WHAT is the Law, Public Safety & Security program?

This program is designed to provide the knowledge and skills necessary for a student to pursue a career or higher education in law enforcement, emergency services, security and protective services, correction or legal services.  Topics of study include criminal and family law, juvenile justice, search, arrest and interrogation, crime scene investigation, corrections, forensic science, emergency management, and written and verbal communication.  Students are trained in fingerprinting, casting, handcuffing, breathalyzer testing and narcotics, vice and accident investigations.  Students will earn certification in First Aide and CPR and prepare to pass the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards Physical Agility Test.

Through the completion of this program, students will be exposed to all levels of the criminal justice system; law enforcement, courts and corrections. Through hands-on training, work-based experiences and academic instruction, students are prepared to make decisions on career choices and pursue the proper avenue for success in the various fields of the Criminal Justice System.

WHY should I take the Law, Public Safety & Security program?

Classes at the Saginaw Career Complex are different than those offered at your home high school. You learn by doing - not just reading, listening, and memorizing. And you learn out in the real world, on-the-job, with real people.

The careers in this field are becoming more and more technical. Employees with training in these advanced areas will be needed to fulfill the positions in the law  

                                                                    enforcement  and  protective services

  industry.

You will also earn a competency certificate in Law, Public Safety & Security from the Saginaw Career Complex, which says you've learned actual job skills at high standards set by business and industry. Your parents will love it. So will colleges and employers.

WHAT will I learn in the Law, Public Safety & Security program?

You will learn about:
• Causes of crime
• First aide
• Criminal justice terminology
• Security
• Security systems and devices
• The nature and types of laws
• Structure of the United States Government
• The United States Criminal Justice System
• General law enforcement history
• Police corruption and brutality
• Defensive tactics
• Criminalistics
• Traffice patrol
• Criminal law                                                              
• Search and arrest                                                    
• Interrogation
• Fingerprinting
• Handcuffing procedures
• Breathalizer testing
• Investigation in narcotics, vice, and accident

• Forensic sciences

You will learn and apply these principles in a state of the art Law Enforcement lab. Students will also learn and practice skills in real work environments.

For more specific areas of study click here to see more about the curriculum.

WHAT are my job prospects?

The opportunity for public service through law enforcement work is attractive to many because the job is challenging and involves much personal responsibility. Furthermore, law enforcement officers in many agencies may retire with a pension after 20 or 25 years of service, allowing them to pursue a second career while still in their 40's.
Employment of police officers and detectives is expected to increase faster than average for all occupations through 2008. A more security-conscious society and concern about drug-related crimes should contribute to the increasing demand for police services. At the local and state levels, growth is likely to continue as long as crime remains a serious concern.

WHERE can I go after completing the program?

Your training in the Law, Public Safety & Security program gives you exciting options:

• Entry-level employment - After completing this program, students might begin a career as a security guard, park police officer, or many other exciting jobs.
• Continued Education - Students may continue their education with the advantage of articulating college credits at the same time they are earning their high school diploma, and they don't have to pay for it! After successfully completing the program, students may articulate credits at Delta College or Ferris State University. The articulation process will give students a head start on their post-secondary education, as well as save them a considerable sum of money. In addition, students are also ready to enter industry/employer-sponsored training programs.

WHO are the teachers?

Mr. Del Zimmerman is the man behind the desk in this program.  After a 25 year career behind a badge as a State Trooper and a 7 year stint as an instructor at the State Police Academy, Mr. Zimmerman certainly knows what he is talking about when it comes to law enforcement.  In addition, Mr. Zimmerman also spent 10 years of his life as a dog handler while associated with the State Police Department.

Mr. Zimmerman thoroughly enjoys this aspect of his life.  "I love teaching.  It is especially a pleasure when students are learning good skills," declares Mr. Zimmerman.  Besides teaching skills, procedures, techniques, and academics of law enforcement, Mr. Zimmerman also trys to instill good work ethics in his students.  "One thing I learned from one of my State Police Academy instructors was to always try to give my best, and that's what I try to do every day, and that's what I want my students to learn." 

Mr. Stuart Schweigert is a 28 year veteran with the Saginaw County Sheriff's Department and is the newest addition to the Law program at the Career Complex.  He enjoys sharing his experiences with his students and comes to the classroom prepared to teach.

Mrs. Karen Stack makes science come alive with her dynamic style of teaching and her exuberance, unbounded energy, and terrific sense of humor.  She brings all of these attributes into the classroom/lab as she teaches the forensic science section within the Law, Public Safety and Security curriculum.  Mrs. Stack is a highly qualified science instructor in her 19th year of teaching--her previous teaching experiences include positions at Arthur Hill High School, Handley Elementary/Middle School, Webber Middle School, and Nouvel Catholic Central High School.  Her past teaching experiences, along with her formal education (B.S. degree in Biology/Chemistry  and Teaching Certification from Michigan State University, Master's of Arts in Teaching with an emphasis on biology from SVSU), provide just a part of the knowledge, talent, and expertise that Mrs. Stack shares with her students.  She is one of those teachers who students will remember for the rest of their lives!

WHAT are the admission requirements?

Students admitted to the Law, Public Safety & Security program at the Saginaw Career Complex must:

• Have a career interest in criminal justice
• Be a high school junior or senior
• Be on track for high school graduation
• Have good attendance habits
• Be willing to attend the Saginaw Career Complex for half the school day and participate in work-based learning experiences

WHAT does it cost?

Nothing! Eligible high school students may attend free of charge.

HOW do I enroll?

You can enroll by completing just a few easy steps. Click here to get started:

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