Criminal Justice Law Enforcement - Associate Degree

Students gain skills that lead to success in college, employment, and life. Students should take this course in their first semester. (Pre-requisite: None.)

Learners develop knowledge/skills in planning, organizing, writing, editing. Students will also analyze audience/purpose, use elements of research, format documents using standard guidelines, and develop critical reading skills. (Prerequisite: High school GPA greater/equal to 2.6; OR ACT Reading score greater/equal to 16 AND English greater/equal to 18; OR Next Gen Reading score greater/equal to 250 AND Writing score greater/equal to 260; OR "preparatory course(s)", contact academic advisor at 920-498-5444)

Development of the American judicial system, the federal and Wisconsin court structure, Wisconsin judicial rules and procedures from complaint to sentencing as they impact police or correctional officers. (Corequisites: 10-504-191, LEAD Interviews & Resumes; 10-504-190, LEAD Fitness & Wellness)

This course focuses on developing effective listening techniques and verbal and nonverbal communication skills through oral presentation, group activity, and other projects. The study of self, conflict, and cultural contexts will be explored, as well as their impact on communication. (Prerequisite: Next Gen Rdg score greater/equal to 250 AND Writing score greater/equal to 237; OR ACT Rdg score greater/equal to 16 AND English score greater/equal to 16; OR preparatory course-contact an academic advisor at 920-498-5444)

Developmental Psychology is the study of human development throughout the lifespan. This course explores developmental theory and research with an emphasis on the interactive nature of the biological, cognitive, and psychosocial changes that affect the individual from conception to death. Application activities and critical thinking skills will enable students to gain an increased knowledge and understanding of themselves and others. (Prerequisite: Next Gen Rdg score greater/equal to 250 AND Writing score greater/equal to 237; OR ACT Rdg score greater/equal to 16 AND English greater/equal to 15; OR 10-831-107, College Reading and Writing with a "B" or better).

The course examines the extensive hiring processes used by public safety agencies and sets the foundation for academic and occupational success. (Corequisites: 10-504-192, LEAD Courts/Jurisdiction; 10-504-190, LEAD Fitness & Wellness)

The course will provide an introduction to nutrition and eating correctly for maximum value as well as an introduction to fitness for a criminal justice professional. (Corequisites: 10-504-191, LEAD Interviews & Resumes; 10-504-192, LEAD Courts/Jurisdiction)

Students will have the opportunity to explore State of Wisconsin Department of Justice academy rules and regulations; examine the role of law enforcement in a democratic society; learn steps to take as a first responder to stabilize and manage a complex scene; learn the role of law enforcement communication and how to apply specific communication skills and strategies in a variety of simulated situations.(Prerequisite: 10-504-191, LEAD Employment Strategies; Corequisite: All 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

Topics include solving linear equations; graphing; percent; proportions; measurement systems; computational geometry; and right triangle trigonometry. Emphasis will be on the application of skills to technical problems. (Prerequisite: Next Gen Arithmetic score greater/equal to 250 AND Rdg score greater/equal to 250; OR ACT Math score greater/equal to 15 AND ACT Rdg score greater/equal to 16; OR preparatory courses-contact an academic advisor 920-498-5444)

All college students, regardless of their college major, need to be able to make reasonable decisions about fiscal, environmental, and health issues that require quantitative reasoning skills. An activity based approach is used to explore numerical relationships, graphs, proportional relationships, algebraic reasoning, and problem solving using linear, exponential and other mathematical models. Students will develop conceptual and procedural tools that support the use of key mathematical concepts in a variety of contexts. This course may be used as the first of a two part sequence that ends with Quantitative Reasoning as the capstone general education math requirement. (Prerequisite: Next Gen Arith score greater/equal to 250 AND Rdg score greater/equal to 250; OR ACT Math score greater/equal to 15 AND ACT Reading score greater/equal to 16; OR prep courses-contact an academic advisor 920-498-5444).

