Criminal Justice—Law Enforcement 2

Criminal Justice Law Enforcement 2

Associate Degree

The Criminal Justice Law Enforcement 2 program is designed specifically for aspiring law enforcement officers. Coursework integrates academic theory with practical application relevant to patrol operations, investigations, supervision, and community engagement. The program promotes critical thinking and problem-solving through case studies, scenario-based learning, and analysis of real-world incidents.

Through scenario-based learning, case studies, and experiential opportunities, students gain practical insight into criminal investigations, report writing, evidence handling, and courtroom processes. Graduates are prepared for entry-level positions in law enforcement, corrections, private security, and related fields, or for transfer to four-year institutions to pursue advanced degrees.

This program includes an embedded Wisconsin Law Enforcement Academy which will allow graduates to pursue entry-level law enforcement positions. The law enforcement academy has several additional entrance requirements. Interested students are encouraged to speak with a program advisor to learn more.

Overview
Is This Program for You?

If you are interested in making a difference in your community by providing safety, order and serving those in need, a career in law enforcement may be for you.

Students entering the Criminal Justice Law Enforcement 2 program should have the following skills and abilities:
- The ability to work professionally and respectfully with diverse populations.
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Analytical thinking and problem solving skills
- Strong internal motivation and the ability to work independently
- Strong attention to detail with the ability to rapidly perceive and process information
- The ability to work in various work conditions, including inclement weather, holidays, nights and weekends
- Have a strong moral and ethical background that promotes public service
- Possess the necessary physical, medical, emotional and psychological conditions necessary to meet the requirements of the profession
- The ability to respond to emergency situations in a calm, focused and safe manner
- Remain objective and non-biased in interactions with the public
- Possess driving records and criminal history backgrounds that free of disqualifying offenses
Program Basics
- Associate degree, requiring a minimum of two years to complete.
- The majority of classes are offered face to face on campus. Some training sessions will be hosted during the evening and outdoors.
- Fall start.
- Financial aid available.
- Credit for prior learning may be available.
Curriculum & Costs

Cost of Attendance (COA) 26-27

Cost of Attendance (COA) is a total of all the usual expenses of being a student. The COA sets the maximum amount of financial aid a student can receive.

Category	Amount
Tuition and Fees	$5,240
Living Expenses (Housing and Food)	$10,910
Books and Supplies	$1,463
Personal Expenses	$3,084
Transportation	3,899
Charger Tech 360 Fee	$700
Loan Fees	$85
Yearly Total (Living Away from Home)	$25,381
1 Semester Total (Living Away from Home)	$12,691

Based on Wisconsin Residents.

Approximate school costs are for a full-time (12 credit) student over a semester span of 17 weeks.

Fees are legislated by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board.

These costs are estimates and are subject to change without notice.

Admissions & Requirements
Admission Requirements
- Submit Application
Academic Preparedness Requirements
- Submit Official High School, College, Military Transcripts, and Test Scores (Not Required)
  Have documents sent directly to:
  - Email: admissions@swtc.edu
  - Mail: Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, Attn: Admissions, 1800 Bronson Blvd, Fennimore, WI 53809
- Meet with Your Advisor for an Admissions Meeting
  Schedule an admission meeting with your program advisor to complete your student success plan, including a career assessment and academic map and support plan.
  
  To schedule your meeting, go to the Appointments page. Find your advisor in the list, then select Make an Appointment under their contact information.
  
  Appointments are available on campus or virtually.
Outcomes
Program Outcomes

At the completion of the program, students are expected to be able to:
- Recognize the personal demands required of police.
- Demonstrate proper police investigative procedures.
- Demonstrate effective communication with diverse populations.
- Understand legal principles and procedures to ensure justice.
- Apply Wisconsin statutes when analyzing criminal behavior.
- Demonstrate writing skills.
- Practice good personal fitness strategies.
- Practice effective team member attributes.
Career Opportunities
The profession of law enforcement, also known as police science, is becoming very people-oriented. Law enforcement officers spend a great deal of time communicating and interacting with an increasingly diverse population. Officers are more active in community relations and crime prevention, and they must always be able to react immediately to any level of emergency. Criminal Justice—Law Enforcement 2 prepares graduates for careers as:
- Police officers
- Deputy sheriffs
- Security guards
- Bailiffs
- Correctional officers
Each of these careers may require special additional requirements and/or training.

Southwest Tech's Career Services Center offers services to assist students looking for job placement.
Find a Job
Transfers
Prior Learning

Credit for Prior Learning

Experience Pays! You've Been There... You've Done That... Let's See If You Can Get Credit For It!

Credit for prior learning gives you opportunities to earn credit for college-level knowledge that you have already acquired. This may be the result of work or volunteer experiences, certifications, apprenticeships, military training, extensive self-instruction, or professional development. Credit for Prior Learning affords you the opportunity to accelerate the completion of your educational goals.

For more information on Credit for Prior Learning see our Credit for Prior Learning page.

Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement 2 Courses that may have Credit for Prior Learning options:

Course #	Course Title	Challenge Exam (Demonstration)	Challenge Exam (Standard)	CLEP	Credential	Portfolio
10-801-136	English Composition I
	CLEP Test - College Composition
10-801-198	Speech
10-809-196	Intro to Sociology
10-809-198	Introduction to Psychology
	CLEP Test - Introduction to Psychology

audio described video

Department of Justice Requirements

Listed below are the minimum standards to be a law enforcement officer in Wisconsin, students wishing to take the Criminal Justice- Law Enforcement program must meet these standards or they will not be able to take the Summer Academy sessions; therefore, not getting a degree. Students should consult with and work with the Director of Public Safety to make an informed decision on their education. This program is an excellent opportunity to obtain your law enforcement certification while going to college, but it is important to make sure you are eligible to complete.

