CPaCE News

PHOTO: CSULB grad Mikaila Pacis from the Crime & Intelligence Analysis program.

Three years ago, when the Anaheim Police Department showed up at CSULB’s Center for Criminal Justice, they weren’t seeking criminals—just some qualified interns for hire. Rather than traditional police academy recruits, law enforcement agencies in Anaheim and many other cities have been looking for employees skilled in the rapidly growing technology and techniques of crime analysis, where hard science and data-driven decisions are transforming the behind-the-scenes work of modern crime fighters.

“A lot of people want to serve their community, but don’t want to carry a gun,” said Ron Mark, Director of the CJ Center.

A CSULB alum, Ron spent more than 30 years working in law enforcement before becoming a professor at his alma mater. He was already overseeing the popular Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) program when he recognized the need to develop something else to bridge the gap between academics and real-life experience, and qualify graduates for jobs in California’s growing field of crime analysis.

The result was the creation of the new Crime and Intelligence Analysis (CIA) certificate program. Taking notes from the International Association of Crime Analysts’ recommendations on how universities could incorporate specialized training into their curricula, Ron called Kim Swobodzinski, a longtime CJ Center colleague who helped design the CSI program, and is a Master Instructor for the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Together with a group of expert instructors who work at a range of Southern California police departments and federal agencies, they designed the CIA program as the culmination of the skills and knowledge needed to become entry-level professionals in the field.

“The academic side makes them critical thinkers, and the practical side shows them how systems work and how to get jobs,” said Ron. 

PHOTO: Ron Mark, director of the CJ Center at CSULB.

Launched in Spring 2022, the first cohort of 12 students recently graduated and are now starting careers statewide. Students learn the basics of crime analysis, and can later decide on multiple areas of specialization in the public or private sector—from district attorney and probation offices to courts and security firms.

As a retired police Captain, Ron has an insider’s knowledge of what these new graduates will face in the workforce: a rigorous interview process, stressful investigation situations, and a variety of technical and ethical questions. In addition to the main concerns of crime and public safety, he ensures that the CIA program also provides soft skills in day-to-day responsibilities like budgeting and money management, filing documents, and maintaining professional connections.

“It’s a small community,” said Ron of California’s law enforcement network. “Everybody knows each other, and that helps place students for jobs.”

“Throughout the program, the instructors mentioned current job opportunities or possible future openings, which is great intel for us students,” said recent graduate Christina Pisano, who earned her CIA certificate in June. “The program gave me the skills needed to get through the hiring process.”

Christina initially chose to enroll in the Crime and Intelligence Analysis program specifically because it was brand new and provided state-of-the-art training. It also offered a flexible hybrid schedule, so she could attend classes while working a full-time job as a Property and Evidence Specialist for an Orange County police department. Her position entails managing police equipment as well as cataloging, storing, and maintaining the chain of custody for all incoming evidence.  

Christina’s classmate, Mikaila Pacis, also benefited from the program’s mix of online and in-person meetings on evenings and Saturdays, while still retaining the bonding experience of a close-knit cohort format.

“I liked when our instructors gave us something to work on, and within a few minutes, everyone in the class would move their chairs together to help each other,” said Mikaila, who had previously earned her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from CSULB in 2021. “I loved working with my classmates in a collaborative environment.”  

Over the course of the program, Mikaila learned to use computer software such as ArcGIS Pro, which she applied to crime analysis projects. Soon after, she was able to create a portfolio to enhance her job prospects.

“Now, I not only know how to use some software that is common in this industry, but I can show tangible examples of my work,” she said.  

That preparation, along with new colleagues she met on campus, led directly to an internship with the Crime Analysis Unit at the Anaheim Police Department.

“In the future, I plan on continuing my career in the crime analysis field, whether it be at the local, state or federal level,” Mikaila continued. “I am very grateful for the opportunities that I have available to me because of my time at CSULB.”  

Click here to learn more about CSULB’s Crime and Intelligence Analysis certificate program.