{"id":8797,"date":"2017-05-08T08:44:54","date_gmt":"2017-05-08T13:44:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/?p=8797"},"modified":"2018-09-15T07:58:09","modified_gmt":"2018-09-15T12:58:09","slug":"a-passion-for-police-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/a-passion-for-police-work\/","title":{"rendered":"A Passion for Police Work"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cody Klotz dreamed of playing baseball in college and then joining the Marine Corps. At Maryville, he found his true calling.<\/p>\n

Klotz, a second-year criminal justice\/criminology major<\/a> and a Saints baseball student-athlete, flashes a smile when you ask about his participation in the St. Louis County Police Department\u2019s Police Cadet Program. <\/p>\n

\u201cOn the mornings I\u2019m scheduled for duty, I wake up loving everything about it,\u201d says Klotz. \u201cIt\u2019s the environment, getting to know so many people and knowing that I can make a change for the good. My parents always told me that if you don\u2019t love what you do you won\u2019t be any good at it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The program, which launched in the past year, is open to 18 to 21 year olds who are enrolled in college and interested in pursuing police work as a career. Participants receive a small stipend and a uniform. They experience a wide range of police work, including the crime scene, crime laboratory and fingerprint units.<\/p>\n

Klotz, the first student from Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵAPPadmitted to the cadet program, quickly progressed to ride-alongs with veteran police officers. He has traveled the county\u2019s eight police precincts. <\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t say I\u2019ve seen it all, but I\u2019ve certainly seen more than most college sophomores,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019ve learned about de-escalating a fight and when to use a taser or pepper spray.\u201d<\/p>\n

Klotz is also learning about the prevalence of violent crime and how it often occurs within families and groups of people who know one another. The experiences have spurred him toward another academic interest.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to study abnormal psychology to try and understand how the brain works,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

St. Louis County Police Partnership <\/strong>
\nGeriann Brandt directs the
criminal justice\/criminology <\/a>program. As a former St. Louis County police officer, she has an invaluable insider\u2019s perspective on a career in law enforcement. Brandt has leveraged her expertise and network since 2008, when she nurtured a longlasting partnership with St. Louis County and Municipal Police Academy \u2014 a 25-week training program. More than 90 municipalities send candidates through the Academy, and most graduates are hired onto a police force. <\/p>\n

Successful completion of the Police Cadet Program is a strong stepping stone toward the Academy and job placement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a win-win for students,\u201d Brandt says. \u201cSuccess in the cadet program means a guaranteed seat in the Academy. Over the years, we\u2019ve had a 100 percent hire rate for Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵAPPgraduates who complete the Academy.\u201d <\/p>\n

A college degree is not required for police work, but the achievement gives graduates a competitive edge, Brandt says. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat degree translates into better salaries and greater opportunities for promotion, and if students want to work for a federal agency some day, a degree is required,\u201d Brandt says. \u201cWhat we teach at Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵAPPprepares well-rounded police officers because they\u2019re studying constitutional law, humanities, philosophy, history.\u201d<\/p>\n

First Woman to Join Cadet Program<\/strong>
\nAngie Isaacs, who holds the distinction of being the first woman to enter the cadet program, came from Minnesota to study the forensic side of crime at Maryville.<\/p>\n

\u201cEver since I was little, I was fascinated with solving crimes and wanted to go into forensic science,\u201d says Isaacs. \u201cBut when I started studying it, I quickly realized I didn\u2019t want to work in a lab. I wanted to be the face of criminal justice. I wanted to make a difference in people\u2019s lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

During her first semester, Isaacs spent seven hours a week in the Cadet Program learning what she called \u201cbehind the scenes\u201d duties like personnel services, police hierarchy, finger printing and security at the court house. She believes women play a special role in police work.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a different take on how to deal with people, and I think we can help change how people interact with police,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

Brandt says police work is just one of the many law enforcement jobs pursued by graduates of the criminal justice\/criminology program.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of our students move into federal positions with the FBI, the U.S. Marshal\u2019s Service and the Secret Service,\u201d she says. \u201cFor all of them, this new cadet program is another big plus.\u201d<\/p>\n

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