Does the idea of solving mysteries interest you?
Do you want to help those who have committed crimes to become productive, contributing members of society?
Are you interested in helping to keep our streets safe?

Municipal, county, state and federal governments need people to serve and protect their communities, patrol their streets, solve crimes, and bring perpetrators of those crimes to justice. Our communities also need skilled, intelligent, quick-thinking, and compassionate individuals to help rehabilitate those who have been incarcerated. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 7% growth in law enforcement positions and a 5% growth in correctional officer positions by the year 2020. While municipal, county, and state law enforcement positions require an associate’s degree, most advanced positions at the municipal, county, and state level, and all positions at the federal level, require at minimum, a bachelor’s degree. The CREC Civic Leadership High School’s rigorous, college-ready core curriculum prepares students to attend the college of their choice, while area-specific training prepares students to meet the unique requirements of these rewarding professions.

As students matriculate to the upper grades, they can elect to take specialized courses to prepare students for post-secondary education and a career in their chosen field within law enforcement.

Specialized Courses

Students have the option to take a forensic science course in the brand new, state-of-the-art forensic science laboratory, which teaches them how evidence at various crime scenes is analyzed. Students analyze fingerprints, learn about DNA evidence, analyze blood and fluid splatter, trace bullet trajectory, and learn how law enforcement officers and crime scene investigators reconstruct motor vehicle accidents to determine potential criminality at play.

Students take courses in psychology and sociology, which help them to understand the workings of the criminal mind, as well as the interactions between the many people and groups that make up society and its subcultures. Students also learn the intricacies of Constitutional Law and how the United States Constitution is a living document, which protects both the rights of American citizens and the integrity of the criminal justice process. In addition, students take courses to build their leadership capacity, as leadership is one of the most important traits of a law enforcement officer.

Students have the opportunity to earn three college credits and learn about the American criminal justice system by participating in a college-level criminal justice course offered in conjunction with the University of New Haven, one of the leading criminal justice programs in New England. In this course, students participate in a mock trial in the state-of-the-art mock courtroom at the CREC Civic Leadership High School.

Students have the opportunity to complete coursework to receive their certification as an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), a requirement for all law enforcement officers in the State of Connecticut.

CREC Civic Leadership High School

Explore Careers in Civic Leadership

CREC Civic Leadership High School