The law enforcement community and first responders looking for opportunities to upgrade skills and find a broad array of specialized training targeted directly to their profession have a great friend in Lake Michigan College this fall.
The Lake Michigan College Criminal Justice Program is now accepting registration for several new non-credit classes and workshops offered during the Fall semester for law enforcement, security and crime prevention professionals.
Here’s what’s on the docket in the weeks ahead:
- Policing in the 21st Century
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11; Todd Center, Room 1413; $99
Instructor: Jason Roe
This eight-hour course was created to recognize the current challenges and public perceptions that law enforcement officers in America face nationwide.
Students will be introduced to the concept of unconscious bias with the public and within law enforcement, what scientific studies show about police use of force, particularly lethal force, as it relates to race, and the concepts and techniques for working within the community to reach mutual understanding.
Students receive a certificate of completion from the Lake Michigan College Criminal Justice Program. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at policing-in-the-21st-century.eventbrite.com through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9.
- Workplace Violence Assessment and Response
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22; Todd Center, Room 1304; $99
Instructor: Brian Wedoff
This class provides an overview and detailed explanation of workplace violence topics.
The goal of this advanced course is to provide participants with a concrete, useful and working knowledge of threat mitigation and response. It is designed to provide participants with the skills and knowledge necessary to become actively involved in the mitigation of threats and how to implement a Crisis Response Model to ensure workplace safety and limit liability for the municipality and/or business.
Students will learn how to classify and respond to all threats in the workplace, and explore how domestic violence negatively influences the workplace and strategies to prevent this destructive influence.
The intended audience is Crime Prevention Officers, Corporate Security/Physical Security professionals, HR professionals, any business owner with an interest in improving their workplace violence knowledge and response protocols.
Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at workplace-violence2.eventbrite.com through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22.
- Leadership in Law Enforcement
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4; Todd Center, Room 1304; $99
Instructor: Jason Roe
This eight-hour course is designed for leaders in law enforcement or future leaders in law enforcement to be familiar with the various forms of leadership styles and apply them in their professional roles.
Students will learn that multiple styles of leadership are useful across multi-generational groups and that ethical leadership sets the tone for the morale within a department. Students also will learn how to effectively lead within a union environment and how various forms of leadership have been utilized throughout American history.
Topics include leadership theories, generational dynamics, ethical leadership, leading in a union environment, and leadership styles in action.
Students will receive a certificate of completion from the Lake Michigan College Criminal Justice Program. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at leadership-law-enforcement2.eventbrite.com through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31.
- Investigating Financial Crimes and Elder Exploitation
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8; Todd Center, Room 1413; $125
Instructors: Michael Carroll and John Lucki
Gain a working knowledge to successfully investigate financial crime complaints in this eight-hour course that examines the various methods and terminologies associated with financial crimes investigations through participation in practical scenarios.
Additional focus will be on financial exploitation of the elderly and methods of identifying frauds that focus on this group, along with the underlying criminal methodology utilized by criminals. Class material is presented from a reactive, investigative, and preventive perspective.
Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at financial-crimes.eventbrite.com through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6.
- Handgun-1 for Law Enforcement
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov.14; Point Blank, 1340 Territorial Road, Benton Harbor; $175
Instructor: Kevin Roman
Handgun-1 for Law Enforcement is a course designed to help students understand and apply the fundamentals of their service pistol. Students can expect a medium-paced course based on context and data from the law enforcement perspective. Topics covered will be handgun fundamentals, weapon manipulation, and multiple threat engagements.
Required Equipment:
- Handgun (Recommended: Handgun used for duty)
- 400 rounds of ammunition
- Three magazines (if using a single stack magazine, you may want additional magazines)
- Duty holster
- Eye and ear protection
- Pen and notebook
- Drinks and snacks for eight hours of training
Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at handgun-for-law-enforcement.eventbrite.com through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12.
- Cultural Awareness for First Responders
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov.15; Todd Center, Room 1413; $99
Instructor: Kevin Railing
This eight-hour course is designed for law enforcement officers (corrections officers, probation officers, and parole officers) to understand how cultural differences impact the criminal justice system.
Students will learn terminology to be more aware of biases based on race and ethnicity. Students also will learn the multicultural perspectives of the problems within the criminal justice system.
Some of the specific topics include the discrimination continuum, victims and offenders based on race, and overrepresentation of minorities in the criminal justice system (including arrests, pretrial, trial and adjudication, sentencing, and corrections).
Students will receive a certificate of completion from the Lake Michigan College Criminal Justice Program. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at cultural-awareness-first-responders.eventbrite.com through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13.
- Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21; Todd Center, Room 1304; $99
Instructor: Brian Wedoff
This class provides an overview and detailed explanation for Crime Prevention Officers, security professionals and city planners with an interest in improving physical security through design.
The goal of this basic Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) course, is to provide the participant with a concrete, useful, working knowledge of CPTED. This class provides participants with the skills and knowledge necessary to become actively involved in the planning, design and/or development process as it relates to preventing criminal behavior. This class also provides multi-unit and urban housing officers specific countermeasures to enact to assist with crime reduction.
Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at crime-prevention.eventbrite.com through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19.
- Court Security and Prisoner Transport
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2; Todd Center, Room 1304; $99
Instructor: Todd Gilchrist
The American courtroom is supposed to be the last line of law and order in our society. Unfortunately, they have become the scene of many violent attacks over the past decade.
This course will help prepare officers working in courtrooms for prisoner outbursts, as well as family and victim attacks on defendants. It will cover prisoner preparation for movement and transport outside of a secured facility and prisoner transportation security issues. Topics include Courthouse Security, Courtroom Security, Judicial Protection and Threat Management and Prisoner Transportation.
Students will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Lake Michigan College Criminal Justice Program. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at court-security-prisoner-transport.eventbrite.com through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21.
- Mental Health and Wellness for First Responders
8 a.m.-12 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3; Todd Center, Room 1304; $49
Instructor: Steve Vrablic
Suicides among first responders, often driven by emotional strain in a culture that long has discouraged showing weakness, are too common, according to organizations that track the deaths. According to one recent study, first responders, including policemen and firefighters, are more likely to die from suicide than in the line of duty.
This four-hour introductory class will focus on identifying the four main stresses of the first-responder job – emotional, organizational, personal, and operational stress. It will also focus on identifying signs and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and related injuries.
Students will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Lake Michigan College Criminal Justice Program. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at mental-health-first-responders.eventbrite.com through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21.
- Report Writing and Courtroom Testimony
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3; 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4; Todd Center, Room 1308; $150
Instructor: Todd Gilchrist
Report writing is one of the most common responsibilities of a Law Enforcement Officer. All too often what seems to be a “run of the mill” call or incident later end up in a courtroom. Without proper guidance, practice and training these reports result in criminal cases being lost or civil liability cases are lost at the financial expense of the agency.
Successful courtroom testimony is a combination of charm and thoughtful preparation before taking the stand and knowing what to say and when. Students will complete an investigative written report and use that information in “mock” courtroom testimony.
Students will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Lake Michigan College Criminal Justice Program. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at courtroom-testimony.eventbrite.com through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21.
- Use of Force in Law Enforcement
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10; Todd Center, Room 1304; $99
Instructor: Jason Roe
This eight-hour course is designed for students to learn and understand the legal standards governing the use of force as established by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Students will learn how use of force standards apply to common law enforcement situations. They also will be introduced to the civil liability connected to use of force situations.
Students will receive a certificate of completion from the Lake Michigan College Criminal Justice Program. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at use-of-force-in-law-enforcement.eventbrite.com through 11:59 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6.
- Advanced Pistol Marksmanship for Law Enforcement
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13; Point Blank, 1340 Territorial Road, Benton Harbor; $175
Instructor: Kevin Roman
Pistol marksmanship for law enforcement focuses on the fundamentals of marksmanship the pistol for duty use. Topics covered include safe tactics, review of fundamentals, positional shooting, magazine changes, strong hand only shooting, support hand only shooting, and precision shooting with the pistol. Students will engage targets from distances of three to twenty-five yards. This is not a beginner pistol class and students are expected to already have the ability to safely handle and employ the pistol.
Student Equipment List:
- Duty ready semi-auto pistol with at least three magazines
- Duty belt with pistol holster and magazines pouch
- Concealable or exterior body armor
- Eye and ear protection
- Ball cap style hat
- 400 rounds of quality ammunition for pistol
Course Objectives:
- Demonstrate compliance with the four basic rules of firearms safety and the safe handling of firearms
- Participate in a variety of pistol drills to develop accuracy
- Practice skills to accurately hit precision targets at close range
- Practice skills to accurately and consistently hit a bull’s eye target from 10-to-25 yards
- Successfully pass the FBI Pistol Qualification Course
Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at pistol-marksmanship.eventbrite.com through 11:59 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6.
If you’d like to learn more about LMC’s Criminal Justice Program, you can contact Jennifer Oldenburg, LMC’s Administrative Coordinator, Career & Workforce at (269) 927-8967, joldenburg@lakemichigancollege.edu or visit www.lakemichigancollege.edu
