have. CNCC has instructors coming from local to state police, former military, Bureau of Land Management, current and former National Park and State Park Rangers, US Fish & Wildlife, all disciplines of certified Federal Law Enforcement Training Center instructors, and many more! The average experience of adjuncts teaching is at least 20 + years,” said Director Huyck. Instructors like this helped Anna rise to the top of the class as recipient of the Director’s Award (overall student who represents the qualities of an NPS law enforcement officer), Top Physical Fitness Award, and Top Academic Award – truly an exceptional student!
Largest class of women in the Fall 2022 group! Looking forward to seeing them in the law enforcement arena!
Overall, Anna’s experience with CNCC opened a lot of doors for her. Her first job after graduating from CNCC’s PRLEA program was with Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction, Colorado as a seasonal park ranger prior to moving to her current job as a police officer with the city of Silverthorne in Summit County Colorado.
“Law enforcement is a very difficult job. It brings a lot of challenges;” but Anna said she “get[s] to grow in different ways every day. Growing in ways I could never imagine. My confidence has grown in incredible ways. Critical thinking skills, practical skills – and that’s something the Park Ranger Law Enforcement Academy gave me.” She loves the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. And through her education at CNCC, she was able to pursue a career she is passionate about, while staying in a location that provide ample scenery and spaces to play.
To learn more about Colorado Northwestern’s NPS PRLEA program or to register for classes visit www.cncc.edu/nps.
