BRENHAM HIGH SCHOOL
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
COURSE SYLLABUS
LAW ENFORCEMENT I
FALL 2010
CONTACT INFORMATION
Instructor: Roy Thibodeaux
Room #254
Brenham High School
525 A. H. Ehrig Dr.
Brenham, TX 77833
(979)277-3800 ext 6254
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Law Enforcement I is an overview of the history, organization, and functions of local, state, and federal law enforcement.
This course includes the role of Constitutional law, the United States legal system, criminal law, law enforcement
terminology, and the classification and elements of crime. Credit: Statewide articulated class and Blinn College dual
credit – 3 hours college credit possible.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
The student will:
1. Trace the history of law enforcement from pre-industrial Europe, 19th century England, and the U.S.
2. Understand ethical behavior standards required for law enforcement personnel.
3. Analyze custody and interrogation as they relate to the U.S. Supreme court decision Miranda v. Arizona.
4. Analyze procedural and substantive criminal law; differentiate mala prohibita and mala in se.
5. Become familiar with the different types of criminal defenses.
6. Learn report writing skills and field note-taking techniques.
7. Analyze reasonable suspicion and probable cause for motor vehicle traffic stops.
8. Procedures to protect, document, and process a crime scene.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS
Textbook: “Criminal Justice Today”, by Frank Schmalleger
Materials: Notebook/Binder, writing utensils and paper.
COURSE CONTENT
FIRST SIX WEEKS 8/23 TO 10/01
CH 1 What is criminal Justice?
CH 2 The Crime Picture
CH 3 The Search for Causes
SECOND SIX WEEKS 10/4 TO 11/5
CH 4 Criminal Law
CH 5 Policing: History and Structure
CH 6 Policing: Purpose and Organization
THIRD SIX WEEKS 11/8 TO 12/17
CH 7 Policing: Legal Aspects
CH 8 Policing: Issues and Challenges
CH 9 The Courts: Structure and Participants
END OF FIRST SEMESTER
FOURTH SIX WEEKS 01/04 TO 02/18
CH 10 Pretrial Activities and the Criminal Trial
CH 11 Sentencing
CH 12 Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections
FIFTH SIX WEEKS 02/21 TO 04/08
CH 13 Prisons and Jails
CH 14 Prison Life
CH 15 Juvenile Justice
SIXTH SIX WEEKS 04/11 TO 05/27
CH 16 Drugs and Crime
CH 17 Terrorism and Multinational Criminal Justice
CH 18 The Future of Criminal Justice
SUMMER BREAK!!!!!!
Possession of Telecommunications or Other Electronic Devices
For safety purposes, the district permits students to possess cell phones; however, cell phones must remain turned off
during the instructional day unless the student is given permission by a teacher or administrator. Students shall not
use or display telecommunication devices, including paging devices cellular phones, radios, CD players, games,
tapes recorders, DVD players, camcorders, Ipods, MP3 players, cameras, or any additional electronic devices during
the school day. The school day is defined as the as the time between the starting and dismissal times at Brenham
High School, Brenham Junior High School, and Brenham Middle School. District employees shall confiscate any
paging devices, cellular phones or other telecommunications devices in violation of this policy. Confiscated devices
will be turned into Principal’s office where each device will be documented and secured. Students refusing to
comply with an employees request to relinquish this device will result in additional disciplinary action in accordance
with the Student Code of Conduct.
1st Offense: $15 fine: parent/guardian must reclaim device at the end of school day.
2nd Offense: $ 15 fine: parent/ guardian may reclaim device after three (3) school days.
3rd Offense: $15 fine: parent/guardian may reclaim device at the end of the current semester.
The district is not responsible for any loss or theft of any electronic devices and school employees will not be
utilized for the purpose of finding or reclaiming these devices. FNCE(Legal)
Attendance Reinstatement Policy
Students who are absent from a class more than five (5) days during a semester will lose credit
for that class. In an attempt to assist students as they attempt to acquire the necessary number
of credits to graduate on time, the school has formed an attendance committee to review those
students who have documented, legitimate reasons for excessive absences. Students in
jeopardy of losing credit must initially complete an attendance request form prior to the last
three weeks of the semester the excessive absences occurred. The attendance committee will
evaluate each request and schedule a meeting with those student/parents that have justified
extenuating circumstances which caused the absences to occur. Excessive scheduled doctor’s
appointments are not justified reasons for absences.
If the committee agrees that the absences are extenuating and unavoidable, then credit can be
reinstated through scheduled attendance tutorials. There will only be a maximum of five
attendance tutorial sessions each semester. Students compiling more than ten absences in a
semester will not be able to have their credit reinstated through the attendance tutorials
process.