Unique Triton College course helps law enforcement students manage career-related stress, prepare for P.O.W.E.R. testing
Illinois law enforcement candidates must pass their Peace Officer Wellness Evaluation Report, better known as the P.O.W.E.R. Test, to gain entry into a police academy. However, many fall short of success because they are not physically prepared to meet the challenging test requirements.
Triton College, recognized for having the largest criminal justice program in the state, is offering a new, affordable course in fall 2012 that will provide the necessary physical agility training to pass the P.O.W.E.R. Test, as well as help students identify and cope with the unique stresses associated with a job in law enforcement.
S.M.I.L.E. – Stress Management in Law Enforcement – is a 15-week course in which one-half of the semester will be spent learning about stress management and its relationship to nutrition and fitness, and the other half will focus on physical agility training to satisfy the fitness components of the P.O.W.E.R. Test.
At the conclusion of the course, students will be tested in accordance with the P.O.W.E.R. Test requirements, and upon successfully passing the test, will receive a certification card which can be presented as proof that they have met the P.O.W.E.R. Test standards.
Triton College Criminal Justice Administration (CJA) Coordinator John Augustine noted that in Illinois, one-half of all law enforcement candidates fail the P.O.W.E.R. Test, making them ineligible to join the police academy. “A person may be prepared mentally for the job, but they must be prepared physically as well,” he said. “This is a one-of-a-kind course that can help more candidates prepare to pass their physical agility test and give law enforcement agencies a larger talent pool to select from.”
The course is recommended for criminal justice students interested in finding employment immediately following graduation, as well as law enforcement candidates who may have previously failed the P.O.W.E.R. Test and are interested in retesting.
The S.M.I.L.E. course (CJA296-001) will be offered at the college’s current tuition rate for a three-credit hour course, plus academic and verification process fees. To register, students should visit www.triton.edu or call the Admissions Office at (708) 456-0300, ext. 3130.
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