Commitment to Excellence: Union Institute & University Salutes Law Enforcement Professionals Nationwide During National Police Week

Union Institute & University is proud to salute law enforcement professionals and all first responders nationwide during National Police Week, May 9 – 15, 2021.

Union is honored to celebrate with the law enforcement community across the country and renew its commitment to educating the law enforcement community with a rigorous and research-based Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Management. More than 6,300 law enforcement officers nationwide have earned a Criminal Justice Management degree from Union.*Union’s Criminal Justice Management program is a results-oriented program, created by and for law enforcement professionals. Transfer-friendly and accelerated, the curriculum provides real-world application, taught by current and retired law enforcement officers.

Criminal Justice Management Chair Paul Brugman, M.S., explains how the Criminal Justice Management (CJM) degree benefits the community in multiple ways. “The Union degree makes officers better educated and gives them a global perspective. Students are connected to a national community of law enforcement personnel across the country. This provides the opportunity to learn how other departments handle community situations. Today’s officers must be community-minded and know how to communicate. Officers benefit from the program’s rigorous curriculum that requires law enforcement students to interpret and analyze current issues in the field, apply contemporary techniques within a justice organization, critique policy and service delivery, and apply ethical theories in a contemporary environment,” Chair Brugman explained.

Union’s Criminal Justice Management degree has advanced many law enforcement professional careers. More than three dozen Criminal Justice Management alumni have risen to the position of sheriff or chief of police across the nation.

Dallas Chief of Police Eddie Garcia is one such law enforcement professional. He is the Texas city’s first Hispanic chief and was appointed to the chief position in February 2021, following a national search. Chief Garcia previously had a 29-year career in San Jose, CA that included serving as chief. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Management from Union in 2012.

“The degree plan I received from Union Institute & University provided me a foundation to grow my leadership skills. It exposed me to diverse ideas with an enhanced and innovative way of thinking to which I attribute much of my success in law enforcement,” Garcia said.

In addition to Chief Garcia (pictured below), we are proud to salute seven additional Union CJM alumni who have been promoted to chief in 2021:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After completion of a B.S. in Criminal Justice Management degree, law enforcement professionals can elect to pursue Union’s Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL), or a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree with a concentration in Criminal Justice Management.

“Both of these programs are tailored to enhance officers’ credentials and allow them to further their career.” Chair Paul Brugman said.  “The MSOL and MBA are a perfect fit for the professional who wants to move up in rank to the executive level. They are designed to acquire a deeper understanding of business and leadership practices across a variety of functions. Real-world case studies and one-on-one coaching sessions with faculty are among the opportunities geared toward providing new insights that the law enforcement professional or first responder can apply immediately to their work and professional interests.”

Many law enforcement professionals are veterans. The Veterans in Union program assists veterans in completing his or her degree with scholarships. Union is recognized as a Military Friendly School and is one of only 13 schools that form the Fraternal Order of Police University.

(*Undergraduate bachelor’s degree alumni with various majors or concentration studies in the area of criminal justice.)

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For more information about Union Institute & University, visit myunion.edu.

Criminal Justice Management 
Master of Science in Organizational Leadership
MBA