Overview and Award Outcomes
Overview
The peace officer training program at Hennepin Technical College is accredited by the Minnesota Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (POST). The Peace Officer Transition diploma program is designed to prepare students with a degree in a different field to become professional police officers who have the ability to think clearly, apply communication and human behavior principles, and effectively use hands on skills as the situation requires. This diploma program provides the foundational theory and final skills component of the law enforcement curriculum mandated by the POST Board. To enter this program students must have an Associate’s degree at minimum and must be in a field other than Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement or Peace Officer.
Award Outcomes
Demonstrate ethical principles required to perform the duties of a peace officer.
Demonstrate capacity for self-awareness and emotional intelligence in conflict management and de-escalation situations.
Apply understanding of individual cultural competencies including beliefs, practices, and needs of diverse communities during community contact, arrests, and high-stress situations.
Demonstrate lawful use of force.
Demonstrate concepts and techniques to conduct vehicle contacts and emergency vehicle operations.
Demonstrate effective communication with victims, witnesses, and suspects from diverse populations and identify implicit biases and how bias affects critical thinking in crisis intervention situations.
Demonstrate investigative techniques including written reporting involving citizen contacts, crime scene processing, and evidence collection.
Articulate how the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, additional Constitutional Amendments, and state constitutions protect citizens’ rights and impact policies and procedures.
Career Opportunities
Upon successful completion of the program the student will be eligible to take the Minnesota State Peace Officer License Examination. Completion of this Examination is required in order to obtain entry into peace officer positions with Minnesota state, county, or local agencies.