"To the degree that you can document your competency with direct relationship to the course standards (the Course Content Summaries), credit will be awarded" (PLACE manual, p. 42).
Sample Narrative of Competencies
(Appendix A, PLACE manual)
ADJ 228-Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs
Description of Experience
In 1987, while training to become a police officer, I attended and graduated from the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy.
After completing the police academy, I was assigned to work with a field training officer for twelve weeks.
After my assignment with a field training officer was completed, I was assigned to work a patrol beat in a high drug area of the city.
From 1988 to 1990, I was assigned to work with the Department's Street Crime Unit, which is a tactical unit designed to combat street level sales of narcotics and dangerous drugs. While assigned to the Street Crime Unit, I was required to become familiar with the Drug Control Act and the various federal and state laws that regulate the possession, distribution, and use of narcotics and dangerous drugs.
While assigned to the Street Crime Unit, I arrested over 200 people for violations of the following federal and state drug laws:
Possession of marijuana
Possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.
Possession of cocaine (both powder and base).
Possession with the intent to distribute cocaine
After completing the police academy, I was assigned to work with a field training officer for twelve weeks.
After my assignment with a field training officer was completed, I was assigned to work a patrol beat in a high drug area of the city.
From 1988 to 1990, I was assigned to work with the Department's Street Crime Unit, which is a tactical unit designed to combat street level sales of narcotics and dangerous drugs. While assigned to the Street Crime Unit, I was required to become familiar with the Drug Control Act and the various federal and state laws that regulate the possession, distribution, and use of narcotics and dangerous drugs.
While assigned to the Street Crime Unit, I arrested over 200 people for violations of the following federal and state drug laws:
Possession of marijuana
Possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.
Possession of cocaine (both powder and base).
Possession with the intent to distribute cocaine
Learning from Experience
While at the Northern Virginia Criminal Academy, I received formal training on narcotics and dangerous drugs. I was taught to identify the most commonly abused narcotics and dangerous drugs such as alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and phencyclidine. I gained a working knowledge of how these narcotics and dangerous drugs are abused in our society.
During this training I was also made aware of the extent of the drug abuse problem in the metropolitan area and throughout the nation. I learned that although some drugs are more commonly abused in specific economic groups, geographic areas, and/or cultures, abusers of narcotics and dangerous drugs can be found at all social and economic levels as well as in all areas of the country.
While assigned with the field training officer, I handled a drug call which involved crack cocaine and learned more about narcotics and dangerous drugs. I was taught how to properly handle calls for service that involved narcotics and dangerous drugs.
While patrolling in this area, I developed the ability to identify persons involved in narcotics transactions and made arrests for violations of federal and state laws that regulate the possession and distribution of narcotics and dangerous drugs.
I learned that various federal and state laws make it illegal to manufacture, distribute, possess, or use certain narcotics and dangerous drugs. I learned that the federal government places many narcotics and dangerous drugs (which are referred to as controlled substances) into categories called schedules. These controlled substances are placed into schedules based on their medical usefulness and addictive characteristics. The fewer medical uses and the more addictive the controlled substance, the higher the schedule in which it is placed. Schedule I is the highest and Schedule VI is the lowest. I became aware of these six schedules of controlled substances and one other category for tetra-hydracannabinol, which is the active chemical ingredient in marijuana and hashish.
The arrests that I made added to my knowledge of how narcotics and dangerous drugs are abused in the City of Alexandria and throughout the nation. I learned that the abuse of narcotics and dangerous drugs is a major problem in our society. This includes the abuse of alcohol, marijuana, narcotics, and other controlled substances (both legal and illegal) by people from all walks of life.
(continued in PLACE manual, Appendix A)
During this training I was also made aware of the extent of the drug abuse problem in the metropolitan area and throughout the nation. I learned that although some drugs are more commonly abused in specific economic groups, geographic areas, and/or cultures, abusers of narcotics and dangerous drugs can be found at all social and economic levels as well as in all areas of the country.
While assigned with the field training officer, I handled a drug call which involved crack cocaine and learned more about narcotics and dangerous drugs. I was taught how to properly handle calls for service that involved narcotics and dangerous drugs.
While patrolling in this area, I developed the ability to identify persons involved in narcotics transactions and made arrests for violations of federal and state laws that regulate the possession and distribution of narcotics and dangerous drugs.
I learned that various federal and state laws make it illegal to manufacture, distribute, possess, or use certain narcotics and dangerous drugs. I learned that the federal government places many narcotics and dangerous drugs (which are referred to as controlled substances) into categories called schedules. These controlled substances are placed into schedules based on their medical usefulness and addictive characteristics. The fewer medical uses and the more addictive the controlled substance, the higher the schedule in which it is placed. Schedule I is the highest and Schedule VI is the lowest. I became aware of these six schedules of controlled substances and one other category for tetra-hydracannabinol, which is the active chemical ingredient in marijuana and hashish.
The arrests that I made added to my knowledge of how narcotics and dangerous drugs are abused in the City of Alexandria and throughout the nation. I learned that the abuse of narcotics and dangerous drugs is a major problem in our society. This includes the abuse of alcohol, marijuana, narcotics, and other controlled substances (both legal and illegal) by people from all walks of life.
(continued in PLACE manual, Appendix A)
Documentation
(Link to appropriate documentation)
(Link to appropriate documentation)
(Link to appropriate documentation)
(Link to appropriate documentation)
(Link to appropriate documentation)