Law Enforcement Minor

The course provides a survey of the institutions and processes of the criminal justice system with an emphasis on the role of law enforcement agencies in a free society. Political theories of justice are explored with theories of crime causation.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-05

The history and development of criminal law procedures and their application by law enforcement.

Prerequisites: none

Become informed enough to play your part in governing the United States. Start by learning about the Constitution, our rights and freedoms, how the national government works and the opportunities and challenges of citizen influence. Political Science methods, and the challenges of citizenship are emphasized.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-09

An overview of conflicting theories in criminal justice and the tools to critically evaluate the theories and present the strengths and weaknesses of each in written, oral or other forms.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-05

This course explores the history of community policing and explains what community policing is and is not. It also examines what research has discovered about the relationship of the police with the community. The student will be introduced to the value of positive interactions between the police officer and the citizens they serve, as well as ways to incorporate problem-solving strategies on both small and large scales.

Prerequisites: none

The history, legal aspects of investigation, the evolution of investigations and forensics, procedures of crime investigations, procurement and preservation of evidence and interviewing.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the law enforcement approach to the juvenile justice system and how it has evolved in the United States. Theories of delinquency are reviewed. Minnesota Juvenile Code in emphasized.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the law enforcement approach to the juvenile justice system and how it has evolved in the United States. Theories of delinquency are reviewed. Minnesota Juvenile Code in emphasized.

Prerequisites: none

This course is designed to provide law enforcement students with the basic information, tools, and skills needed to improve interpersonal communications with coworkers and citizens from all ethnic and cultural groups. It is also intended to provide some historical information so students can contextualize and better understand why particular groups may distrust and resist law enforcement and the criminal justice system as a whole.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

The purpose of this course is to develop in the student an insight into the dynamics of interpersonal violence, particularly sexual violence. The focus will be on developing effective law enforcement responses to the victims/survivors and the perpetrators.

Prerequisites: none

This course utilizes a broad multi-disciplinary approach in examining the forces, theories, and popular beliefs that influenced the restriction and eventual acceptance of women in the policing profession. Included in this course are perspectives from the social, historical, biological, political, and social-psychological sciences.

Prerequisites: none

Criminal forensics will include the history and development of the crime lab. Contemporary and historical cases will be discussed to provide the background and application of forensics. Also, discussion of crime lab examination of physical evidence and utilization of medico-legal specialists in investigations will be included in the course.Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisites: none

A survey of methods and techniques for the investigation of major crimes.

Prerequisites: LAWE 233 

An examination of issues facing law enforcement today in constantly changing legal, social and cultural environments. Topics will vary and may be repeated for credit.

Prerequisites: none

A comparison of criminal justice philosophies, structures, and procedures found in various countries around the world. Same as POL 449.

Prerequisites: none

Review of selected United States Supreme Court decisions interpreting important freedoms contained in the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment. Focus is on the rationale which underlies decisions and its impact on American political social processes. Provides an opportunity to exercise and develop individual analytical abilities through analysis of Court's reasoning. Same as POL 454.

Prerequisites: none

An examination of the structure, jurisdiction and processes of federal and state courts. Emphasis is placed on selection of judges and justices and on the dynamics of judicial decision-making. Same as POL 475.

Prerequisites: none

History, philosophy, techniques and countermeasures to terroristic and law intensity threats to public order. Both domestic and international terror. The blurring of the lines between low intensity conflict/terrorism and multinational high intensity crime. Same as POL 425.

Prerequisites: none

An examination of emerging administrative and management concepts and the processes related to their implementation.

Prerequisites: none

This course explores the history, development and current role of federal law enforcement in the United States. This course also explores the history, implementation, and role of Homeland Security, along with the integration of purpose, action, and enforcement between Homeland Security, federal law enforcement, and local law enforcement with a lens of legal, policy, and cooperation strategies at the federal, state, and local levels.

Prerequisites: none

This course complements the learning experience of traveling on a faculty led study abroad trip. The focus will be a comparison of terrorism, political violence, and counter-terrorism activities in the United States to the same activities in the visited countries based on readings, research, observation, and participation. Instructor permission is required to register for this course.

Prerequisites: Must be accepted into a faculty led study abroad trip. 

This course explores topics in law enforcement beyond what is covered in the existing curriculum. Students study specialized topics of current importance in the field. Specific topics will change depending on the term and instructor. May be retaken with a change of topic.

Prerequisites: none

Field placement with a law enforcement agency or related organization. Provides a learning experience in which the student can integrate and apply knowledge and theory derived from curriculum. P/N only.

Prerequisites: none