As the need for a sense of security increases, so does the need for activeness in Law Enforcement. So how can a student engage in Law Enforcement basics? 

San Marcos High School offers multiple Law Enforcement courses to all students. The four-year pathway consists of Principles of Law Safety & Security, Law Enforcement l, Law Enforcement ll, and Law Enforcement Ill. 

All of these courses are taught by John Roppolo, a former law enforcement officer himself. Mr. Roppolo quotes “of all things being in a journalism class” as his first introduction to the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice pathway. He later retired in 2020 from Law Enforcement. When presented with an opportunity to be a criminal justice teacher, he got his teaching certification and started working as a Law Enforcement teacher. 

Mr. Roppolo quotes Law Enforcement courses as a “good springboard” to get into careers involving public security. In addition, he says “Some of the terminology they learn at that level and some of the processes they learn can be very beneficial in going into those careers.”.  For example, if they choose to go to college or choose to make a career out of it, they can. Some may want to do it as a career or some may use it as a start to build upon further in a career.

On top of teaching these courses, Mr. Roppolo is also in charge of the Criminal Justice Club. This club is an opportunity for students to further their criminology knowledge and potentially participate in competitions. These competitions are available even at a national level. Different areas of competition are offered such as crime scene searches, fingerprinting, police tactics, physical agility courses, and more. 

In conclusion, if you are interested in pursuing any career in public safety or criminology, the Law Enforcement courses are something to consider. These courses are beneficial and a good way to get to know more about public security.