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Private Security Certificate

Certificate Code 5543

Program Contacts:
QC Campus
Don Gano, 309-796-5281, ganod@bhc.edu

The Law Enforcement curricula are provided by the Department of Social, Behavioral, and Educational Studies.

A working knowledge of the criminal justice system is provided by the law enforcement courses in the curriculum, an understanding of human behavior is provided by the psychology and sociology courses, and the government courses provide knowledge of bureaucratic structure.

Students completing the recommended courses are prepared to compete for jobs in the criminal justice field at the local and state level. Those students desiring employment with federal law enforcement agencies usually need to complete a four-year bachelor’s degree. They are also qualified to enter the private security field.

The certificate program is basically designed for persons presently employed in the criminal justice system. Many people now working in that field received no formal training for their job, and this certificate program is designed to provide them with the basic skills necessary to perform their jobs.

Those interested in a four-year bachelor’s degree should enroll in the Law Enforcement Associate in Science degree program in the Transfer Programs section of this catalog on page 128.

Private Security Certificate Students completing the recommended course of study may find jobs as detectives, guards, merchant patrollers, armored car guards, and other protection and security jobs in the private sector. Employment opportunities are expected to increase much faster than average in both Illinois and the nation.

Required courses for this program include: »

COMM 100 Communication Skills
For career program students only. COMM 100 and ENG 132 fulfill requirements for an associate’s degree in several career programs. Concentration on developing skills in writing, speaking and reading.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

CRJU 151 Criminal Justice System
A comprehensive view of the criminal justice system in America today.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week. IAI: CRJ 901

ENG 132 Technical Writing I
Prerequisites: COMM 100 and appropriate COMPASS score or COMM 100 and COMM 105 or ENG 101 “C” or better or BE 180 or instructor consent.
ENG 132 includes correspondence, memo reports, formal reports, abstracts, fact sheets, instructions and proposals. Includes use of a word processor.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

LAWN 152 Criminology and Delinquent Behavior
This course attempts to deal with the complexity of the Juvenile Delinquency problem in the United States in a way that will give meaning and direction to the law enforcement practitioner that must deal with the problem every day.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week. IAI: CRJ 914

LAWN 251 Criminal Investigation
Introduction to various law enforcement investigation techniques emphasizing crime scene investigation. May be repeated three (3) times.
3 credit hours: 2 lecture hours; 2 lab hours per week.

LAWN 255 Criminal Law I
Study of development of the federal Constitution and the history of the Bill of Rights; includes in-depth study of first eight Amendments to the Constitution.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

LAWN 257 Police Ethics
A study of ethics as it relates specifically to Law Enforcement, Police Science and the Criminal Justice process.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

SECR 165 Physical Security Concepts I
Study of assets protection and physical security in the private sector. Includes in-depth studies of specific security functions with emphasis on crime prevention and risk recognition and management.
3 credit hours: 1-3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

SECR 166 Physical Security Concepts II
Prerequisite: SECR 165 recommended.
Study of assets protection and physical security in the private and public sectors. Emphasis placed on planning to meet anticipated security threats in the day-to-day operation of a security organization.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

Course of Study Outline
First Semester Suggested Courses (Credit Hours)
1COMM 100 — Communication Skills (3)
CRJU 151 — Criminal Justice System (3)
LAWN 251 — Criminal Investigation (3)
LAWN 255 — Criminal Law I (3)
SECR 165 — Physical Security Concepts (3)

Second Semester Suggested Courses (Credit Hours)
1ENG 132 — Technical Writing I (3)
LAWN 152 — Criminology and Delinquent Behavior (3)
LAWN 257 — Police Ethics (3)
2Law Enforcement or Security Elective (3)
SECR 166 — Physical Security Operations (3)

Minimum total hours required for Certificate (30)

1ENG 101-102 may be substituted
2Electives: SECR 160, SECR 270, SECR 272, SECR 275

Occupational Profiles

CIP Code:
SOC Code:

Cost of Attendance

Success Rates All Students Full-Time Part-Time
Completion rate at 100%
Completion rate at 150%

Job Placement Rate:

Loans

  • Median loan debt
  • Title IV loan debt
  • Private loan debt – $0
  • Institutional debt – $0