Temple College Criminal Justice
Police Systems and Practice
CJSA 1359/CRIJ 2328
MISSION STATEMENT
The primary mission of the Temple College Criminal Justice Department is to provide
educational opportunities that will allow the student the ability to achieve their career goals.
This is accomplished in a twofold manner: 1) delivering quality criminal justice education that
provides the student with the basic knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to begin a career in
criminal justice, and 2) provide each student with the knowledge and ability to develop career
contacts in his or her chosen field.
Course Description
The police profession; organization of law enforcement systems; the police role; police
discretion; ethics; police-community interaction; current and future issues.
Class Day and Time
Course Requirements
A.
Your first responsibility is to scholarship. The grade you receive will be the results of
your efforts, not a gift from the instructor.
B.
This course is designed to require a steady, continuous effort from the student. A crashcram policy will not result in the best grade possible. In addition to exams, factors such
as class participation, initiative, attendance and individual research will be considered in
grade computations.
C.
From time to time, special library and other assignments may be made given to members
of the class, individually, and/or in groups. You are expected to read all assignments and
fulfill your responsibilities to any assignment.
D.
Good class notes are indispensable for earning a good grade since both the material
assigned and material discussed will be the basis for examination material. Regular
attendance is essential for the same reason.
Examinations
A.
There will be a minimum of three examinations as follows;
1.
3.
Three week examination
Twelve-week examination
2.
4.
Mid-Term examination
Final examination
NOTE: The twelve week examination may be optional, at the instructors discretion.
B.
Unannounced short quizzes may be given covering material that has been assigned or
discussed.
C.
Occasionally a student will find it unavoidable to be absent from an examination. Only
student with excused absences will be permitted to make-up examinations. It is the
students responsibility to contact the instructor for test make-up dates.
D.
Examinations may be structured to include both subjective and objective types of
questions. At the time of testing students will be equipped with paper, pencil, and
scantron.
Evaluation of Students
1.
2.
3.
4.
Multiple choice, True/False, short answer completion, and matching.
Take home examinations.
Incentive Points
Special work (briefs, reaction papers, group projects, research paper)
Examination Dates
Three Week Examination
Twelve Week Examination
Mid-Term Examination
Final Examination
Semester Grade Computation
Exam
Three Week
Mid-Term
Twelve Week
Final Examination
Incentive Points
Special Work
Total Points
Points
100
200
200
300
50
150
1000
200
250
0
350
50
150
1000
Points
900 -1000 = A
800 - 899 = B
700 - 799 = C
600 - 699 = D
Withdrawal from a Course or Courses
From time to time a student may find it necessary to withdraw from a class or classes. The
Temple College catalog outlines the necessary procedures to properly withdraw from classes.
Refer to the catalog for the proper withdrawal policy.
Text:
Hess, Karen M., and Wrobleski, Henry, M., Police Operations, West Publishing Company, 1992.
Module 1
The Police Profession in the Criminal Justice System
A.
The Police as a Profession
The student will;
1.
2.
B.
Define profession.
Discuss the history of the police as a profession.
The Police as an Agency of Public Policy
The student will;
1.
2.
C.
Define public policy.
Conceptualize the concept of the police as an agency of public policy.
The Police and the Prosecutor
The student will;
1.
2.
D.
Identify the function of the police in relation to the prosecutor.
Identify and discuss need for a working relationship between the police
and the prosecutor.
The Police and the Court
The student will;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
E.
Identify the function of the police with the courts.
Describe the need for a working relationship between the police and the
courts.
Discuss the regulatory role of the courts.
Identify how the courts functions as a policy feedback mechanism.
Discuss the relationship of the police and the juvenile courts.
The Police and the Correctional System
The student will;
1.
Identify and list the need for a working relationship between the police
and community supervision officers and parole officers.
2.
Define community-based corrections and its implications.
Activities;
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lecture
Class discussion
Reading assignment
Assign group project on Budget Preparation
Module 2
Organization of the Law Enforcement System
A.
Structure
The student will;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
B.
Identify the structure of a police department.
Identify and list the organizational levels of a police department
Describe how a department is organized by functions (duties).
Conceptualize how time of crime occurrence determines manpower
distribution.
Describe how location of crime determines manpower distribution.
Compare and contrast between organizational patterns among municipal,
state, and federal agencies.
Define informal organization.
Discuss the effect of the informal organization on a police department.
Functions of Operational Units
1.
Overall Functions
The student will;
a.
2.
Discuss the overall functions of the operational units and their
relationship to each other.
Patrol
The student will;
a.
b.
c.
Define the purpose of patrol.
List the functions of patrol.
List and describe the different types of patrol.
3.
