To Protect and Serve is the motto you see in law enforcement, as they protect the innocent and have the responsibility to take care of the local community.  Students in the Sno-Isle TECH Criminal Justice program are expected to have personal integrity and be ready to be challenged.  The question is if you are ready to exceed your own goals and become someone you didn’t know you could be.

About the Criminal Justice Class

Students in the Sno-Isle TECH Criminal Justice program will have extensive exposure to the potential career opportunities within Law Enforcement.  Learning will be beyond the classroom as the class has numerous guest speakers, field trips and a lethal force decision making simulator.  The class isn’t for the timid.  Students will receive professional training in handcuffing, weaponless defense scenarios that can happen within day-to-day law enforcement, and applying first aid and CPR.  Subject matter can be very intense, dealing with the complexity of morals, ethics, civil liberties, civil rights, cultural diversities, case law and current events. Disqualifiers for law enforcement employment include: history of continual illegal drug use, felony or domestic violence convictions.

The Criminal Justice program is academically and physically challenging.  It is primarily designed to develop and stretch the students as people and instill qualities that are desirable for a law enforcement candidate in the future.  Along with high school credits you can receive 10 transferable college credits for the year through EdCC – College in the HS program.  The class costs approximately $190.

The Criminal Justice class at Sno-Isle TECH is physically demanding and require Protective Redman suit training. Physical conditioning will be made a priority to decrease the possibility of injury.  Students can expect daily physical activities including pushups, sit ups, weight lifting, medicine ball, chin ups, running 2 ½ miles and/or completing obstacle courses.  These meet the basic law enforcement physical standards test.

 Meet the Instructor

Michael Coleburn brings decades of law enforcement experience to Sno-Isle TECH with the Criminal Justice program.   He served as a Deputy Sheriff with LA County and later transferred to Riverside CA Police Department until he retired after a prestigious career.   He began teaching this class in 1996 after a request from the Sheriff of Island County due to his extensive background as a Law Enforcement Trainer and educational degrees.  His last assignment in Law Enforcement before retiring was to develop and implement all of the Reserve and Advanced officer training for the State of California.

Class Objectives

Students coming out of the Criminal Justice class will have attained an introduction to the overall United States Criminal Justice system.  Students will explore all aspects of the system, and the relationships between many agencies that makeup the system.  As the class progresses, students will study contemporary issues that shape the decisions impacting the system, and how those issues affect our citizens.  Issues discussed may include changes in laws and the system based on growing criticism and distrust of the citizens. Students will examine standard police patrol operations, which will include preparation, communication, observation, field interviews, responses to crime in progress scenarios, identification and description of persons and property, vehicle stops, control of suspects, methods of patrol, and emergency tactics depending on the situation.

The course will give the students relevant information on:

• The expectation of future students seeking a career in criminal justice or related fields.
• The current laws related to arrest, search and seizure of evidence, legal definitions, constitutional issues and case reviews.
• The current issues facing law enforcement involved in police-community relations. Students can expect to address topics on community-oriented policing, partnership with other agencies, civilian review boards, and community trust and police ethics.
• Methods of handcuffing, pain compliance, control holds, ground combat, and impact weapons.

The Sno-Isle TECH Criminal Justice program will offer students an opportunity to understand the history of criminal procedure as well as a demanding environment designed to challenge them mentally and physically.  Expect the unexpected.  Learn the law.  Develop personal integrity.  Are you ready for the challenge?