The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion.
At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Friday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Friday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation.
The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each unit.
You are the special teams commander in a major metropolitan police agency. You have a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, a narcotics unit, a vice unit, and a street crimes squad. You have heard that the street crime squad is starting to have a growing number of complaints of citizen abuse in terms of physical intimidation and claims of missing funds and property. You start by interviewing the newest member of the team, who has only been in the team for 4 months.
He is a great police officer who came from the detective bureau to work the street crime unit. In the interview, he related that several members of the nine-person team were heavy-handed with suspects. He also related that after a month on the team, he received an envelope in his locker that contained $3,000. He does not know who slipped it through the vent slots in the door, but on that day, he saw two other members of the team with similar envelopes.
Assignment Guidelines
In 5–6 paragraphs, address the following:
What are 2 potential problems that are occurring in this team?
Can these problems be attributed to stress caused by high-stakes, traumatic events? Why or why not? Explain.
How do you think this situation could have progressed to this extreme? Explain.
Are interpersonal reactions among police different from those of regular citizens regarding high-stakes, traumatic events? Why or why not? Explain in detail.
Post a new topic to the Discussion Board that contains your responses to the above questions.
Comment on at least 2 other students’ posts.
