Course

Introduction to Policing

Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Department
Criminology
Course code
CRIM 1120
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15
Max class size
35
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
This course covers the historical development of policing as a component of the total justice system. Specific topics examined include: the police function, police community roles, authority, police stress, and the organization and structure of policing in Canada. Key issues including the use of force, corruption, accountability and the political dimension of police work are examined in detail.
Course content

The Context of Policing in Canada in the Twenty-First-Century

  • The Origin of Policing in Canada
  • The Canadian Experience
  • Levels of Policing in Canada
  • Private Policing

The Canadian Criminal Justice System

Recruitment and Training

  • Recruitment
  • Field Training
  • Specialized Training

Ethics and Discretion

  • Discretion in the Field
  • Use of Force and Discretion
  • Unethical Behaviour by Police Officers

Accountability and Oversight

  • Formal Structures
  • Police Oversight Models

Performance Measurement

  • Classic Quantitative Performance Measures
  • Alternate and Qualitative Measures of Performance
  • Why Performance Measures Fail

Patrol

  • Uniformed Patrol Officers
  • Patrol Methods
  • Patrol Allocation
  • Priority Calls
  • Police Pursuits

Investigations

  • From the Patrol Officer to Specialized Units
  • Linkage Blindness
  • Civilian Specialists
  • Major Case Management
  • Judicial Authorizations
  • Police Agents

Operational Support

  • Covert Teams: Surveillance
  • Special Equipment and Tactics Teams
  • Forensic Services
  • Administrative Support

Economics of Policing

Policing and Crime Prevention

Crime Analysis

National Security Policing

Policing and a Diverse Society

  • Canadian Diversity
  • Indigenous Peoples and Policing
  • LGBTQ2+ Communities & Policing
Learning activities

The course will employ a variety of instructional methods to accomplish its objectives, including some of the following:  lectures, small groups and class discussion.  Police practitioners may be utilized when appropriate.

Means of assessment

The evaluation will be carried out in accordance with ÌÇÐÄvlog´«Ã½policy.  At the beginning of the semester the instructor will provide a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria.  Evaluation may be based on some combination of the following: 

  1. Exams
  2. Research paper
  3. Group Presentation

An example of a possible evaluation scheme would be:

Exam 1  25%
Exam 2  25%
Research Paper  30%
Group Presentation  20%
Total 100%
Learning outcomes

At the conclusion of the course, the successful student will be able to:

  • Interpret and appraise the function and role of the police in society.
  • Explain the place of the police in the criminal justice system, and their interaction with other agencies.
  • Understand and explain the legal and moral authority of police.
  • Describe the various roles of officers within the police department, and the duties and responsibilities. 
  • Outline and summarize the historical evolution of the police.
  • Describe and distinguish the traditional and contemporary approaches to police work.
Textbook materials

Text books will be updated periodically. A typcial example is:

Campbell, Cater and Pollard (2017).  Canadian Policing.  Oxford University Press.  ISBN-13:  9780199018789

Requisites

Prerequisites

Courses listed here must be completed prior to this course:

  • No prerequisite courses

Corequisites

Courses listed here must be completed either prior to or simultaneously with this course:

  • No corequisite courses

Equivalencies

Courses listed here are equivalent to this course and cannot be taken for further credit:

  • No equivalency courses

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see

Institution Transfer details for CRIM 1120
Camosun College (CAMO) CAMO CRIM 274 (3)
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU CRIM 1XX (3) or CAPU SOC 1XX (3)
Justice Institute of BC (JIBC) JIBC LAWS 2206 (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU CRIM 2211 (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG CRIM 1215 (3)
Okanagan College (OC) OC CRIM 1XX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU CRIM 251 (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU CRIM 2XXX (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU HUMA 1XX (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO SOCI_O 1st (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV SOCI_V 2nd (3)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) UNBC SOSC 1XX (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV CRIM 251 (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC SOCI 1XX (1.5)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU CRIM 251 (3)

Course Offerings

Summer 2025

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
0
Remaining seats:
35
On waitlist
0
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N3412
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
15:20
Section notes

See Legal Studies (LGST) for other university transferable law and legal system courses.