As part of their Criminal Justice Month recognition, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) named the Penn State Harrisburg criminal justice program, Program of the Year. The program was recognized for its March 2017 events to recognize National Criminal Justice Month.
The Penn State Harrisburg chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma organized the “Tactical Teddy Bear Drive,” for Middletown Borough Police Department. The group collected over 100 stuffed animals from January through March to donate to the police department to distribute to children officers meet while on call in an effort to enhance police-community relations.
The Criminal Justice Club hosted the MEGGITT Firearms Training Systems (FATS), a shooting simulation system that allows participants to explore what kind of force (if any) they would use in a variety of police calls for service.
They also hosted a college-wide bus trip to the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC, engaging participants in an historical look at U.S. espionage and an interactive spy experience. The club also invited Detective Sergeant Lisa Layden, of the Southwestern Regional Police Department, to Penn State Harrisburg to talk to students about issues in policing.
In 2009, the United States Congress established March as National Criminal Justice Month. The purpose of National Criminal Justice Month is to promote societal awareness regarding the causes and consequences of crime, as well as strategies for preventing and responding to crime.