Courses
Police Foundations-2026/2027
| Level 1 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
| PSFY-1000 | Public Safety Principles in Canada | 3 | ||
| This course examines the organizations that comprise Canada's public safety network, as well as their roles in protecting Canadians and their communities. Students will develop an understanding of career opportunities and hiring requirements within these organizations, as well as the interoperability of private security and public safety agencies. | ||||
| LAWS-1103 | Criminal Justice in Canada | 3 | ||
| The Canadian Criminal Justice System encompasses law enforcement, the courts, and the correctional system. This course will enable the student to understand Canada's central justice agencies' history, roles, and organization and how federal, provincial, and municipal laws are made and enforced. The Criminal Code of Canada is introduced regarding its purpose, structure, format, and use. Students collaborate in teams to enhance their interpretation and knowledge of Canadian law through case-based learning. | ||||
| LAWS-1104 | Provincial Statutes & Regulations 1 | 3 | ||
| This course introduces students to provincial legislation specific to many public safety professions. Topics covered include the Provincial Offences Act, Mental Health Act, Residential Tenancies Act, Trespass to Property Act, Liquor Licence and Control Act, Coroners Act, Blind Persons' Rights Act, Cannabis Control Act and Safe Streets Act. Through case-based learning, students apply apprehension, arrest, and search and seizure authorities. They also complete court documents enforcing common offences. | ||||
| HLTH-1312 | Mental Health & Social Welfare | 2 | ||
| This course offers an introduction to the principles of mental health, including common mental health disorders, behaviour management strategies, and the structure of the mental health care system. Students will explore the roles of community agencies and personal support networks in promoting mental well-being. The course also examines legislation and policies that support individuals affected by mental health challenges and addictions. A critical focus will be placed on understanding stigma and discrimination as barriers to accessing care and achieving equitable treatment. Additionally, students will analyze how mental health issues intersect with the criminal justice system, gaining insight into current practices and challenges. | ||||
| PHRE-1047 | Fitness, Health, and Wellness 1 | 2.5 | ||
| Public safety agencies recognize the importance of fitness, health, and wellness for public safety personnel. This course introduces students to occupational fitness tests, professionalism, stress management, wellness, and appropriate strategies for developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Students develop a personal fitness plan and perform elements of occupational fitness tests used by public safety agencies. | ||||
| PSFY-1001 | Professional Practice-Teamwork | 1.5 | ||
| This course introduces students to the concept of teamwork and the importance of utilizing various forms of communication in public safety professions. The topics include situational awareness and officer safety, basic interviewing and observation skills, notebook entries, and incident report writing. Through scenario-based learning, students develop the ability to work in teams and investigate minor occurrences while following policies and procedures used by public safety agencies. | ||||
| SOCI-1001 | Sociology & Canadian Society | 3 | ||
| This course is designed to acquaint the student with the sociological perspective and the analysis of social events. Topics of study will include research methodology, culture, socialization, deviance and crime, social inequality, social change, and collective behaviour. The student will also analyze how law enforcement personnel, law enforcement services, and society have benefited from the social sciences. | ||||
| WRIT-1089 | Reason & Writing 1 for Public Safety | 3 | ||
| This course will introduce public safety students to essential principles of reading, writing, and reasoning at the postsecondary level. Students will identify, summarize, analyze, and evaluate multiple short readings and write persuasive response essays to develop their vocabulary, comprehension, grammar, and critical thinking. | ||||
| Level 2 | ||||
| Gen Ed - Take a 3 credit General Education elective course. | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
| LAWS-3071 | Criminal Code | 3 | ||
| This course provides a practical introduction to criminal law and significant offences in the Criminal Code. These include crimes against the person, property, and public order. Working in teams through case-based learning, students apply knowledge by researching offences and using case law. | ||||
| POLC-3000 | Interviewing & Evidence in Policing | 3 | ||
| In this course, students will examine the basic steps of interviewing and the types of evidence that may be pertinent in an investigation. Students will develop skills necessary to retrieve information from victims, witnesses, and suspects while identifying the relevant/pertinent documentary evidence. Topics include the use of observational skills, officer safety, victim and survivor support/crime prevention, notetaking, report writing, evidence preservation, and continuity. Through case studies, students work in teams to learn and apply the various roles police officers have in an investigation. | ||||
| POLC-1000 | Communications for Police Professionals | 3 | ||
| In this course, students will continue to develop skills such as reading, spelling and grammar fundamentals, summarizing and critically analyzing material relevant to law enforcement. Topics include observation and memory recall, organizational skills imperative for law enforcement, and evidence presentation. Professional writing skills are refined through course activities, including note-taking, drafting occurrence reports, and obtaining written witness statements. | ||||
