Photo by Tessa Oman.
This photo was taken at Skagit Valley College of current members of the club: Karanjot Singh (Treasurer), Jake Peterson (President), Daniel McGuire (Secretary), Hannah Pendergrass (Communications Officer), Grace Oates (club member), and Alex Stallings (Vice President).
The Criminal Justice Club is providing students with a taste of the law enforcement world. Their mission is to “reach and connect with individuals interested in a career in or around the criminal justice field. [They] will work endlessly to form connections with people and set them up with various opportunities to assist with their journey and find ways to help them achieve their career goals through education, experience and exposure.”
This club is open to anyone who wants to join. They regularly have guest speakers including the Skagit County Coroner, Chief Tucker from Sedro Woolley and Chief Dodd from Mount Vernon. “The speakers are really cool. They show you certain sides of the profession that you wouldn’t normally get to see from the outside,” says Grace Oates, a member of the CJ Club.
The club also provides an environment to meet people with similar interests. Jake Peterson, the club President, said “coming to school at my age, I didn’t really know anyone but now I have a good group of friends that I met through the club.”
You will find a wonderful group of welcoming, adventurous people in this club. Some are just looking to learn more about the criminal justice world while others are pursuing a serious career. The club allows you to make connections with people who will help you further your career in law enforcement and may even be your future employers. As the president says, having been in the club shows good teamwork, dedication to the profession and dedication to school.”
Members of the club are given the exciting opportunity to act as role players͟ in field training for new law enforcement cadets. Some acting “he current members have participated in thus far include active shooter training and different traffic stop scenarios.
Whether you’re just interested or seeking a professional career in law enforcement, this club provides a wide range of opportunities worth taking advantage of. Their regular meeting times are Tuesdays at 12:20 p.m. in Roberts Hall, Room T31. For more information, contact the club president, Jake Peterson at [email protected].
