HELPER Program
Learn from criminal justice practitioners about service-oriented careers in law enforcement and policing. In the Higher Education Law Enforcement/Police Education and Recruitment (HELPER) Program, students build their knowledge base from a variety of sources.
Online lectures delve into the evidence-based understanding of law enforcement and policing in the United States. In-class presentations provide a practitioner’s point of view from criminal justice professionals working at the local, state and federal levels.
Both perspectives emphasize the interpersonal and service-oriented nature of law enforcement/policing within the larger context of constitutional and evidence-based approaches to crime control.
Who Can Attend?
UWM students
UWM students may attend any session(s), or enroll in Criminal Justice 592 (undergraduate students) or Criminal Justice 970-002 (graduate students) to receive course credits.
High school students and community members
We welcome high school students and individuals from the community to attend any session(s) that interest them! Just let us know that you’ll be attending by filling out a registration form.
Featured Speakers
This course and program includes weekly presentations from executives and personnel working in local, state, and federal agencies, including:
- The FBI and DEA
- The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office
- Milwaukee Police Department, Madison Police Department, Marquette University Police Department, Oak Creek Police Department, Wauwatosa Police Department, UW-Milwaukee Police Department
- Dane County Emergency Management
- Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission
- Safe & Sound
2025 Schedule
HELPER program sessions are held on Tuesday nights during the Fall 2025 semester in Merrill Hall Room 131.
| Date | Speaker | Topic | Time |
| Introduction Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025 | Introduction: Associate Professor Hassell; FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Hensle | Interpersonal and Service-Oriented Nature of Law Enforcement and Policing | 5:30 to 8:15 p.m. |
| Session 1 Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025 | Milwaukee Police Department Chief Norman | Evolution and Role of Police and Law Enforcement in a Democratic Society | 5:30 to 8:15 p.m. |
| Session 2 Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025 | Marquette University Police Department Chief Hudson; Safe & Sound Executive Director Whitaker | Legitimacy, Procedural Justice, and Police-Community Relations | 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. |
| Session 3 Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025 | Milwaukee Police Department Assistant Chief Walder; Shorewood Police Department Chief Wurth | Police Culture, Hypermasculinity, Stereotypes, and Women in Law Enforcement/Policing | 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. |
| Session 4 Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025 | Milwaukee Police Department Captain Leitzke; Wauwatosa Police Department Chief MacGillis | Police-Citizen Interactions, Proactive Activities, and Implicit Biases | 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. |
| No session Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 | |||
| Session 5 Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025 | Milwaukee Police Department Office of Community Outreach and Engagement; Training Academy | Use of Force, De-escalation, and Situational Awareness | 5:30 to 8:15 p.m. |
| Session 6 Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 | Milwaukee Police Department’s Crisis Assessment Response Team (CART) Officers and Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division CART Clinicians | Crisis Intervention and Interactions with People with Emotional Disturbances and Mental Illness | 5:30 to 8:15 p.m. |
| Session 7 Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025 | Oak Creek Police Department Chief Stecker; Milwaukee Police Department Assistant Chief Waldner | Officer Wellbeing: Physical, Emotional, and Mental Fitness and Health | 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. |
| Session 8 Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025 | Dane County Emergency Management Director Tubbs | Demonstrations and Protests – First Amendment and Expressive Activities | 5:30 to 8:15 p.m. |
| No session Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 | |||
| Session 9 Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025 | Milwaukee County District Attorney Kent Lovern | Prosecuting Criminal Cases | 5:30 to 8:15 p.m. |
| Session 10 Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025 | WI Drug Enforcement Administration ASAC McGarry; Wauwatosa Police Department Chief MacGillis | Inter-Agency Collaborations/Task Forces, Collaborative Problem-Solving, and Evidence-Based Crime Control | 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. |
| Session 11 Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025 | Milwaukee Fire and Police Commissioner Ruben Burgos (MPD Lt, retired) | The Role of and Need for Oversight and Accountability | 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. |
| Session 12 Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025 | UWM Police Department Chief Switala; Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission | Recruitment Processes, Eligibility Criteria, and Sworn and Nonsworn Careers in Policing and Law Enforcement | 6:45 to 8:15 p.m. |
| No session Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025 |