Police Science (6806)

Upon completion of our Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in police science, you’ll be prepared for the workforce or to continue your education in police science. After graduating from our Police Science program, you’ll be ready for local or national employment. Graduates of our program have become:

• Agents for specialized law-enforcement agencies
• Evidence technicians
• Municipal or state police officers
• Private investigators
• Private security supervisors

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Our program provides practical training in our criminalistics laboratory, one of the best-equipped crime laboratories in Pennsylvania. You’ll receive hands-on experience in:

• Bloodstain pattern analysis
• Crime scene processing
• Fingerprint analysis
• Firearms examination
• Forensic pathology
• Microscopy
• Police photography
• Polygraph
• Shooting reconstruction

Over the two years, you will:

• Discuss the history, philosophy and organization of law enforcement and criminal justice systems
• Apply principles of police management and operations
• Demonstrate the proper methods of collection, documentation and preservation of evidence
• Identify the technologies commonly operated by police agencies
• Practice the management and techniques of patrol operations
• Distinguish between the various theories that identify the causes of criminal behavior
• Explain the history, theory and application of criminal law

You may need to submit an ACT 34 Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Background Check before you enroll in our program, begin your field experience, take a qualifying police test or seek employment.

• View summaries of every course at HACC by browsing our class schedules database.

• Review our program guide (pdf) to view a list of required courses, recommended course sequencing and program competencies.

Conveniently YOURS, our programs are designed to be flexible enough to transfer to a wide variety of four-year colleges and universities with no loss of credit. However, each individual college has its own unique program. We encourage you to select a four-year school as soon as possible. This will allow you to learn the transfer college’s program requirements so you can take the proper classes at HACC.

You may complete this program at our Harrisburg, Lancaster and York campuses through various modalities (e.g., on-campus/in-person instruction, hybrid, synchronous remote instruction and/or asynchronous instruction).

Yes! We offer many scholarships through the HACC Foundation. Each scholarship has specific eligibility requirements. To learn how to apply, please visit hacc.edu/Scholarships.

We offer classes in the spring, summer and fall. You can apply anytime on our website. Please submit your application online using the specific program code 6806. This code ensures you’re applying for the correct program.

Future students, we are excited to connect with you and answer your questions. Please choose the option that works best for you to meet with us.

Current HACC students, please contact our Advising Department with any questions.