Steve Shults, BRTC Law Enforcement Training Academy Director; Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson; Dr. Brad Baine BRTC Vice President of Academic Affairs
POCAHONTAS, AR Feb. 4 — During the week of January 20, Dr. Brad Baine, BRTC’s Vice President of Academic Affairs, and BRTC Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA) Director Steve Shults attended the Shot Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. They also attended the Arkansas Governor’s Reception at the invitation of Arkansas Governor Asa Hutcheson along with other Arkansas gun-related industry officials.
The Shot Show is an annual trade show for shooting, hunting, and outdoor trade and commercial buyers and sellers of military, law enforcement, and tactical products and services. \”Attending the Shot Show allowed me the opportunity to meet and discuss the firearms industry with the top professional leaders from the local, state, national, and international levels,” said Baine.
Baine and Shults’s attendance at the Shot Show was instrumental in ensuring that BRTC would have support from the Arkansas Governor’s office and industry support for the gunsmithing program. “The conversations and interactions I had with these respective leaders,” Baine said, “provided me with considerable insight including strategies for developing and implementing educational programs to meet the high demands for the firearms industry.”
Both Shults and Baine were very pleased with the interest expressed by gun-related industry owners, leaders, and sales persons. “Everywhere we went, people were interested in our law enforcement and gunsmithing programs,” said Shults. “They even wanted to know where Pocahontas was.”
Several industries both inside and outside Arkansas expressed interest in supporting BRTC and learning more about its programs. “The professional connections that were initiated at Shot Show will continue to flourish into collaborations and partnerships in an effort to meet the considerable needs of the firearms industry. I am confident that the insight gained by attending the Shot Show will be highly valuable as BRTC strives to provide the highest quality education and technical training.\”
Shults is also optimistic about the state’s support of BRTC’s law enforcement and gunsmithing programs. CZ-USA was especially interested in supporting BRTC’s LETA program with the most modern firearm. “The governor has really included BRTC in his efforts to expand the gun-related industry in Arkansas,” said Shults. “Including us and forming partnerships with these potential new industries will have unlimited benefits for the college and our students.”
For more information about BRTC’s law enforcement programs, contact Steve Shults at (870) 248-4194 or Steve.Shults@blackrivertech.edu. For more information about BRTC’s gunsmithing program, contact Phillip Dickson at (870) 248-4125 or Phillip.Dickson@blackrivertech.edu.