Peace Officer Academy - Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) (Technical Certificate)

Award: Technical Certificate
Program of Study: Peace Officer Academy - P.O.S.T. Certification
Program Code: 1361

About This Program . . .

The Peace Officer Academy certificate program exceeds the Colorado Peace Officers Standards Training (P.O.S.T.) requirements for peace officer entry level training. The individual training requirements for Arrest Control, Law Enforcement Driving, and Firearms are included in the program. Students enrolled in the program will earn 31 credit hours that may be applied toward Associate or Bachelor’s degrees at Colorado Mesa University.

This is an intensive 16 week course that requires full time participation during the weeks of enrollment, including some weekends. Many course days are 12 hours long: Mandatory Physical Fitness training occurs throughout the semester. The Grand Junction-based WCPOA (Western Colorado Peace Officers Academy) is sponsored by the Grand Junction Police Department, Mesa County Sheriff's Office and 21^st Judicial District Attorney's Office. The Montrose-based WCLEA (Western Colorado Law Enforcement Academy) is sponsored by Montrose PD, Montrose County Sheriff's Office, and 7^th Judicial District Attorney's Office. The program is not an open enrollment program and requires a separate application to the Academy. Please contact the Academy Directors or visit our web pages for details.

For more information on what you can do with this major, visit WCCC's Programs of Study page.

All CMU/WCCC technical certificate graduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in specialized knowledge/applied learning, communication fluency, and critical thinking. In addition to these campus‐wide student learning outcomes, graduates of this major will be able to:

Criminal Process: Explain the functions of the criminal justice system in protecting the constitutional rights of all individuals within the United States, regardless of citizenship. (Specialized Knowledge)

Basic Law: Explain the current rules for peace officer conduct as it pertains to arrest, search and seizure. (Specialized Knowledge, Information Literacy)

Victim’s Right: Explain the laws relating to victim rights and community resources available for crime victim’s services. (Specialized Knowledge, Information Literacy)

Community Policing: Identify and recognize community policing and the necessary elements for implementation of community policing practice and philosophy and recognize community partnerships as an integral component in community policing and problem solving. (Critical Thinking)

Professional Behavior: Identify the traits that officers should exemplify and explain the benefits of professional and ethical behavior to the officer, department, and community. (Personal and Social Responsibility)

Patrol Observation and Perception: Analyze and interpret information gathered during patrol operations, differentiate between proactive and reactive patrol, and demonstrate different patrol methods. (Critical Thinking)

Traffic Code: Recognize elements of traffic code violations as defined in Title 42 C.R.S. (Specialized Knowledge)

Preliminary Investigations: Identify and explain procedures for responding to a crime scene, conducting an initial crime scene investigation, interviewing victims, witnesses, and suspects, and conducting a follow up investigation. (Communication Fluency, Critical Thinking, Specialized Knowledge)

Report Writing: Apply the basic requirements of written communication in law enforcement. (Communication Fluency)

Wellness: Explain why wellness is an integral component of the law enforcement profession, and the necessity of being in good physical condition. (Personal and Social Responsibility)

Tactical Casualty Care: Apply lifesaving medical actions in the context of a hazardous situation such as an active shooter, specific medical interventions, and skills. (Specialized Knowledge, Quantitative Literacy)

Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements.

To print or save an overview of this program's information, including the program description, learning outcomes, requirements, suggested course sequencing (if applicable), and advising and graduation information, scroll to the bottom of the left-hand navigation menu and select "Print Options." This will give you the options to either "Send Page to Printer" or "Download PDF of This Page." The "Download PDF of This Page" option prepares a much more concise presentation of all program information. The PDF is also printable and may be preferable due to its brevity.

Institutional Certificate Requirements

The following institutional requirements apply to all CMU or WCCC Technical Certificates. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.

Consists of 5-59 semester hours.
Consists of 100-200 level courses.
At least fifty percent of the credit hours must be taken at CMU/WCCC.
2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU/WCCC coursework.
A grade lower than “C” will not be counted toward meeting the requirements.
A course may only be used to fulfill one requirement for each degree/certificate.
Non-traditional credit, such as advanced placement, credit by examination, credit for prior learning, cooperative education and internships, cannot exceed twenty-five percent of the semester credit hours required for a technical certificate.
Pre-collegiate courses (usually numbered below 100) cannot be used for graduation.
Capstone exit assessment/projects (e.g., Major Field Achievement Test) requirements are identified under Program-Specific Certificate Requirements.
The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and certificate requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements you should follow.
See “Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates” in the catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.

Program Specific Certificate Requirements

(31 semester hours)

Course List
Code	Title	Semester Credit Hours
CRJW 101	Basic Police Academy I	4
CRJW 102	Basic Police Academy II	5
CRJW 103	Basic Police Academy III	7
CRJW 104	Basic Police Academy IV	6
CRJW 106	Arrest Control	3
CRJW 107	Law Enforcement Driving	2
CRJW 108	Firearms	3
KINA 127	Physical Conditioning	1
Total Semester Credit Hours		31

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall Semester		Semester Credit Hours
CRJW 101	Basic Police Academy I	4
CRJW 102	Basic Police Academy II	5
CRJW 103	Basic Police Academy III	7
CRJW 104	Basic Police Academy IV	6
CRJW 106	Arrest Control	3
CRJW 107	Law Enforcement Driving	2
CRJW 108	Firearms	3
KINA 127	Physical Conditioning	1
	Semester Credit Hours	31
	Total Semester Credit Hours	31

Advising Process and DegreeWorks

Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a certificate. Some courses are critical to complete in specific semesters while others may be moved around. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and discussing the suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for her/his intended certificate.

DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a certificate and determine eligibility for graduation. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.

Graduation Process

Students must complete the following in the first two months of the semester prior to completing their certificate requirements (for one-semester certificates, complete in the first week of class):

Review their DegreeWorks audit and create a plan that outlines how unmet requirements will be met in the final semester.
Meet with their advisor and modify their plan as needed. The advisor must approve the final plan.
Submit the “Intent to Graduate” form to the Registrar’s Office to officially declare the intended graduation date and commencement ceremony plans.
Register for all needed courses and complete all requirements for each degree sought.

Submission deadlines and commencement details can be found at http://www.coloradomesa.edu/registrar/graduation.html.

If a student’s petition for graduation is denied, it will be her/his responsibility to consult the Registrar’s Office regarding next steps.