| PSFY-3000 | Diverse Communities & Public Safety | 3 | ||
| This course begins by exploring the concepts of equity, diversity, and inclusion, as well as multiculturalism and human rights within a Canadian context. Through active learning, students examine race, ethnicity, immigration, religion, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ability, family structures and Canadian human rights legislation. Studies examine how personal, professional, and systemic barriers give rise to prejudice, discrimination, and oppression. With a focus on public safety, students analyze and address how public safety personnel can contribute or mitigate individual and systemic issues. | ||||
| PHRE-1048 | Fitness, Health, and Wellness 2 | 1.5 | ||
| This course builds on the concepts learned in Fitness, Health, and Wellness 1. Topics to be covered include nutrition, critical incident stress, cardiovascular disease, shift work, substance abuse, back health and infectious and non-infectious diseases. Students develop an appropriate nutrition plan and perform occupational fitness tests | ||||
| POLC-3001 | Professional Practice-Communications | 2 | ||
| Building upon the skills developed in Professional Practice - Teamwork, emphasizing the development of effective communication through the study of interpersonal communication to enhance our understanding of ourselves, others, and situations, with practical application of theory learned in Level 2 courses. Through scenario-based learning and assessment, students use communication skills to provide an empathic approach when assisting survivors, building trust and respect, and solving problems during difficult situations. | ||||
| PSYC-1001 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 | ||
| This introductory course in psychology provides students the opportunity to review some of the major theories and research findings from various branches of psychology. Special attention will be given to implications and applications that are specific to issues in policing, law and security. The following topics will be covered: brain and behaviour, sensation and perception, learning, memory, sleep, drugs, stress, social relations, personality, and psychological disorders. | ||||
| Level 3 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
| POLC-3002 | Police Powers 1 | 3 | ||
| This course examines pertinent sections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and their impact on the Canadian Criminal Procedure. Police powers of arrest, investigative detention, release, search and seizure, police discretion and their implications will also be studied. This course enables students to become familiar with police terminology and apply the procedures required for investigative detention, arrest, the laying of criminal charges, and release from police custody. | ||||
| POLC-5000 | Criminal Investigations & Evidence | 3 | ||
| Building on Interviewing & Evidence in Policing, in this course students further explore crime scene investigations and the rules around the collection, preparation, and admissibility of evidence for court. Topics include examining various forms of forensic evidence, cybercrime best practices, and high-risk crime scene investigation planning for major cases. Through scenario-based learning, students take on various roles as investigators for a final crime scene assignment. | ||||
| PSFY-3001 | Conflict Management | 3 | ||
| This course provides students with a foundation and framework of prevention and intervention procedures based on specific public safety environments. Topics include effective decision-making and problem-solving strategies to de-escalate and safely respond to assaultive or disruptive behaviours while preventing injuries. Through case-based learning, students practice de-escalation techniques and identify the issues surrounding physical intervention. | ||||
| POLC-3003 | Youth Justice | 3 | ||
| This course provides students with the historical and philosophical overview of the evolution of the statutes, treatment, and punishment of young persons who commit offences in Canada. Students are introduced to the contemporary principles and objectives of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, particularly the differential treatment of youth who commit criminal offences to reduce, prevent and mitigate future transgressions while reducing harm to the community. While working in teams, students apply diversionary principles to an assigned case study while participating in a mock pretrial diversion program using restorative justice principles. | ||||
| EMGT-3000 | Emergency Management | 2 | ||
| This course provides students with emergency management concepts, including the Incident Command System (ISM) and how interagency collaboration occurs during an incident to contain, mitigate, maintain order, and resolve emergencies. Students analyze legislation that governs emergency management in Canada while learning the principles of hazard identification and risk assessment. In tabletop exercises throughout the course, students explore various situations and consider barriers and limitations to effectively create a plan to respond to emergencies while assuming multiple public safety roles. Throughout the course, students participate in tabletop exercises that explore various situations and consider barriers and limitations to create a response plan effectively. | ||||
| POLC-5001 | Leadership, Ethics & Accountability | 3 | ||
| This course examines the crucial relationship between leadership, ethical conduct, and accountability within policing, and their role in fostering public trust. Using critical judgment exercises and sound ethical decision-making protocols, students explore how effective leaders, using a variety of styles, can promote ethical behaviour and ensure accountability within policing. Additionally, students learn principles of ethical leadership and followership, exploring how effective leadership and supportive followership contribute to ethical practices in law enforcement. The course emphasizes the vital importance of personal accountability, the assessment of personal values, and reinforces the higher standards to which police and other law enforcement officers are held as public role models. | ||||