In this course students will learn the structure of the criminal justice system, including criminal procedure. Students will learn about the Constitutional Amendments and legal basis for law enforcement action such as reasonable suspicion, probable cause, arrest, use of force, search, seizure and Miranda, as well as limits on law enforcement activity. Students will learn the differences between criminal and civil cases, the classifications of offenses as felonies, misdemeanors, and ordinance violations, and the common elements in criminal offenses. Students will also learn about party to a crime liability and circumstances that enhance the penalty for crimes, various states of the criminal mind and basic defenses to criminal liability. Lastly, students will learn how to write a wide variety of law enforcement reports to accurately and fairly convey necessary information for use by investigators, prosecutors, and the public. This will include who reads law enforcement reports, how to take field notes and how to turn those field notes into a narrative. Students will focus on how to organize narratives, writing in first person with an active versus passive voice. (Prerequisite: 10-504-191, LEAD Employment Strategies; Corequisite: All 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

Students will be introduced to the legal limitations on the use of force, the incident response and disturbance resolution models, approach considerations, intervention options, and follow-through considerations. Students will learn the basic firearm safety rules and learn how to safely handle, operate, and maintain a handgun. (Prerequisite: 10-504-191, LEAD Employment Strategies; Corequisite: All 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

Students will have the opportunity to explore the importance of written policies and procedures in law enforcement work, practice use of the Traffic and Criminal Software (TraCS), a software system used by Wisconsin law enforcement, examine Wisconsin's traffic laws, learn how to fill out the paper citation and electronic citation (TraCS), learn the legal basis for making vehicle contacts, conduct threat assessments, and demonstrate an approach vehicle contact in various simulated situations. (Prerequisite: 10-504-200 Law Enforcement Basics ; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

In this course, students will have the opportunity to learn an organized approach to problem solving and decision making, which officers use to resolve a wide variety of problems, compare personal beliefs to the beliefs of the law enforcement profession and analyze situations and defend the choices they make. Students will learn about the importance of proper communication with other cultures and the importance of being responsive to the beliefs, practices and cultural needs of different people with diverse backgrounds who live in the community and be introduced to the basic concepts of interviewing witnesses and victims. Being able to accurately and fairly convey information in law enforcement is an important aspect of the profession. Students will learn the mechanics of law enforcement report writing, focus on importance of field notes and learn how to write a variety of reports. (Prerequisite: 10-504-200 Law Enforcement Basics ; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

Students will have the opportunity to learn how to perform an initial medical assessment for an injury or medical condition, how to provide immediate treatment for a variety of injuries and conditions, and how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Recruits will be certified First Aid and CPR/AED to give them the basic skills they need to know to provide help to injured people until more medically trained arrive on scene and take over. Components of a healthy lifestyle, stress relaxation techniques, and how to implement healthy habits are also included in this course. (Prerequisite: 10-504-200 Law Enforcement Basics ; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

Students will participate in physical activity and learn healthy lifestyle choices for the law enforcement career. (Prerequisites: accepted to the Criminal Justice Law Enforcement program; 10-504-191, LEAD Employment Strategies; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

In this course students will continue learning about criminal procedure with special focus on the search warrant requirement and the exceptions to it. Students will learn the role of law enforcement communication and how to apply specific communication skills and strategies in a variety of simulated situations including under stress or while in simulated danger. Students will learn to recognize, process, and preserve physical evidence, including an introduction to collecting and packaging evidence. (Prerequisite: 10-504-203 Fundamentals of Patrol; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

In this phase two course, students will learn the legal basis and limitations on the use of force, the incident response and disturbance resolution models, approach considerations, intervention options, and follow-through considerations. Included in the discussion on the disturbance resolution model is a discussion on protocols for off-duty actions. Students will learn the recommendations and protocols for off-duty response and guidelines for interaction between on-duty and off-duty, retired, and plainclothes officers. (Prerequisite: 10-504-203 Fundamentals of Patrol; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

In this phase two course, students will expand upon their previous firearms training. Students will review and practice firearms safety and care, basic shooting fundamentals, and clearing malfunctions. Students will learn the legal basis and limitations on the use of deadly force, make deadly force decisions, engage in movement and changing positions, and practice in live-fire exercises. Students must qualify with a semi-automatic pistol using the state qualification course. Students will learn how to identify, unload, and secure non-duty firearms. Finally, students will also learn how to safely handle, use, and care for a rifle, including basic shooting fundamentals, clearing malfunctions, positions, and movement practiced with a rifle in live-fire exercises. Students must qualify with a rifle using the state qualification course. (Prerequisite: 10-504-203 Fundamentals of Patrol; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

Students will have the opportunity to learn the legal basis and limitations on the use of non-emergency and emergency driving, demonstrate basic patrol operation, emergency vehicle response, and pursuit driving, determine the appropriate type of contact, and conduct approach, non-approach and high-risk vehicle contacts in simulated situations. (Prerequisite: 10-504-203 Fundamentals of Patrol; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

