Modern Policing

The Modern Policing degree is the foundational program that provides students the preparation for Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). The degree focuses on courses pertinent to law enforcement and to create a fully rounded student by developing the necessary critical thinking and emotional intelligence skills.

This program meets AB 89 that requires students to complete this degree prior to obtaining a POST Basic Certificate.

Requires:

• Completion of major requirements for the degree. Students must earn a “C” or better in all courses required for the major. A “P” (Pass) grade is also an acceptable grade for courses in the major if the course is taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.
• Completion of one of the following general education patterns:
• Madera Community College General Education
• California General Education (CalGETC)

The Modern Policing Degree is a new program for all the community colleges in California. Moreover, the completion requirement does not go into effect until 2029.  Consequently, there is no data available to provide a projection.

Criminology is the scientific study of crime and criminal behavior. It is a blending of many disciplines including, but not limited to psychology, sociology, anthropology, theology, and of course, law. The goal of the Modern Policing Degree is to prepare students for careers in law enforcement. As stipulated in AB 89, the Modern Policing Degree will be required to be completed prior to obtaining a POST Basic Certificate. This degree was specifically written to allow a student to develop:

Culturally Competent and Equity-Minded:

• Understand how one’s personal bias or life experiences might impact on the action one takes when working with community members, making meaningful decisions, or completing job-related tasks. 
• Support citizens that exhibit mental health disorders at various levels and make judgments that support the care needed for each individual.
• Demonstrate adaptability and flexibility on the job.
• Exhibit open-mindedness to non-traditional ideas. 
• Show an awareness of self and of cultures within different communities: language, set of customs, beliefs, and gender identity. 
• Understand the role of police in a democratic society in which all individuals are entitled to equal protection under law, and no individual is above the law regardless of their social, economic, or political station.

Critical Thinker:

• Critically analyze situations and use good judgement under stressful circumstances, even when limited information is available. 
• Independently make appropriate and lawful decisions, especially when it requires them to make unpopular decisions to ensure justice and equitable treatment. 
• Use a logical process to draw conclusions based on different types of inputs, data sets, observations, and patterns. 
• Exhibit effective reasoning skills to analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and summarize situations. 
• Understand how to identify and utilize reliable data to solve problems.

Resilient:

• Critically analyze situations and use good judgement under stressful circumstances, even when limited information is available. 
• Independently make appropriate and lawful decisions, especially when it requires them to make unpopular decisions to ensure justice and equitable treatment. 
• Use a logical process to draw conclusions based on different types of inputs, data sets, observations, and patterns. 
• Exhibit effective reasoning skills to analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and summarize situations. 
• Understand how to identify and utilize reliable data to solve problems.

Communicator:

• Critically analyze situations and use good judgement under stressful circumstances, even when limited information is available. 
• Independently make appropriate and lawful decisions, especially when it requires them to make unpopular decisions to ensure justice and equitable treatment. 
• Use a logical process to draw conclusions based on different types of inputs, data sets, observations, and patterns. 
• Exhibit effective reasoning skills to analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and summarize situations. 
• Understand how to identify and utilize reliable data to solve problems.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this program students will:

• Build cultural competence by prioritizing equity mindedness
• Apply critical analysis to resolve emotionally charged situations
• Model resiliency in problem solving approaches
• Demonstrate effective communication skills to promote community cooperation