| HLTH-3070 | Fitness, Health, and Wellness 3 | 2 | ||
| This course builds on the knowledge and skills learned in Fitness, Health, and Wellness 1 and 2. Students demonstrate teamwork and professionalism through in-class group physical fitness assignments. Students strive to improve their performance of physical fitness tests used in policing. | ||||
| POLC-5002 | Professional Practice-Officer Safety | 2 | ||
| This course emphasizes the real-world application of skills developed in earlier Professional Practice courses. Students will engage in hands-on, scenario-based training that reflects common policing situations. Key areas of officer safety include situational awareness, effective communication, emotional self-regulation, and complex decision-making under pressure. Practical exercises will also reinforce de-escalation techniques and the operational use of legislative authorities. By applying theory directly to realistic scenarios, students will strengthen their skills for law enforcement work. | ||||
| Level 4 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
| POLC-5003 | Police Powers 2 | 3 | ||
| This course provides an in-depth examination of provincial law governing the delivery of adequate and effective policing in the Province of Ontario. Topics include police governance and public accountability, including matters of the public complaint procedure and police discipline options. Theory and laws surrounding the use of objectively reasonable force and associated criminal liability issues are discussed in detail. | ||||
| LAWS-5014 | Organized Crime & Gun Violence | 3 | ||
| This course builds upon the material studied in the Criminal Code course. Students interpret legislation and analyze case law relating to weapons, human trafficking, controlled drugs, substances and other offences. Students review law enforcement's role in investigating and prosecuting criminal and federal offences related to organized crime and gun violence. Students complete a research project on organized crime's impact on victims and society, recognizing the physical, psychological, and financial implications of this type of crime. | ||||
| LAWS-5015 | Provincial Statutes & Regulations 2 | 3 | ||
| This course integrates knowledge gained in Provincial Statutes & Regulations 1 and studies additional statutes commonly used in policing. These include the Highway Traffic Act, Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act, Motorized Snow Vehicles and Off-Road Vehicles Act. Through case-based learning, students also learn how to investigate a motor-vehicle collision and complete court documents for offences found in the statutes studied. | ||||
| POLC-5004 | Policing & Community Engagement | 3 | ||
| This course introduces students to the principles of community policing by providing a historical perspective and exploring the transformation of policing from traditional strategies to modern mobilization and engagement. Students analyze problem-oriented policing, intelligence-led policing and other techniques that assist police in developing, enhancing and maintaining constructive community partnerships. In teams, students assess a community problem and develop, implement and evaluate results to resolve a community concern | ||||
| DEVL-5011 | Career Preparation & Exploration | 2 | ||
| This course helps students develop their employment potential for a career in policing. Topics for instruction include an evaluation of personal values and competencies with those required by the police profession, résumé and cover letter development, as well as job interviewing skills as they relate to the police sector. In addition to completing simulated pre-employment assessments used for screening job applicants, students will develop portfolios, networking skills and professional online presence for themselves. Guest speakers from various police services provide insight into their respective organizations. | ||||
| INDG-5000 | Indigenous Communities & Public Safety | 3 | ||
| A career in public safety requires a clear understanding and respect for the Original People of Canada. Studies cover historical to present day. Students increase their knowledge and awareness of the issues impacting Indigenous Peoples of Canada. Indigenous policing is also reviewed. | ||||
| HLTH-5029 | Fitness, Health, and Wellness 4 | 2 | ||
| This course builds on the knowledge and skills learned in Fitness, Health, and Wellness 1, 2 and 3. Students continue to demonstrate professionalism and teamwork through advanced in-class group physical fitness assignments. Stress management and resilience are emphasized. Students perform physical fitness tests used in policing to the required industry standards. | ||||
| POLC-5005 | Professional Practice-Culminating Skills | 2 | ||
| This culminating Professional Practice course enables students to apply the knowledge and skills developed throughout the Police Foundations program in realistic, scenario-based settings. Through experiential learning activities such as role-plays and simulations, students practice responding to common policing situations while refining their communication, decision-making, and empathy. The course emphasizes ethical conduct, professional judgment, and navigating complex social dynamics in high-pressure environments. | ||||
| Gen Ed - Elective | ||||
| Take 3 General Education Credits - Normally taken in Level 2 | ||||
| Program Residency | ||||
| Students Must Complete a Minimum of 22 credits in this program at Fanshawe College to meet the Program Residency requirement and graduate from this program | ||||