Student Internships

The Purdue University Police Department is dedicated to the development of future candidates in the field of law enforcement. The department maintains a competitive internship program in which one intern is selected per semester. The fall semester internship is reserved for an Ivy Tech Community College student in the Criminal Justice Program. The spring internship is reserved for a Purdue University student studying Law and Society or a related major.

Interested individuals should submit a letter of intent and résumé two months prior to the beginning of the fall or spring semester. These letters should be submitted to Lt. Ryan Edwards rjedwards@purdue.edu. The process for our candidates will include an interview and criminal history/character background investigation.

The selected interns will be required to complete a 120-hour curriculum. In the event that the student is receiving course credit, these hours will be adjusted to mirror their academic course requirements. The interns will view all aspects of work that police officers at the Purdue University Police Department are involved with and maintain a weekly journal of their observations and reflections.

Interns will observe daily operations of our police department, the Purdue University Fire Department, the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Department Jail Division and the Tippecanoe County Prosecutor's Office. In doing so, they will gain experience with patrolling, investigations, fire rescues, medical services, the arrest process and the court system.

Our dedication in mentoring future members of law enforcement is an integral part of our community policing philosophy.