Welcome to the Criminal Justice and Homeland Security portion of the Protective Services page for the Western Montgomery Center for Technical Careers (WMCTC).  Protective Services is a Co-Instructed program area. I teach Criminal Justice and Homeland Security-related topics. Firefighting, Emergency Medical Services, and related topics are taught by Instructor Maureen McCormick. (For more information on the firefighting and emergency medical services aspect of the program, please visit Mrs. McCormick’s web page.) 

 

I am truly excited to be a part of the team of technical instructors at WMCTC. I have over twenty-five years of experience in Criminal Justice and Homeland Security that I look forward to sharing with all students. These experiences include being a veteran of the United States Air Force, experience as a 911 Operator and Police Dispatcher, and over twenty years of experience in Law Enforcement, retiring as a Detective Sergeant. A graduate of Pottsgrove Senior High School, I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, as well as a minor in Psychology, from Saint Joseph’s University. Prior to teaching at WMCTC I was a faculty member at a local college teaching courses such as Criminology, Victimology, Criminalistics, and Criminal Investigations. To remain current in the ever-changing field of Protective Services, I am a member of the North Eastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences (NEACJ), the American Society of Criminology (ASC), and the International Association of Correctional and Forensic Psychology (IACFP).   

 

An article from the U.S. Department of Education cited data that shows student participation in career and technical education is positively correlated with both "future employment and future earnings.” The article further explained that “Career and Technical Education opens pathways to success for students whether they choose to pursue postsecondary education or enter the workforce after high school….students go on to reap benefits from their studies long after graduation.” [1] 

 

Whether a student wishes to continue their education in college, enter the military, or pursue employment in any number of Protective Services careers, I have no doubt that they will be better prepared through their participation in the WMCTC Protective Services Program.  If students are to be fully educated, they must be equipped with the resources and skills that will favorably affect the pursuit of a satisfying career. Technical education as a partner or a supplement to the academics can supply this segment of the total education of our youth and have them ready for the years following graduation. 

 

I have been blessed to have an incredible career in Protective Services, and I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to share those experiences and lessons with the Protective Services students, preparing them to be the heroes of tomorrow.

  

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[1] “U.S. Department of Education Releases Interactive Data Story on Career and Technical Education in High School.” U.S. Department of Education Releases Interactive Data Story on Career and Technical Education in High School | U.S. Department of Education, 27 Sept. 2019, www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-releases-interactive-data-story-career-and-technical-education-high-school.