Critical Thinking Assignment Directions:
DO NOT write a title/cover page.
DO NOT write other identifier information (ex. your name, date, which assignment, etc.) in your entry as Canvas automatically tags that information automatically.
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DO NOT define anything. CT requires you to know what the topic is & prove it by applying it, not defining it.
Your entry must exceed the minimum required word count of 200+ words. Please submit it by typing it into the text box.
You must write your word count at the bottom of EVERY assignment to earn credit.
Your entry must demonstrate your comprehension of the topic & demonstrate critical thinking skills. Do more research on your own if needed to master the subject.
If your assignment fails to follow the abovementioned requirements, it will not earn credit.
Remember to include your word count on every post & follow ALL directions for your submission so you earn credit. Any entry not demonstrating critical thinking (CT) skills or knowledge of the topic as required for the CT assignment & will not be awarded credit.
This CTA continues what you wrote for your DQ on the previous page.
Pre-work: Research the job of a Detective first from legitimate sources (ex. NOT Wiki or About.com or blogs) to be able to answer the questions below.
There are numerous types of investigators (ex. sworn or non-sworn) & Detectives (ex. sworn). They work in every level of the government (ex. city, county, state & federal). Very few agencies have dedicated “homicide” or “violent crimes” units because they are not large enough. Most Detectives are “generalists” who handle a wide variety of crimes in a single day, from credit card fraud, burglary, child abuse, robbery, etc.). Often students tell me they are going into Criminal Justice so they can be a “Detective” without realizing you have to be a road patrol officer (ex. requires completing a six month FT police academy & earn a FDLE certificate from passing the academy & state exam) for many years & take “advanced training courses.” In any public safety career (ex. CJ, Fire, EMS, paramedic), you are a permanent student during your entire career. You always go to school & are responsible for your learning to improve your skillset to keep your job. Whether your agency pays for your training or you pay on your own, an investment in your life-long training can result in a better job within your agency or a better schedule. Review the “Advanced Training, Special Courses and Exemption from Training (EFT)” by scrolling down on this link: Advanced Training & Specialized Courses at PBSCLinks to an external site.. Review a few of the classes & their associated fliers before answering the questions below.
Critical Thinking Question:
(A) Research on your own using resources not provided on what additional training Detectives must undergo to be considered for a Detective position. Discuss your findings & cite the resources used.
(B) Using the PBSC-AT&SC list provided, what two trainings would you attend if your agency sent you to go?
(C) After completing those two trainings, what impact would those training have on your ability to go into a specialized unit (ex. DUI, motorcycle, community policing, K9, Detective, etc.)?
(D) How would changing from a road patrol officer to a specialized unit increase your work hours, pay, schedule, or quality of life?
(E) How would using your vacation/personal time & attending/going to a non-FDLE training course out of the county or state & paying for it on your own make you more competitive & potentially advance your career/pay/opportunities?
(F) How would going to college on your own time & using your agency’s reimbursement benefit to earn the next level college degree (ex. AA => BA or BA=>Master’s Degree) potentially advance your career/pay/opportunities in the short, medium & long term?