Students train in basic concepts and tactics related to approaching, controlling, and intervening in unknown-risk and high-risk situations, including ongoing deadly assaults. Students will learn principles, guidelines and techniques for law enforcement response to persons with possible mental disorders, alcohol or drug problems, dementia disorders, and/or developmental disabilities. (Prerequisite: 10-504-203 Fundamentals of Patrol; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

This course introduces the study of diversity from a local to a global perspective using a holistic, interdisciplinary approach that encourages exploration and prepares students to work in a diverse environment. The course introduces basic diversity concepts, examines the impact of bias and power differentials among groups, explores the use of culturally responsive communication strategies, and compares forces that shape diversity in an international context. (Prerequisite: Next Gen Rdg score greater/equal to 250 AND Writing score greater/equal to 237; OR ACT Rdg score greater/equal to 16 AND English greater/equal to 15; OR 10-831-107, College Reading and Writing with a B or better.)

Students will participate in physical activity building off of Phase I and learn healthy lifestyle choices for the law enforcement career. (Prerequisites: 10-504-711 Physical Fitness Phase I; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

"hands-on" law enforcement phases, monitored by an agency-approved police officer and college instructor. (Corequisite: All 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

Provides the opportunity for the learner to prepare for the public safety hiring process with an emphasis on oral board interviews. (Prerequisite: 10-504-128, PS - Employment Strategies OR 10-504-191, LEAD Employment Strategies)

In this course students will to apply appropriate strategies to locate, handle, and package evidentiary items while maintaining the chain of custody. There will also be emphasis placed on the preserving, handling and collecting of digital evidence such as computers and cell phones. Students will also be required to demonstrate a search and proper documentation of a simulated crime scene. During simulated scenarios students will continue identifying the elements that make up common offenses involving drugs, alcohol, status offenses, and crimes against persons or property. Students will prepare reports based upon the crimes they identified during the scenarios including a Probable Cause Affidavit and a Use of Force narrative. There will also be a review of common errors made in law enforcement reports and strategies to avoid such errors. Students will also continue to learn how to make the best decisions and choices by critically analyzing ethical situations and defending the decisions they make. Students will continue developing their sensitivity to and understanding of discrimination and diversity as well as its effects on law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. Finally, students will learn the basics of presenting effective court testimony and will have the opportunity to practice giving testimony based on a report they have previously written. (Prerequisite: 10-504-209 Advanced DAAT; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

In this course students will continue developing their sensitivity to and understanding of those who have been victims of crime and their families and how to assist them. Students will learn the statutory elements of domestic crimes, sex crimes, and child maltreatment crimes and the dynamics, impact, response and investigative strategies unique to these sensitive crimes. Students will also learn about the structure of the juvenile justice system including the terminology, laws and procedures that effect juveniles; particularly those related to taking a juvenile into custody. Lastly, students will learn how interrogations differ from interviews and will learn basic concepts in interrogating suspects. (Prerequisite: 10-504-209 Advanced DAAT; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

The course addresses the foundations of abnormal psychology and psychological disorders, including their characteristics, possible causes, assessments, diagnostic processes, and treatments. The course includes examination of major historical and theoretical perspectives, research, sociocultural considerations, and elements of psychological wellness. (Prerequisite: Next Gen Rdg score greater/equal to 250 AND Writing score greater/equal to 237; OR ACT Rdg score greater/equal to 16 AND English greater/equal to 15; OR 10-831-107, College Reading and Writing with a "B" or better).

Students will have the opportunity to learn how to properly set up, test, and read a speed measuring device (RADAR), identify and describe the laws and court rulings affecting speed measuring device operations, learn to recognize and interpret evidence of operating a motor vehicle while impaired (OWI), demonstrate the proper procedure to administer and interpret standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs) and make appropriate enforcement decisions, prepare arrest reports for impaired driving violations, and complete arrest paperwork. (Prerequisite: 10-504-211 Advanced Policing; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)

A capstone course to assess the learner’s cumulative knowledge through the use of scenarios in the certifiable Law Enforcement curriculum. (Prerequisite: all topics included in the DOJ 720-hour Law Enforcement curriculum)

Students will apply Physical Fitness skills required by the WI Department of Justice 720 Academy. Students will apply learning in independent lab activities and complete the DOJ Physical Readiness Exit Test (Prerequisite: 10-504-712, Physical Fitness Phase II; Corequisites: all 10-504-XXX courses in the current semester)