Federal policing, intelligence, border security, corrections, and the parole board all collaborate under the authority of Public Safety Canada (PSC). National duties overseen by PSC are categorized into four pillars:
- National Security
- Emergency Management
- Countering Crime
- Border Strategies
Each of PSC’s strategic pillars is interlinked with one another. For example, while Emergency Management frequently focuses on preparing for and responding to natural disasters, it also deals with other emergencies, such as monitoring security threats, that National Security works to prevent.
At Wilfrid Laurier University, we have designed our online Master of Public Safety programs and public safety graduate diplomas to reflect PSC’s organizational structure. Graduates are able to directly apply classroom lessons into police work and other areas of national prevention and security, allowing for immediate contributions in the important role of keeping Canadians safe.
What is Countering Crime?
The Countering Crime Graduate Diploma covers responsibilities related to matters of crime prevention, law enforcement, and the rehabilitation of criminals [i]. Areas of focus include:
- Policing
- Indigenous Policing
- Crime Prevention
- Corrections
- Organized Crime
- Illicit Drugs
- Contraband Tobacco
- Child Sexual Exploitation on the Internet
- Human Trafficking
- Human Smuggling
- Firearms Legislation
- Gang and Gun Violence
Public Safety Canada maintains partnerships in each of these areas with numerous regulatory, law enforcement, nonprofit and private entities. Between PSC itself and these partners, thousands of Canadians are employed in the public safety sector.
What Do Students Learn in Countering Crime?
The curriculum for a security and crime degree will vary by institution, but for the most part, are intended to supplement and enhance academic or professional training that the student already possesses. Laurier’s Graduate Diploma in Countering Crime prepares students to take on leadership roles in the field. The graduate diploma also counts towards the completion of the Master of Public Saftey degree.
Educational outcomes of the Countering Crime Pathway include:
- Learning how to reduce costs, create efficiencies, facilitate a supportive and informed command structure, and promote community engagement and partnerships.
- Learning how to strategize and create effective, empirical benchmarks for success. Today’s public safety leaders must be comfortable with data-informed performance measures and be committed to evidence-based decision-making. Crime prevention must lean on evidence, not ideology.
- Learning how the diversity of Canada’s communities affects approaches to policing and crime prevention, as well as the ways in which the law impacts the lives of people differently based on socio-economic class, ethnicity, gender, orientation, identity, and ability.
Graduates broaden their perspective and bring efficiency back to their organization. Many take on roles in policy-making and research, incorporating information to set new operative goals. Laurier graduates are apart of a community of lifelong learners and serve as inspiring, ethical, and innovative leaders in public safety.
What Opportunites are Available in Countering Crime?
Most of Laurier’s public safety students are already working practitioners and include police officers, border security agents, corrections officers, EMTs and more. The flexible nature of the program lets students continue working while earning a degree in public safety online. Students are able to learn, expand on their competence in current roles, and prepare for future positions.
Laurier graduates are positioned to improve job efficiency and can earn career advancement. Students have the opportunity to obtain internal promotions and take on more supervisory and strategic responsibilities. Others can transition into new lines of work such as analysts with a public safety organization (e.g. Public Safety Canada) or may become consultants or administrators.
Higher education promotes career growth offering increased salary, additional responsibility, and access to opportunity. Specialized concentrations like countering crime help students become experts in the field, and in turn, allow them to better serve their communities.
To learn more about Laurier’s public safety degrees, contact us today to speak with an academic advisor or request a copy of our brochure.
[i] publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/cntrng-crm/index-en.aspx