Minimum Employment Standards

Applicants for employment as a law enforcement, tribal law enforcement, jail, and/or juvenile detention officer must meet the following minimum requirements:

Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
Applicants must possess a general educational development diploma or be a high school graduate who has completed a secondary education program through a public school, private school, an equivalency diploma program, or home education program within the United States or its territories. Criteria for proof of compliance includes any of the following:
- A general educational development diploma.
- A high school diploma issued by a public school education program.
- A high school diploma issued by a private school.
- A high school equivalency diploma.
- Copies of form PI‐1206 filed with the Department of Public Instruction for applicants who have completed a home school program in Wisconsin, or documentation that the education program has met the requirements of the Department of Education from the state where the home school program was completed. Home‐schooled students may also substitute an official college transcript showing completion of at least 60‐associate degree level college credits or higher at a college or university accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education.
Law enforcement or tribal law enforcement officers employed on or after February 1, 1993, must possess either a two‐year associate degree from a Wisconsin technical college system district or its accredited equivalent from another state or a minimum of 60‐accredited credits. An applicant for law enforcement or tribal law enforcement employment who has not met this standard at the time of initial law enforcement or tribal law enforcement employment must meet the standard by the end of their fifth year of employment.
Applicants must possess a valid Wisconsin driver’s license or other such valid operator’s permit recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation as authorizing operation of a motor vehicle in Wisconsin.
Applicants must not have been convicted of any federal felony or of any offense which if committed in Wisconsin could be punished as a felony unless the applicant has been granted an absolute and unconditional pardon.
Applicants for employment as a law enforcement or tribal law enforcement officer must not have been convicted of any misdemeanor crime of domestic violence unless the applicant has been granted an absolute and unconditional pardon.
The Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997 amended the Federal Gun Control Act, 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(9). Under these provisions, it is unlawful for an individual convicted of a state or federal “misdemeanor crime of domestic violence” to ship, transport, possess or receive firearms or ammunition. Law enforcement officers are not exempt from this law. A “misdemeanor crime of violence,” pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §921(33)(a), means an offense that: has, as an element, the use or attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by a current or former spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse, parent or guardian, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim. “Misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence” include all misdemeanors that involve the use or attempted use of physical force (e.g., simple assault, assault and battery) if the offense is committed by one of the defined parties. This is true whether or not the State statute or local ordinance specifically defines the offense as a domestic violence misdemeanor.
Wisconsin State Statute §66.0501(1) states that no person may be appointed deputy sheriff of any county or police officer of any city, village or town unless that person is a citizen of the United States. This section of statute does not apply to common carriers or to a deputy sheriff not required to take an oath of office.
Applicants must be of good character as determined from a written report containing the results of the following:
- The fingerprinting of the applicant with a search of local, state and national fingerprint records.
- A background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the employing agency.
- Other investigations as may be deemed necessary to provide a basis of judgment on the applicant’s loyalty to the United States or to detect conditions which adversely affect performance of one’s duty as a law enforcement, tribal law enforcement, jail, or juvenile detention officer.
Applicants must be free from any physical, emotional or mental condition which might adversely affect performance of duties as a law enforcement, tribal law enforcement, jail, or juvenile detention officer.
Applicants must undergo a medical assessment by a licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner to verify that they can meet the physical standards required of the position. The applicant must also provide the examiner with a personal medical history. The medical assessment will be conducted no more than nine (9) months prior to an applicant’s first date of employment.
Applicants must complete a satisfactory oral interview with the employing agency.
Applicants must submit to a drug test for the presence of the following controlled substances or their metabolites: amphetamines, cannabis or cannabinoids, opiates, cocaine, and phencyclidine (PCP). The drug test analysis will only be conducted by a laboratory certified by the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Drug testing must be conducted upon hire, and within 120 days prior to an applicant’s first date of employment.
NOTE: Under §165.85(4)(f), Wis. Stats., any law enforcement or tribal law enforcement agency or sheriff may set recruit training and standards that are higher than the minimum standards set by the Law Enforcement Standards Board.
In order to take the Summer/Fall Law Enforcement part of this degree program students will be required to pass a fitness test, oral interview, background check, and meet all the qualifications to be a police officer in Wisconsin as listed above.

Students that have applied to the Law Enforcement Academy must first pass a physical fitness test no more than 6 months prior to the start of the Academy and an exit test at the end of the Academy:

Physical Readiness Test	Entrance Standards	Exit Standards
1.5 mile run	20:20 minutes	16:57 minutes
300m run	82 seconds	68 seconds
Push ups	18	23
Sit-ups	24	30
Vertical Jump	11.5 inches	14 inches
Agility Run	23.4 seconds	19.5 seconds

Criminal Justice—Law Enforcement 2

Criminal Justice Law Enforcement 2

Associate Degree

Is This Program for You?

Program Basics

Cost of Attendance (COA) 26-27

Admission Requirements

Academic Preparedness Requirements

Program Outcomes

Southwest Tech's Career Services Center offers services to assist students looking for job placement.

Credit for Prior Learning

Experience Pays! You've Been There... You've Done That... Let's See If You Can Get Credit For It!

Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement 2 Courses that may have Credit for Prior Learning options:

Department of Justice Requirements

Minimum Employment Standards