Lessons
Public Service & Safety: A Day in the Life of a Police Officer
Step into the daily reality of law enforcement, moving through a police station, an active investigation, and the pursuit of justice from a police officer's point of view. Students experience firsthand how a single case moves from first response to courtroom-ready evidence, building an understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and decisions that define the profession.
Forensic Studies: use real-world case studies and scenarios to explore how techniques and processes are used to examine forensic evidence at crime scenes and how forensic evidence can be analyzed
CTS (Legal Studies, Criminal Justice Studies): Public Law, Criminal Justice Principles, Police Services and Trends, Courts and Sentencing
Science (Grades 6-9): principles of the scientific method
Curricular Connections
Forensic Studies: use real-world case studies and scenarios to explore how techniques and processes are used to examine forensic evidence at crime scenes and how forensic evidence can be analyzed
CTS (Legal Studies, Criminal Justice Studies): Public Law, Criminal Justice Principles, Police Services and Trends, Courts and Sentencing
Science (Grades 6-9): principles of the scientific method
Activities
Behind the Badge: Station Tour
Students walk through a working police station, exploring the different roles, departments, and daily responsibilities that keep it running. From dispatch to holding cells to the evidence room, they see how many different jobs come together to serve a community.
Scene of the Crime: Mall Theft Investigation
Students respond to a theft at a shopping mall, working the scene to identify, collect, and document physical evidence and witness statements. They apply careful observation and reasoning to piece together what happened and begin building a case around a suspect.
Case Closed: Building the Court Package
Students organize the evidence they've gathered into a formal court package, structuring it the way a real investigator would for a prosecutor. They learn how raw evidence becomes a coherent, persuasive case, and why accuracy and completeness matter when someone's guilt or innocence is on the line.