Colorado Tech Online Students and Alumni
Meet Anthony D'Angelo
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
After many years in law enforcement with the New York City Police Department, Anthony D'Angelo decided it was in his best interest to continue his education. "After serving 20 years on the police force we have the option of retiring. To advance in the Police Department or for any other occupation I might wish to pursue in the future, whether it is in the private sector or another government job, I know I will need a college degree. Being that I'm currently in law enforcement, I felt a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice was the best way to go."
Being married with five children and in a busy career with ever-changing work hours, Anthony's time was really limited. He needed a university that was flexible and where he could work at his own pace. He found that Colorado Tech Online fit perfectly with his needs. "I chose Colorado Technical University because it is an accredited university (Colorado Technical University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Administration. For more information, visit the NCA Higher Learning Commission web site). It was also important to me that they've been around since 1964 and have brick and mortar campuses too. I took a tour of the Virtual Campus on the website and I was extremely impressed!"
Anthony chose to earn a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree based on his current career experience in law enforcement. The many classes he had taken through the police department over his career were recognized in New York State as college credits. He was able to transfer some of those college credits to Colorado Technical University. He also took three challenge exams which helped him to earn transfer credits from his law enforcement experience.
Anthony found that the courses through Colorado Tech Online exceeded his expectations. "The work was tough but the format really fit my needs well. There were many times I was away from a computer for two or three days because of my job, and I was able to visit the archives and catch up at any time of the day or night and follow along with the courses. I found that to be very helpful and I found the classes to be great." Anthony continued to be motivated because the instructors understood his unconventional work schedule and made it work within the parameters of the online courses. Most of his class work was done on his days off or after work hours. "Online learning was the only way I could have attended a university to earn my degree."
Currently, Anthony is a First Grade Detective with the NYPD with experience in specialized units for robbery investigations, gang investigations, narcotics, and high profile murder cases. "The knowledge I gained from my criminal justice courses through Colorado Tech Online helped me in criminal investigations and arrests. Certain courses also reinforced topics I learned back in the police academy in my early years such as criminal law, rights and amendments. You do your job everyday and know what you are doing, but it's always nice to have the knowledge reinforced from a reliable source." According to Anthony, "the area of corrections was very enlightening to me. I know what happens prior to arresting someone; I know what happens when I arrest someone; but I don't always know what happens after the arrest. The coursework in corrections made all this crystal clear for me."
Anthony was also impressed that many of the Colorado Tech Online criminal justice instructors had extensive law enforcement experience and backgrounds and continually drew from their personal and professional experiences. "This really added emphasis to the coursework and they were able to make things very clear for even the non-experienced student in criminal justice."
With approximately 10 months left before he is eligible to retire from the NYPD, Anthony knows there may be many opportunities for him out in the private sector. He would like to stay in the field of criminal justice possibly working in security administration, investigative or loss prevention or in a public safety capacity with a university or large corporation. He's also looking into other options such as working for a local District Attorney's office as a criminal investigator. "Nothing is set in stone at this point. I will start to look around for opportunities this coming summer." Anthony will be eligible to retire from the police force in January of 2008. With his criminal justice degree and his police and detective experience from the last 19 years, he's fully armed to pursue all of the opportunities that await him.
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