Program Overview

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Police Foundations

The Police Foundations program at Loyalist College prepares students for a rewarding career in law enforcement. Students gain real-world experience through field placements and develop essential skills in areas such as policing, law, and community engagement.

Credential

• Ontario College Diploma

Duration

• Four semesters

Start Date(s)

• January (Winter)
• September (Fall)

Locations

• Belleville

Open to

• Domestic Students

CIP Code

• 43.0107

On this page:

• Find your career
• How you'll learn
• Courses
• Admission requirements
• Costs
• Further study

Find your career

There are a broad range of career opportunities with municipal and regional police services, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Military Police, RCMP, and related law enforcement agencies. Loyalist College prepares you for police aptitude testing, physical fitness testing, and other components of the recruiting process.

Our grads get great jobs

• Ontario Provincial Police
• Municipal and Regional Police
• Military Police
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• Provincial Park Wardens
• Customs Officers
• Conservation Officers

Work that matters

Policing is a rewarding profession unlike any other. Police recruiters seek people who want to invest in work that matters. Candidates should demonstrate:

• Resiliency
• Community involvement through volunteering
• A commitment to personal fitness and lifelong learning
• The ability to keep calm under pressure
• Enjoy working with people of all backgrounds and cultures

How you'll learn

Prepare to excel in the satisfying and fascinating profession of policing. Enter the field confidently with a combination of theory and practical experiences.

• Gain valuable field or field-related experience in two separate placements
• Practise interpreting and applying the law from class to courtroom
• Participate in a mock trial in a real courtroom with real judges
• Role-play different scenarios using uniforms and police training equipment
• Volunteer with police services in roles which have included emergency response training, front-line officer training, mock disaster participation, and community policing activities
• Learn to put personal safety and respect for victims into practice
• Discover skills to improve your resiliency to stress and become anti-fragile
• Develop essential career skills in ethical decision-making and conflict management

Outstanding faculty make the difference

• Learn in small classes with dedicated faculty who care about your future success
• Our faculty members have experience at all levels of policing – municipal, provincial, and federal
• The program is continually updated to reflect changing trends with the input of professionals working in the field

Courses

Semester One

LAWS1008 Canadian Criminal Justice System

This course provides students with an overview of the Canadian criminal justice system with a particular emphasis on the function, role, and organization of the primary components of the system.

COMM1048 College Writing Skills

This course focuses on writing and research skills required for successful completion of college-level studies.

ETHI1000 Ethical Considerations in Justice

This course focuses on concepts of critical thinking and ethical issues faced by individuals in their personal and professional lives.

COMM1051 Interpersonal & Group Dynamics

In this introductory level course, students learn to apply knowledge from interpersonal relations and group dynamics to working in a team.

FITN1010 Lifestyle Management & Fitness 1

Students will develop an understanding of wellness concepts and practical strategies for developing a healthy lifestyle.

SOCI1003 Sociology

Sociology and Canadian Society is an introductory course in which the basics of sociology and social theory are presented.

GNED1100 Becoming a Global Changemaker

This Loyalist College graduate attributes course will help shape your perspectives, broaden your understanding of important issues affecting our societies today, and equip you with invaluable knowledge and skills.

Semester Two

PROF1014 Career Resource Development

This course focuses on developing strategies, attributes, and skills to assist the learner with preparation for future employment within the Justice fields.

SOCI1018 Conflict Management & Crisis Intervention

This course is designed to develop the first responder's ability to intervene safely and effectively in situations involving interpersonal conflict and/or individuals in crisis.

LAWS1003 Criminal and Civil Law

This course examines various aspects of the Canadian criminal law system, including the Criminal Code of Canada, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and laws pertaining to the classification, collection, and presentation of evidence.

SOCI1016 Criminology

This course is an examination of the contemporary theories of crime and deviance.

LAWS1009 Issues in Diverse Populations

In this course, students critically identify and examine issues in diversity.

FITN1011 Lifestyle Management & Fitness 2

Lifestyle Management and Fitness 2 includes an introduction to physical standards required in the criminal justice field.

