Administration of Justice: Certificate in Modern Policing

The Modern Policing certificate guides students toward careers in law enforcement and policing, at local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. The certificate program provides a seamless transition for students who plan to work in law enforcement, wish to earn an associate’s degree and/or transfer to a four-year university. The program also complies with current state legislation which will require all peace officers in California to earn either an interdisciplinary certificate in policing or a degree.   

Program Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completions of the certificate, students will be able to:

1. Define and recognize the fundamental duties, obligations, and philosophies of a multicultural society and the importance of social justice in the criminal justice system, and law enforcement profession.
2. Effectively and ethically apply analytical and critical thinking skills to evaluate and assess law enforcement interactions with multicultural communities, the American justice system, and the impact of the law and legal system on traditionally marginalized or minoritized communities and individuals. 
3. Analyze the generational impact of events and the implementation of culturally competent and emotionally intelligent policing practices within the American justice system.
4. Analyze the key concepts/theories of past and current practices of law enforcement in the criminal justice system.
5. Assess historical and present-day diversity and human rights issues as it pertains to the interactions of society and the police.

This degree is a state mandate for all peace officers beginning in 2031.  As such, with 40% of our 85,000 peace officers in the state that do not possess a degree, and the need to hire more than 10,000 to bring us up to standards here in the Inland Empire, our program will grow exponentially. I anticipate additional enrollment numbers to exceed 100 beginning in 2027-2028, with dozens of additional program awards, and higher retention rates.   

This interdisciplinary certificate is to meet signed legislation (AB 992) and designed to facilitate the student’s seamless transfer into law enforcement, continued learning towards an associate’s degree from Norco College to the California State University (CSU) System. This certificate will satisfy the lower division requirements for the eventual conferral of the bachelor’s degree in relevant major disciplines at the CSU and will provide preparation for students who wish to pursue a career in law enforcement. This interdisciplinary certificate highlights coursework that is appropriate for a student considering a profession in law enforcement as it emphasizes the development of logical, analytical and communication skills, introduces students to the legal field, and provides preparation of further study in a variety of majors such as Political Science, Communication Studies, or Social and Behavioral Sciences.

As a community college, we must strive to assist individuals within our region in obtaining educational skills, whether through general education or career and technical training. As a community college district serving historically underserved populations, there should be a focus on both establishing equity-based programming as well as creating opportunities for career and technical education programs that result in higher-paying salary expectations upon completion. This can be achieved through the creation of certificate and degree programs which will provide skills and experience in the administration of justice field, specifically law enforcement with salaries that meet or exceed cost-of-living estimates.  

Existing law requires peace officers in this state to meet specified minimum standards, including age and education requirements. Existing law requires the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to develop a modern policing degree program, with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training and other stakeholders to serve as advisors. Beginning in 2025, existing law was changed to include a certificate, an Associate’s Degree in Modern Policing, and/or a bachelor’s degree for employment as a peace officer under AB 992.  

The School of Human and Public Services, specifically the Administration of Justice discipline provides this opportunity for many interested students within California. At state and county levels, entry requirements for employment opportunities are broad and wages are higher than careers within similar entry level requirements.

According to the Labor Market Analysis, this degree will meet the supply gap, afford an above-average livable wage, and meet the educational requirements from the state. Other findings through the labor market analysis include:

Demand:  In 2023, there were 13,943 jobs in occupations related to justice administration in the IE/D region. Regional employment for this occupation group is projected to increase by 12% through 2028 with 1,485 openings projected annually. Exhibit 1 displays the job count, five-year projected job growth, and job openings in the region. 

• The number of jobs related to the middle-skill occupations listed above is projected to increase 12% through 2028, with 1,485 annual job openings (new and replacement jobs).
• Hourly entry-level wages for all occupations are above living wage at the 25th percentile hourly wage ranging from $31.00 to $64.37 in IE/D.
• There were 849 online job postings from 169 employers over the past 12-months with the highest postings for Border Patrol Agents and Police Officers.
• Most job postings for target occupations require a high school diploma or equivalent (48%), followed by bachelor’s degree (43%), and associate degree (9%).

Exhibit 1. Five-year projections for occupations related to justice administration,

IE/D Region, 2023-2028

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, along with San Bernardino County Sheriff and Los Angeles County Sheriff, are actively recruiting to fill multiple vacancies for deputies. The starting salary range for deputies as shown in the LMI, average an annual mean wage of $111K.  After completion of the academy (after hire) and a probationary training period, deputies are eligible for a promotion (and higher salary range) within 1 year. The California Highway Patrol is also recruiting.  They are currently showing they are understaffed by 17% and in need of officers throughout the state.

Exhibit 2: Employment and Wage

Today’s demand is an important indicator of which skills employers are looking for in the current market.  The LMA displays those demands in Exhibit 3.

Exhibit 3: Top 10 in-demand skills from employer job ads, IE/D Region, Aug 2023 – July 2024

Supply

• On average, there were 1,434 annual awards conferred by educational institutions over the last 3 years in related fields: 859 from community colleges and 575 from other institutions (e.g., 4-year universities, private schools).
• IE/D community college students that exited these programs in the 2021-22 academic year earned a median annual wage of $41,218 ($19.82 per hour).
• 57% of students that exited their program in 2021-22 reported that they are working in a job closely related to their field of study.
• Community college programs play an important role diversifying the talent pipeline in these occupations. Most IE/D professionals in justice administration occupations are White (39%), “mid-career” age category (56%), and male (77%). Most community college students in related programs are Hispanic/Latino (66%), “pre-career/college” age category (65%), and female (57%).

This narrative and LMA report does not include potential career opportunities in private correctional facilities, but options may exist there for students interested in the field as well.

The Certificate in Modern Policing will require 16 units in a variety of disciplines as outlined in current legislation.   

Required Courses for the Certificate:    3    .units (Admin. of Justice) Choose One

Required Courses for the Certificate:    3    .units (Communication) Choose One

Required Courses for the Certificate:    3    .units (Ethics) Choose One

Required Courses for the Certificate:    3    .units (Psychology) Choose One

Required Courses for the Certificate:    3    .units (Writing) Choose One

Those in bold are required for the AS degree in Modern Policing. Those not bolded are elective courses towards an ADJ degree and/or a course required under the current GE pattern (CalGETC).

Total Program Units:     16    .units