Supreme Court of the U.S. Police Share Opportunities with Students in the Department of Criminal Justice and Intelligence Studies

"Our role as faculty is not just to educate our students, but to assist them in finding a career placement with a prestigious agency such as the U.S. Supreme Court. We strive to provide the best education and career opportunities for our students. The fact that our alumni serve as leaders in law enforcement agencies and for federal, state and local agencies, as well as private employers, illustrates our department's quality of education."

Richard Linzer, J.D., professor of criminal justice

Emphasizing a rapidly increasing workforce demand, officers from the Supreme Court of the U.S. Police Department recently visited Point Park University's campus to meet with students majoring in criminal justice, forensic science and intelligence and national security.

"Point Park's Department of Criminal Justice and Intelligence Studies has had a long-standing relationship with the U.S. Supreme Court Police," said Richard Linzer, J.D., professor of criminal justice. "They typically take an annual trip to Point Park to recruit, based on the quality of our programs and our students. If they are coming to western Pennsylvania, they call us to schedule a recruiting session. We are one of the few schools in the region where they continuously recruit."

Officers Jhet Janis and Nicholas Pry spoke with students about the variety of career opportunities available with the department, providing an in-depth look into the department's training, benefits and opportunities for advancement. They detailed the responsibilities of the force, what types of assignments to expect, and the duties of specialty units like the nuclear, biological and chemical team and background investigations unit.

SCOTUS police officers, Point Park students and Professor Richard Linzer pose for a photo. "Our role as faculty is not just to educate our students, but to assist them in finding a career placement with a prestigious agency such as the U.S. Supreme Court," Linzer said. "We strive to provide the best education and career opportunities for our students. The fact that our alumni serve as leaders in law enforcement agencies and for federal, state and local agencies, as well as private employers, illustrates our department's quality of education."

For Sara Cowell '24, a criminal justice major working toward a career as a criminal defense lawyer or prosecutor, the presentation opened her eyes to the diverse career paths available within the SCOTUS police department.

"One of my key takeaways was the necessity to get more recruits," said Cowell, a Franklin Regional High School alumna. "There were numerous specialties listed that a person could get involved in based on what kind of work they are interested in doing. The presentation had me thinking about the number of different opportunities that are available within this force and what else is out there that I don't know about yet."

At Point Park, Cowell has enjoyed the variety of courses available in the criminal justice program. She said each course builds off of the next, promoting ongoing, cumulative learning, instead of a cycle of memorizing content and moving on.

"The faculty are extremely experienced and apply that to what we talk about in class," she said. "They don't care to simply spew out information and move on. There is a point made to make sure each student clearly understands what is being discussed. They are understanding and attentive to the students, their needs, and the things they may need help with. Point Park offers a lot of unique opportunities, including these special guests who come to speak and/or recruit, and classes that address all parts of the criminal justice system."

Johnathan Naylor '23, a criminal justice major who aspires to work for the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, appreciated the wealth of information shared during the recruitment presentation. In terms of his Point Park experience, Naylor has enjoyed learning from "knowledgeable, dedicated and understanding" faculty.

"All the professors I have had for my criminal justice classes have applicable, real-life knowledge and experience working in the field, and they're able to use that knowledge to help students better understand the material being taught," he said. "Also, the class sizes are small, which creates a more personal learning experience. I would recommend Point Park to anyone who values having one-on-one instruction with professors who truly care about their students and want them to succeed."

Supreme Court of the U.S. Police Share Opportunities with Students in the Department of Criminal Justice and Intelligence Studies Friday, February 24, 2023

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