Municipal Police Academy, Certificate of Proficiency (MPT)

Program Overview

The Municipal Police Academy program at Delaware County Community College prepares students for careers as Municipal Police Officers. Upon completion, students earn a Certificate of Proficiency, 36 credits, and eligibility to work as a Municipal Police Officer. The program covers a wide range of topics, including law enforcement, professional development, law and procedures, vehicle code, patrol procedures, criminal investigation, firearms, emergency response training, human relations, crisis management, and report writing.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

• Overview: The Municipal Police Academy, Certificate of Proficiency (MPT) program at Delaware County Community College is designed to prepare students for careers as Municipal Police Officers.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will earn thirty-six (36) credits, an ACT 120 certificate, and be eligible to begin work as a Municipal Police Officer.
• Objectives: Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
• Apply principles of police discretionary conduct.
• Describe the role of personal and professional conduct.
• Depict police leadership traits and techniques.
• Analyze psychological barriers to confrontation by police of their own emotional and psychological problems.
• Analyze the U.S. and Pennsylvania Constitution provisions that provide the legal basis for the exercise of police power.
• Recognize provisions of Pennsylvania statutes that define criminal conduct.
• Cite provisions of the Mental Health Act, Protection from Abuse Act, Liquor Control Act, and Crime Victims Compensation Act.
• Identify major provisions of the Controlled Substance Act pertinent to their enforcement capacity.
• Apply appropriate provisions of the Motor Vehicle Code to specific factual situations.
• Define reportable and non-reportable, traffic and non-traffic motor vehicle collisions.
• Apply standard accepted principles of police patrol.
• Delineate Miranda-warning requirements.
• Define a preliminary investigation.
• Apply principles of preliminary, crime site, and follow-up investigation.
• Apply principles of interview and interrogation.
• Differentiate criminal investigation from civil investigation.
• Identify the impact of role awareness, reference groups, and motivation of human behavior.
• Describe Constitutional and other legal requirements for arresting an individual or taking the individual into custody.
• Demonstrate procedures required for the arrest of individuals and for searches of those taken into custody.
• Delineate unique problems involved in the detention of mentally ill, emotionally unstable, and physically handicapped individuals.
• Illustrate proper procedures for the use of pistols, shotguns, and holsters.
• Operate police vehicles under normal and emergency circumstances.
• Describe the officer's responsibilities for civil and/or criminal penalty in case of a police vehicle accident.
• Illustrate written reports and note-taking skills.
• Apply principles of emergency medical care to crisis situations.
• List emergency medical problems confronted by police officers.
• Describe various violent and dangerous situations, more particularly those involving domestic disputes, mentally ill individuals, and violent criminals.
• Identify proper procedure to handcuff suspects or prisoners.

Outline:

• Program Content: The MPT program curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including:
• Law enforcement
• Professional development
• Law and procedures
• Vehicle code
• Patrol procedures and operations
• Principles of criminal investigation
• Firearms
• Emergency response training
• Human relations
• Crisis management
• Operation of patrol vehicles
• Report writing and case preparation
• Handling arrested persons
• Structure: The MPT program is a two-semester program.
The first semester includes courses in introduction to law enforcement, professional development, law and procedures, vehicle code, patrol procedures and operations, principles of criminal investigation, firearms, and emergency response training. The second semester includes courses in motor vehicle collision inspection and related issues, law and procedures II, human relations, crisis management, operation of patrol vehicles, report writing and case preparation, and handling arrested persons.
• Course Schedule: The MPT program is offered on a full-time or part-time basis.
Full-time students typically complete the program in two semesters. Part-time students may take longer to complete the program.
• Individual Modules with Module Descriptions: The MPT program consists of the following modules:
• MPT 100 Introduction to Law Enforcement:
This module provides an overview of the history, organization, and functions of law enforcement.
• MPT 101 Professional Development: This module focuses on the development of professional skills, including communication, conflict resolution, and ethics.
• MPT 102 Law and Procedures: This module covers the legal framework for law enforcement, including the U.S. and Pennsylvania Constitutions, and Pennsylvania statutes.
• MPT 104 Vehicle Code: This module covers the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, including traffic laws, accident investigation, and enforcement procedures.
• MPT 106 Patrol Procedures and Operations: This module covers the principles of police patrol, including traffic control, crime prevention, and community policing.
• MPT 107 Principles of Criminal Investigation: This module covers the principles of criminal investigation, including crime scene investigation, evidence collection, and interview and interrogation techniques.
• MPT 204 Firearms: This