PSYC1003 Psychology

This introductory-level course introduces students to terminology, concepts, and theories of psychology.

GNED General Education Elective

General Education Courses

Semester Three

FITN2013 Fitness & Resiliency for Policing 3

This course starts students on the road to mental resilience by providing an overview of common mental illnesses, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety.

PFND2002 Interviewing & Investigation

This course will focus on current interview and interrogation practices, as well as the lawful guidelines surrounding the interactions between police and the different parties involved in an incident.

PFND2018 Introduction to Cybercrime

This course will introduce students to the field of cybercrime, helping them obtain a better awareness of this ever-growing issue.

WKPL2007 Law Enforcement Practicum 1

Through placement experience with a criminal justice agency, students demonstrate their achievement of the program outcomes.

PFND2012 Mental Health & Vulnerable Populations

In this course, students will explore the mental health continuum and its relationship to the work environment of police.

PFND2019 Police Powers

This course examines pertinent sections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and their impact on Canadian criminal procedure.

PROF2033 Police Recruitment Preparation

Students prepare for employment by identifying prospective employers and demonstrating relevant employment skills.

PFND2010 Provincial Offences

This course focuses on interpreting and applying the Ontario Provincial Offences Act.

GNED General Education Elective

General Education Courses

Semester Four

PFND2016 Community Mobilization & Engagement

In this course, students are introduced to the history of community policing and the theory and application of Ontario’s Community Mobilization & Engagement Model.

PFND2004 Court Proceedings & Evidence

This course will focus on evidentiary and court procedures, etiquette, trial processes, and preparation.

PFND2003 Federal Statutes

This course will focus on analyzing and articulating elements of selected Criminal Code offences and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

FITN2014 Fitness & Resiliency for Policing 4

This course emphasizes preparation and testing related to a variety of physical test batteries specific to policing.

PFND2017 Indigenous Studies

Students will explore the principles of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and get an overview of Indigenous peoples and their cultures in Canada.

WKPL2008 Law Enforcement Practicum 2

A field placement course designed to provide students with the opportunity to observe career functions and perform a variety of assigned tasks within the program option goals and the students' field placement objectives.

PFND2014 Traffic Management

This course will focus on interpreting and applying the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, Motorized Snow Vehicles Act, Off-Road Vehicles Act, and the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act.

LAWS2002 Youth in Conflict with the Law

Enables students to explain and analyze the historical, philosophical, and contemporary application of statutes affecting youth in conflict with the law.

Admission requirements

Required academic preparation

• OSSD/OSSGD or equivalent with courses at the general, advanced, (C), (U) or (M) level
• Grade 12 English (C) level or equivalent

OR

• Mature applicant

Additional requirements

• Applicants with special needs or limitations that may affect their potential employment are encouraged to discuss their program and career goals with the coordinator prior to enrolment
• To progress to year two, applicants must successfully complete all first-year courses (or equivalent) at a minimum grade of 50% and meet the published requirements of a Loyalist Police Foundations physical fitness test at 65 percent

Recommended academic preparation

• Computer proficiency in word processing and file management
• Volunteer and work experience are viewed positively when being considered by police services
• Students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the requirements of a police service candidate in the province of Ontario

Placement requirements

• Standard First Aid and Level “C” CPR certification
• Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check
• Police services will not grant placements to students convicted in Canada of a criminal offence for which they have not received pardon

Costs

Domestic students

• Domestic Tuition: $2,722.08
• Full-Time Ancillary Fees: $1,595.26
• Total: $4,317.34

Additional student-purchased costs may include textbooks, supplies, software, and other resources. Additional expenses related to off-campus experiential learning activities may also be incurred.

Further study

Pathways for justice studies graduates

Graduates can double their career options by completing a second justice studies diploma at Loyalist in just one additional year! Many universities across Canada and abroad will provide credit recognition for your diploma studies at Loyalist.

Pathways and university transfer

What’s next? Build on the knowledge and skills you learned at Loyalist by continuing your academic journey. Receive credit recognition for your Loyalist studies when pursuing a degree at a university.

Related programs

• Customs Border Services
• Community and Justice Services
• 911 and Public Safety Communications