Rising Senior, Marlee Mirisola (Psychology major) completed an internship during the Spring 2023 semester with the Portsmouth Police Department. Read on to learn about her experience!
What was your internship? I was a student intern with the detective unit at Portsmouth Police Department in Portsmouth, RI
Why were you initially interested in this internship? I was interested in this internship to gain experience working in the criminal justice field and to see what opportunities are available.
How did you find your internship? I found this internship posted on Handshake
What did you do as part of your internship? During my internship, I helped the detectives complete paperwork and small tasks around the office. I also got the opportunity to accompany a detective to court multiple times where I got to observe arraignments and how to get warrants signed and approved. I was able to go on several ride-alongs with police officers to learn all about the patrolling division.
Has this internship helped you work towards your future career goals? If so, how? I want to pursue a career in forensic psychology, so this internship has helped me work towards my future career goals because I was able to gain experience working with law enforcement to investigate crimes and assess the law. Gaining experience from observing in court, helped me understand how the legal process works in real life, compared to learning about it in class.
What was your biggest lesson/takeaway from the internship? My biggest takeaway from participating as an intern at a police department was getting to experience first hand how important law enforcement is for any aspect of the community. I understood that everyone involved plays such an important role. This inspired me for my future career goals and made me eager to help people in my community.
What advice would you give to someone interested in a similar internship opportunity? Starting an internship at a new place can be intimidating when you are inexperienced and currently taking classes as a student. The advice I would give someone interested in a similar internship is to not be scared to start new opportunities because everyone is welcoming and wants to see you grow, learn, and progress in your future career goals.
Want to share your experiences during an internship? Email Kevin (kdeeb@rwu.edu) in the CCPD to learn more about sharing with us!
