Police Service Aide (5300)
Police service aides, also known as community service officers, are law enforcement’s first responders
to non-violent incidents. Local police departments, county sheriff’s offices and
the Florida Highway Patrol rely on you for traffic accidents and complaints, property
damage, stranded motorists, stray animals, major emergencies or natural disasters. You
may set up DUI checkpoints, provide traffic control, crowd control, police protection,
photography and fingerprinting. In some case, you may give initial care to sick or
injured persons.
This program prepares students for employment
as:
- Parking Enforcement Specialists (OES 63021)
(SOC 33-3041),
- Traffic Crash Investigators (TCI) (DOT 375.263-014)
(SOC 33-3099) and
- Community Service Officers (DOT 372.367-010)
(SOC 33-9099.99)
in accordance with Chapters 316 and 943 of the
Florida Statutes.
Section 316.640, F.S., mandates that a course approved by the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Criminal Justice Standards
and Training Commission (CJSTC) be used to train civilians, employed
by police departments, sheriff’s offices or the Florida Highway
Patrol, to investigate traffic crashes. Even though successful
completion of this course is required to perform the duties of
a non-sworn Traffice Crash Investigator (TCI), the CJSTC does not certify these individuals.
Additionally, this is an instructional program that prepares individuals
to provide initial care to sick or injured persons. The First
Responder is the first to arrive at the scene of an injury but
does not have the primary responsibility for treating and transporting
the injured person(s). First Responders may include law enforcement,
correctional officers, correctional probation officers, life guards,
fire services or basic life support non-licensed personnel who
act as part of an organized emergency medical services team.
Classes are held at Florida Community College's Northeast Regional Criminal Justice Training Center and taught by professional law enforcement and correction officers. The scenario-based facility is one of the best in the world. Twice a year, open house recruitment fairs allow you to apply for programs and positions for local agencies utilizing this position.
The content includes, but is not limited to: the employee’s role, constitutional and criminal
law, crash investigation, first responder techniques, traffic
control, and police community relations as designated in minimum
training requirements as established by the CJSTC.
Police service aides average $22,000 annually, plus tuition reimbursement incentives.
Upon successful completion of the Police Service Aide program, students may receive up to six hours of college credit toward the Criminal Justice Technology associates degree program after they have completed nine credit hours.
Estimated tuition is $379 (for Florida residents as of 7/06). Contact the program manager for additional costs (materials, fees, textbooks).
| Professional Courses |
Contact Hours |
Workforce Credits |
| CJK 0451 |
Parking Enforcement
Specialist |
16 |
0.5 |
| CJK 0442 |
Traffic Accident Investigator |
80 |
2.5 |
| CJK 0441 |
Police Service Aide |
110 |
3.5 |
| |
Total Contact Hours |
206 |
6.5 |
If the students enroll in an internship or cooperative education class and are seeking experience at a law enforcement agency or facility under Children and Family Services then a background check is performed by the law enforcement agency or facility and the student may be denied employment (paid or non-paid) based on their criminal record.
