POLICE PARTNERS IN YOUR EDUCATION AT UCONN AND BEYOND
EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION - INTERNSHIPS AND PRACTICUM EXPERIENCES
The University of Connecticut Police Department is proud to offer experiential education opportunities. We believe that our role as police officers includes involving motivated students in some of the duties performed within a police department. There are so many aspects of functional law enforcement that operate behind the scenes, any interested student would gain valuable educational and life experiences through an internship or practicum program with the UCPD. The UConn Police Department’s Experiential Education Program complies with guidelines set by the UConn Center for Career Development.
Our internship programs are offered as both academic and non-academic. Academic internships and practicum programs are highly structured with specific guidelines and requirements set by the police department internship coordinator and the faculty or staff member awarding the credit. Non-academic internships are completed independently based upon the arrangements of the student wishing more practical work experience and the police department internship coordinator.
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Students participating in either academic or non-academic internships are held to a high standard of conduct and will receive an in-depth look at the functions of a police department. Students will be assigned to work on special projects within Support Services, Operations, or a Regional Substation of the police department. Examples of educational experience work may include research into topics of law enforcement interest, accreditation compliance, policy research, programming proposals, statistical compilation and analysis, special project tasks, and more. All interns will be expected to complete Learning Contracts during the first portions of their Experiential Education program at UCPD. Interns are responsible for ensuring that any required academic processes are followed throughout the semester. The UCPD internship coordinator will provide necessary paperwork and feedback to the faculty internship advisor upon request. Credits for internships are NOT awarded by the UConn Police Department but are rather offered through the student’s academic department. Students having questions about academic credit should contact the Center for Career Development.
LOCATIONS AND HOURS
UConn Police Department Experiential Education opportunities are currently available at the following locations:
- UCPD Headquarters, 126 North Eagleville Road, Storrs
- Hartford Law Substation, Library Building #346, 55 Elizabeth Street, Hartford
Interns and practicum students are expected to maintain a minimum of 10 hours per week of work throughout the semester. Most of those hours are to be completed between 8am and 4pm, Monday through Friday, depending on location. With certain exceptions, work hours can exist outside of those times.
As part of the internship experience, students are entitled to 2 ride-alongs with patrol officers during the semester. These four hour blocks will have the student “out on the road” with a uniformed officer. Students will gain valuable insight and firsthand experience from seasoned police officers. These ride-along periods can occur during evening and weekend hours and will be scheduled through the police department internship coordinator. Interns will also be occasionally invited to attend Community Outreach Unit educational programming so they can see firsthand the type of education the police department provides to the community.
COMPENSATION & DURATION
Internships at the UConn Police Department are unpaid. The entire Experiential Education Program at the UCPD is directed towards the benefit of the student interns. All interns will be closely supervised by UCPD personnel. Participation in any UCPD internship does not guarantee employment with the UCPD at the conclusion of the internship period. International students may apply for internships at UCPD only after prior written approval from Immigration Services and the International Students and Scholars Services Center in McMahon Hall.
Most internships at UCPD last for one semester but may be extended to a full academic year at the discretion of the police department internship coordinator.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
The UConn Police Department seeks to provide the best educational experience possible for the students in our community. Preference for Internships and practicum programs will be given to UConn students desiring a career in the criminal justice system but any student is welcome to apply. The number of internship spaces available varies from semester to semester.
Students wishing to be a part of the Experiential Education Program at the UConn Police Department will undergo a rigorous background screening process due to the nature of the work involved. Prospective students will undergo various criminal, motor vehicle, and other background screenings; provide a list of references for character screenings; agree to attend mandatory training; and agree to strict confidentiality contracts pursuant to Federal and State laws.
If you are interested in completing an internship with the UConn Police Department, please contact the Community Outreach Unit at PDStartTeam@uconn.edu.
UNIVERSITY INTERNSHIP RULES
The University of Connecticut Police Department abides by the rules of student internships set by the university and state and federal laws. The intern agrees to abide by the laws of the State of Connecticut and the rules and regulations of the University of Connecticut, the Student Code of Conduct, and UCPD policies during their internship. The UConn Police Department reserves the right to remove a student from the internship at any point during the process due to violations of law or University policy. More information on rules of internships can be found at the Center for Career Development and information on the Student Code of Conduct can be found at Community Standards.