Online Police Officer Courses
Here are some courses related to police officer training that are commonly offered online.
- Police and the Community Course: Students taking this class receive an overview of how the police and community interact with one another. Subject matter included in this class revolves around ethics, public relations, policy, media, strategies and technology within the community.
- Police Administration Course: Prospective police officers need to understand the politics and inner workings of the judicial system. Police administration offers students an overview of the court system, law enforcement, concepts in corrections, progressive leadership and human resources.
- Intro to Law and Crime Course: Law and crime introduces students to different perspectives of criminal law. This class can be taken strictly online and may require a criminal justice prerequisite course. Topics include legal philosophies, criminal law categories, criminal charges, defenses and victims.
- Correctional Institutions Course: This class addresses the present and future of the criminal justice system. Taking this class helps students recognize criminal characteristics and behaviors and understand concepts of corrections, criminal rights and correctional institution issues.
- Police and Juveniles Course: This course trains students on how to handle juveniles, distinguish juvenile delinquent behavior and understand the functions of juvenile justice systems. The class also addresses drug use and prevention.
- Criminal Procedures Course: In this course, students will gain a foundational understanding of the constitutional criminal process. Students will participate in critical examination of the U.S. Constitution, with special focus on the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth amendments, through study of Supreme Court rulings and interpretations of constitutional law. The course will additionally cover search and seizure law, interrogation tactics and confession obtainment, and legal process for trial and pre-trial.
- Crisis Intervention for Police Course: This course provides an overview of the intervention strategies that can be utilized by police officers and other first responders. Aspiring police officers develop their skills in threat recognition, active listening, mediation and negotiation.
- Crime Analysis for Police Course: This course offers an introduction to the many methods of crime analysis, with an emphasis on how they can be effectively used by police officers. The theory and real-world applications of each technique are thoroughly discussed.
Program Information
Although no specific course of study is needed in order to become a police officer, programs in criminal justice offer coursework on subjects essential to police officers, such as criminal procedures, the judicial process, criminal behavior, law enforcement and juvenile justice. Some programs have specializations, such as law enforcement or police studies. They can result in either a bachelor's or master's degree.
Aspiring police officers can benefit from online studies related to law enforcement and the justice system. Many courses are available through online undergraduate and graduate-level criminal justice programs.