The Polk County Sheriff's Office and Southeastern University have teamed up to launch Florida's first "Sentinel Program" that will enhance campus security and safety.

LAKELAND — The Polk County Sheriff's Office and Southeastern University have teamed up to launch Florida's first "Sentinel Program" that will enhance campus security and safety.

This one-of-a-kind program, which was initiated a year ago, will provide comprehensive and professional law enforcement training to select university faculty and staff members.

The safety program is the first to be implemented in Florida and the first in the nation to utilize university staff members as special deputies, said Scott Wilder, agency spokesman.

The training will enable those staff members to carry concealed firearms on campus in case an active assailant poses a deadly threat, Wilder said.

From 2000 to 2013, there were 160 active shooter incidents in the United States, according to the Department of Justice. Out of these, 107 ended before law enforcement arrived.

Sheriff Grady Judd said this program is one more critical thing the agency can do to stop the bad guy.

The Special Deputy Sheriff Sentinel Program Training is 132 hours, which includes nine blocks of instruction on firearms, active shooters, defensive tactics and more.

Sentinel Program awareness training will be conducted for all university staff.

Dr. Kent Ingle, president of the university, said he is excited about the program that will result in well-trained staff who can rapidly respond to the threat of an active shooter.

"We are committed to providing the safest learning environment possible for our university community," he said in a news release.

To be a part of the program, faculty and staff have to be selected by the university and screened by PCSO staff, including criminal background checks, drug testing and a psychological evaluation.

Those who are selected will be appointed by Judd as volunteer Special Deputies.

These volunteers will have no authority to act in any law enforcement capacity outside of a deadly threat, active assailant incident on campus, Wilder said.

The firearms used by the volunteers will be specifically purchased for the sole purpose of the Sentinel Program.

PCSO has been on campus providing 24-hour security for the university since 2014, Wilder said.

-Tori Walker can be reached at tori.walker@theledger.com or 863-802-7590. Follow Tori on Twitter @Torilwalker863