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Certificate of Achievement
Public Safety Dispatcher

The Public Safety Dispatcher Certificate of Achievement is designed to prepare students to meet the skills, needs, and minimum requirements for public safety dispatchers and communications technicians for municipal, county, and state agencies. The curriculum prepares students with a foundation in the basics of criminal law, professionalism and ethics, emergency telephone answering techniques, radio dispatching, radio codes, critical incidents, stress management, and community policing and relations. The skills developed during classes enhance students' knowledge of the criminal justice system and in-depth understanding of written and oral emergency communication, as well as issues pertinent to the dispatch profession, including assessing problems, prioritizing resources, and identifying solutions using good judgement.

Please contact the Student Success Team for this program if you have any questions.

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Sample Education Plan

This sample education plan for the 2024-2025 catalog year represents one possible pathway through the program. Each university (UC, CSU, private, and others) has their own transfer requirements; please see a counselor to create an education plan that is customized to meet your needs. Additional course descriptions may be found in the College Catalog.
CourseUnitsTypically Offered
1st Semester
PAC 071 - Public Safety Dispatcher Basic CourseM6.0
PAC 071 - Public Safety Dispatcher Basic Course (6.0 units)

Advisory:PAC 040

This course takes up a variety of topics as they relate to a career as a public safety dispatcher, including professional orientation, criminal justice system, law, communication technology, telephone procedures, radio procedures, missing persons, domestic violence, referral services, cultural diversity, sexual harassment, hate crimes, gang awareness, stress management, critical incidents, telecommunications, and practical application activities. The course meets the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards Training (POST) requirements for the position of public safety dispatcher.

Select one: AJ 041 / AJ 101 / CORR 101 / HMLD 101 M3.0
AJ 041 - Effective Written Communication for Public Service Personnel (3.0 units)

Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level and be able to read college-level texts.

This course provides Administration of Justice students an overview of writing techniques for the communication of facts and information in a criminal justice setting, including the correct usage of words and proper sentence structure. Emphasis is placed on law enforcement-specific terms, phrases, and spelling. Topics include but are not limited to crime reports, investigative follow-up reports, traffic collision reports, background investigative summations and recommendations, internal investigative summations and recommendations, press releases, and interagency criminal activity crime bulletins.

AJ 101 - Introduction to Administration of Justice (3.0 units)

Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level and be able to read college-level texts.
Transfers to: UC, CSU

This course introduces students to the characteristics of the criminal justice system of the United States. Focus is placed on examining crime measurement, theoretical explanations of crime, responses to crime, components of the criminal justice system, and current challenges to the system. The course examines the evolution of the principles and approaches utilized by the justice system and the evolving forces which have shaped these principles and approaches. Although justice structure and process is examined in a cross-cultural context, emphasis is placed on the justice system of the United States, and particularly the structure and function of the police, courts, and corrections. Students are introduced to the origins and development of criminal law, legal process, sentencing, and incarceration policies.

CORR 101 - Introduction to Corrections (3.0 units)

Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level and read college-level texts.
Transfers to: CSU

This course provides students with an overview of the history and trends of adult and juvenile corrections. It focuses on probation, parole, legal issues, specific laws and the general operation of correctional institutions. The relationship between corrections and other components of the justice system is also examined. This course has been identified by the Correctional Peace Officer Standards and Training (CPOST) Board of the Peace Officers Association as fulfilling the educational requirements of the CPOST Certificate for newly-hired officers after July 1, 1995 by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation(CDCR) and California Youth Authority (CYA).

HMLD 101 - Introduction to Homeland Security (3.0 units)

Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level and read college-level texts.
Transfers to:CSU

This course provides first responders and students with foundational knowledge about homeland security. The course takes up theories about and the history of homeland and national security, and includes discussions about the policies, organizational relationships, and legal issues in an American context from federal, state, and local municipal government perspectives.

Total Semester Units:9.0 
Total Units for Public Safety Dispatcher COA program 9.0 
Notes:
AP exams and courses taken outside of Rio Hondo College may fulfill general education and/or major requirements. Please check with a counselor.
Legend:
M Major course; course may also meet a general education requirement
Advising Sheet:
Click or tap here to open the program's advising sheet.

Program Learning Outcomes

About RHC

Rio Hondo College, serving the communities of El Monte, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, South El Monte, and Whittier for over 50 years.

Contact

Rio Hondo College
3600 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601

Phone: (562) 692-0921
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