NCJ Number
75281
Date Published
1978
Length
120 pages
Annotation
Guidelines and curriculum materials for developing a police science occupational program are presented, followed by descriptions of two units in a traffic law course -- traffic law enforcement and accident investigation.
Abstract
The educational materials in this booklet were derived from an analysis of traffic police operations in Wisconsin and Southern Illinois. A general discussion of postsecondary police training programs covers objectives, admission requirements, and student costs. Specific courses required in an 8,000-hour police science program are listed. Employment opportunities available to students who complete this curriculum are reviewed, as are courses which prepare a police officer for management positions. Descriptions of training units for traffic officers and accident investigators follow a similar format by detailing course objectives, as well as suggesting texts and references. While the traffic officer course considers traffic coordination, parking meter maintenance and enforcement, traffic law enforcement, and accident investigation, the subsequent unit concentrates on investigation, the subsequent unit concentrates on investigative methods and laws concerning accidents. Topics discussed include securing the accident scene, interviewing techniques, field sobriety tests, field searches, and breathalyzer machines. The appendixes contain worksheets for developing a police science curriculum, including a plan for coordinating educational and employment opportunities in law enforcement, lists of law enforcement related occupations, and job descriptions for different types of police officers. Traffic officers' responsibilities are broken down into task categories. Unit learning modules are provided for the accident investigation course which suggest class activities and evaluation criteria for 16 topics.