12/21/2024 8:23:37 AM	AJ 52 Course Outline as of Fall 2008	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  AJ 52	Title:  PUBLIC SAFETY COMM
Full Title:  Public Safety Communications
Last Reviewed:4/9/2012

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		17.5 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

This course deals with all aspects of public safety communication.  It will cover the techniques of effectively communicating facts, information, and ideas in a clear and logical manner for a variety of public safety systems reports.  

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Course Completion of AJ 50

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 1A or equivalent

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

This course deals with all aspects of public safety communication.  Emphasis is on written communications, criminal justice terminology, note-taking, interviewing and testifying.  

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:Course Completion of AJ 50
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 1A or equivalent
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:	Fall 2012
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Certificate Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Identify the potential uses of written communication in the public

safety professions.

2. Demonstrate the ability to write reports that conform to accepted

professional standards.

3. Extract and organize information from a variety of sources into

written and verbal reports describing/defining problems.

4. Demonstrate the ability to take field notes that include the

information needed to complete a crime or incident report.

5. Demonstrate the ability to reduce observations and other information

to clear, concise, logically organized reports that are readable and

relatively free of mechanical errors.

6. Demonstrate the ability to write all required elements of an offense.

7. Demonstrate the basic techniques of interviewing.

8. Demonstrate the basic techniques of testifying.

9. Demonstrate ability to write accurate and factual reports, containing

the reportable elements of incidents, synthesizing several sources and based upon observation and

listening skills.  

Topics and Scope

I. Written communication

   A. How crime, incident and arrest reports are used by the

     criminal justice system

      1. Statistics

      2. Documentation

      3. Minimize liability

   B. What is a report?

      1. Definition of a report

      2. Importance of a good report

         a. Your credibility/reputation

         b. Enables the justice system to work better

         c. Responsibility for taking reports

II. Notetaking

   A. Characteristics of field notes

      1. Record brief notes in the field while facts are fresh

        in mind

      2. Pertinent data.

      3. Subject to subpoena

   B. Develop permanent field notes

III. Writing crime reports

   A.  Critical characteristics of a crime report

      1. Factual

      2. Objective

      3. Accurate

      4. Clear

      5. Concise

      6. Complete and thorough

      7. Use of first person and active voice

   B. Organization and structure of report narratives

      1. Gather information during preliminary investigation

      2. Analyze facts and information

      3. Condense into a factual concise, yet thorough, document

   C. Defenses asserted by suspect

      1. Miranda issues

      2. Exclusionary Rule issues

      3. Probable Cause

      4. Civil Rights violations

      5. Credibility of victims/witnesses/officers

   D. General content

      1. Who

      2. What

      3. When

      4. Where

      5. Why

      6. How

   E. Types of reports

      1. Property crimes, including felony and misdemeanor

         a. Burglary

         b. Petty theft

         c. Vandalism

      2. Violent crimes, including felony and misdemeanor

         a. Homicide

         b. Assault with a deadly weapon

         c. Battery

      3. Sex crimes

         a. Sexual assault

         b. Unlawful sexual intercourse

         c. Child molestation

      4. Domestic violence crimes

         a. Domestic violence

         b. Domestic battery

         c. Violation of a Domestic Violence Restraining Order

      5. Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

         a. In progress

         b. DUI related accident/vehicular manslaughter

      6. Juvenile

         a. Offense report

         b. Missing person/runaway

   F. Style used by law enforcement agencies

      1. First person-active

      2. Avoid police jargon

      3. Chronological order

   G. Basic mechanics allowed

      1. Writing resources

      2. Tools

         a. Dictionaries

         b. Spelling checkers

         c. Internet

         d. Books

IV. Minimum standards for arrest report

    A. Elements of a crime

    B. Probable cause to arrest

    C. Lawful search

    D. Recovery of evidence

    E. Miranda if appropriate

V.  Minimum standards for investigative report

    A. Elements of a crime

    B. Statements of victim(s), witness(es)

    C. Crime scene details

    D. Recovery and collection of physical evidence  

Assignments:

1.  8 written reports of 2-4 pages.

2.  6-8 quizzes on lecture material

3.  Observe and take notes on 6-8 interview scenarios and prepare

written reports.

4.  Students complete 6-8 written reports based on observation of

criminal offense scenarios.

5.  Complete required instruction in Investigative Report Writing as

required by Training specifications for the Basic Law Enforcement

Course as mandated by the Calif. Commission on Peace Officer

Standards and Training.  

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 30 - 60%
Written homework, Arrest and investigative reports
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 0 - 0%
None
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 20 - 50%
Multiple choice, Quizzes & scenario-based report writing.
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 10 - 25%
Class participation.

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Goodman, Debbie, REPORT IT IN WRITING, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, NJ,

2003.

POST Workbook, Investigative Report Writing, current edition.  

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