This course is an introductory overview which provides students with the opportunity to gain an understanding of policing in the United States. It surveys the basics of police functions, from individual and organizational roles to the issues faced on a daily basis. This course also examines the procedures and methods of operation of police and critical issues in law enforcement.
Examine issues of homeland security and law enforcement.
Examine the dangers of the police.
Define less-than-lethal weapons.
Describe the use of technology in policing.
Police Organization
Identify the principal roles and functions of the police in America and the relationship between the police and the law.
Identify major organizational theories associated with policing.
Describe the nature of patrol work.
Describe the civil service system.
Identify various types of police agencies at the local, state, and federal level.
Police Operations
Identify examples of police brutality.
Describe police corruption and other police misconduct.
Define probable cause.
Identify different types of searches and interrogation practices.
Describe how the police protect citizens’ constitutional rights.
Describe the difference between proactive and reactive patrol.
Analyze the role and function of police in the community.
Identify and describe the various functions of a police agency.
The Personal Side of Policing
Describe and analyze the police culture and the significance of stress in policing.
Describe the internal and external mechanisms that influence and control police discretion.
Describe major components of police officer training and career development programs.
Examine how women and minorities can achieve equality in law enforcement.
Identify and describe elements associated with the police recruitment and selection process.
Police History
Analyze the relationship between government and policing in American society.
Examine the history of policing to the present day.
The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses.
While widely available, not all programs are available in all locations or in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with a University Enrollment Advisor.
Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice.