University at Albany

Learn about POP from the School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany online course offerings. These courses have been designed by the Center for Problem Oriented Policing in collaboration with the University at Albany. They are available at the undergraduate level and from time to time at the graduate level. Availability depends on semester and session.

The following courses are offered as 3-credit courses at University at Albany and vary in length from 8-week or 16-week, depending on semester or session. They are primarily undergraduate courses but from time to time may be offered at the graduate level. They may be taken as degree or non-degree courses. In order to take these courses you must register with the University at Albany, School of Criminal Justice. Click here to apply.

POP at UAlbany course listing and descriptions:

• Introduction to Problem-Oriented Policing
  This course reviews the history of problem oriented policing (POP). and its role as a modern policing strategy in America and internationally. The precursors to POP such as Community Oriented Policing and different policing styles and strategies are reviewed, and their special relationships with POP analyzed. The role of problem solving in everyday policing and how it may or may not differ from POP is examined. The student will learn how to specify problems so that the appropriate police responses may be identified. Using the scientific approach of SARA, ways of assessing the effectiveness of police responses and interventions to specific problems are demonstrated. The course will draw heavily on the Center for Problem Oriented Policing series of Problem Guides for Police.
  (3 credits, 8 or 16 week courses) Close.
• Crime Analysis for Problem Solvers I
  This course, the first in the sequence of two courses on Crime Analysis for Problem Solvers provides a basic knowledge of problem-oriented policing and the related fields of environmental criminology and situational crime prevention. This course is not about the techniques of mapping and other statistical procedures commonly used to study crime, but rather challenges the student to think about crime problems and their solutions in a way that informs how better to use those important tools of analysis.. The early sections of the course explain how to take a more proactive approach to crime analysis. Most crime analysts employed in police departments are stuck with a reactive role. This course will show how to take the initiative at every stage of the project in defining the scope of the problem-solving effort, in trying to analyze the causes of the problem, in helping to find an effective response, and in setting up the project so that it can be evaluated and the police can learn from the results. In this course, Scanning and Analysis of the SARA model of approaching crime problems are reviewed.
  (3 credit, 8 week course)Close.
• Crime Analysis for Problem Solvers II
  This course continues where course (1) left off, show how to take the initiative at every stage of the project in defining the scope of the problem-solving effort, in trying to analyze the causes of the problem, in helping to find an effective response, and how to shape the role of the crime analysts in a police department. As with course (1) in this sequence, this course is not about the techniques of mapping and other statistical procedures commonly used to study crime, but rather challenges the student to think about crime problems and their solutions in a way that informs how better to use those important tools of analysis.. The crime analyst learns how to become an integral member of a problem-solving team, how to explore sources of information and data well beyond those normally collected by police, and learn how to communicate effectively with other members of a police department. In this course, Response and Assessment of the SARA model of approaching crime problems are reviewed. Scanning and Analysis are covered in Course (1) of this sequence.
  (3 credit, 8 week course)Close.
• Policing Terrorism
  This course reviews and analyzes terrorism from a local policing perspective. It examines the responsibility and role of local police in counter terrorism activity and how local police can take steps to protect their communities. Police must be ready for that rare attack should it happen, but at the same time maintain an environment of normality by incorporating counter terrorism activities into the regular day to day practice of policing. The course shows that terrorism is but another form of crime and can, for the most part, be treated by police as a problem to be solved just like any other crime, such as bank robberies, burglaries or murders. The fields of situational crime prevention and problem oriented policing are applied to the overall analysis of terrorism, emphasizing the preventive role of local police in protecting communities and working with Homeland Security.
  (3 credit , 8 week course)Close.

See all School of Criminal Justice UAlbany online courses.

What Is POP?

Problem-oriented policing is an approach to policing in which discrete pieces of police business are subject to microscopic examination in hopes that what is freshly learned about each problem will lead to discovering a new and more effective strategy for dealing with it.

Street Prostitution Learning Module

You advise the Mayor on how to address a problem of street prostitution. People are upset. Something must done. A 60-90 minute exercise.

Begin the Street Prostitution Module

Problem Analysis Module

Enter a problem and this interactive module will help you solve it step-by-step. Answer a series of questions and the program returns a variety of responses you could try. Best done in a group setting.

Begin the Problem Analysis Module

25 Techniques of Situational Crime Prevention

See how the 25 techniques of situational crime prevention work. Learn how to increase the effort for offenders, increase their risks, reduce their rewards, reduce provocation, and remove their excuses.