Tim Busha Named Criminal Justice Department Head at Tri-County

CONTACT: TIM BUSHA, EXT. 2197

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8/4/2000
(By Lisa Garrett)

PENDLETON --- Veteran law enforcement investigator/educator Tim Busha is returning to the classroom as Tri-County Technical College's new Criminal Justice Technology department head.

Busha, of Anderson, replaces Lew Holton, who retired June 30 after 14 years of leading the department.

Busha has 14 years of experience as a law enforcement officer and investigator, and he taught for four years at the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy. He spent the last three years as director of juvenile services for the Anderson County Solicitor's Office.

Tri-County's criminal justice program acquaints students with law enforcement, the courts and corrections, and how justice is administered fairly. Students also learn about social service and educational agencies and how they interact with and affect the criminal justice system.

"I enjoy the interaction with the students," said Busha, who has taught evening adjunct classes for Tri-County for several years. "The technical colleges in South Carolina play a vital role in educating prospective and practicing criminal justice professionals. I look forward to working with all of the law enforcement officers in the tri-county area and to continue this collaborative partnership with the various police chiefs and sheriffs to provide education and training needs for officers," said the Central native.

Busha began his career as a patrol officer in Central in 1986. The same year he completed Tri-County's police reserve training class, a program he credits with sparking his interest in law enforcement. He moved on to work as a deputy at the Pickens County Sheriff's Department for a year before becoming an investigator with the Anderson County Sheriff's Department. He holds a bachelor's degree from Southern Wesleyan University and a master's degree in criminal justice from the University of South Carolina.

In 1993 he moved to Columbia where he taught advanced and basic drug enforcement classes at the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy for four years.

He moved back to the Upstate in 1997 when he took the position with the Solicitor's Office where he developed prevention and intervention programs for at-risk youth (ages 8 – 16) and managed the juvenile court docket.

Busha knows first-hand how valuable a degree can be to an officer at any level. "An important part of any law enforcement investigation is to gather information from the crime scene. Good written communication skills are mandatory in report writing, especially in follow-up interviews and investigations," he said. "These skills are important because officers spend a large amount of time writing reports."

"I have a unique blend of education and experience that will enable me to address the education and training needs of the criminal justice students in our area," he said.

Busha and his wife, Teresa, live in Anderson and have four children.
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