Investigation
The student will;
a.
b.
c.
4.
Discuss the purpose of investigations
Describe the purpose of a preliminary investigation
List and describe the responsibilities of the responding officers at
the scene of a crime.
Juvenile
The student will;
a.
b.
5.
Define the function of a juvenile section.
Discuss police response to juvenile crime.
Traffic
The student will;
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
6.
Discuss the purpose of traffic enforcement.
List the six functional areas of traffic enforcement.
Define Selective Traffic Enforcement Patrol (S.T.E.P.).
Compare and contrast the functions of patrol and S.T.E.P.
Discuss the role D.W.I. enforcement.
Identify the role of accident investigators.
Vice
The student will;
a.
b.
c.
7.
Define the purpose of vice investigation.
List and define crimes investigated by the vice unit.
Identify an officer’s role in vice law enforcement.
Intelligence
The student will;
a.
b.
c.
d.
Define intelligence as it relates to information gathering.
Define the purpose of the intelligence unit
List and discuss methods of intelligence gathering.
List and discuss the uses of intelligence.
8.
Crime Prevention
The student will;
a.
b.
c.
9.
Define the purpose of the Crime Prevention Unit.
Discuss the purpose of crime prevention.
List and discuss the different Crime Prevention Programs.
Functions of Auxiliary Units
The student will;
a.
b.
c.
d.
10.
Define auxiliary units
Discuss the need for auxiliary units.
Define and list the functions of auxiliary units.
List and identify the different types of auxiliary units.
Functions of Staff Units
The student will;
a.
b.
c.
List and define the functions of the staff units.
List and identify the rank structure of the police department.
Compare and contrast the different rank structure within a police
department.
Activities;
1.
2.
3.
Lecture
Class discussion
Reading assignment
Module 3
The Role of the Police
A.
The Service Mission
The student will;
1.
2.
List the different types of services provided by the police.
Describe the peace keeping mission of the police.
3.
4.
5.
6.
B.
Define peace keeping.
Describe the crime prevention mission of the police.
Discuss the responsibilities of the police in relation to juvenile activities.
Describe officer responsibilities in answering calls for service.
Crime Control
The student will;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
C.
Identify the role of the police officer in crime control.
Define and contrast repression, suppression, and prevention.
Describe the role of patrol on crime control.
Describe the role of investigations on crime control.
Describe the role of surveillance on crime control.
The Concept of Order Maintenance
The student will;
1.
2.
3.
D.
Define order maintenance
Describe the role of the police in order maintenance
Define public safety and its relation to order maintenance.
Psychological Consequences of the Police Role
The student will;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
List and discuss the common stressors of peace officers.
Identify and discuss emotional and physical symptoms of stress.
Define and explain post-traumatic stress disorder.
Recognize the positive role of and approaches to coping with stress.
List the images of a police officer and the effect of each.
Activities;
1.
2.
3.
Lecture
Class discussion
Reading assignment
Module 4
Police Discretion
A.
Historical Perspective
The student will;
1.
2.
3.
B.
Define police discretion.
Discuss judicial recognition of police discretion.
Identify and discuss landmark studies of police discretion.
Scope of Police Discretion
The student will;
1.
2.
C.
Discuss administrative discretion and enforcement priorities.
Discuss the breath of operational discretion.
Impact of the Adjudication Process
The student will;
1.
2.
Discuss the role of the prosecutor in the determination of police authority.
List and discuss court related decisions regarding the propriety of police
discretion.
Activities;
1.
2.
3.
Lecture
Class discussion
Reading assignment
Module 5
Ethics and Professionalism
A.
Code of Ethics and Ethical Dilemmas
The student will;
1.
2.
3.
4.
Discuss the concept of professionalism.
List and Discuss the characteristics of professionalism.
Discuss the Police Code of Ethics.
List and discuss the ethical dilemmas in Law Enforcement.
Activities;
1.
2.
Lecture
Class discussion
3.
Reading assignment
Module 6
Police Community Interaction
A.
Multiculturalism and Human Relations
The student will;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Define prejudice
Identify and list forms of prejudice.
Discuss personal prejudice.
List and give examples forms of prejudice.
Discuss the importance of not allowing personal prejudice to effect
professional behavior.
Identify the importance of valuing, respecting the feeling of others.
Discuss the public’s perceptions and attitudes toward peace officers.
Activities;
1.
2.
3.
Lecture
Class discussion
Reading assignment
Module 7
Current & Future Issues
A.
Policing in the Future
The student will;
1.
2.
Discuss future trends in policing.
Discuss the effect of crime on future policy making.
Activities;
1.
2.
3.
Lecture
Class discussion
Reading assignment