SHARON, Pa. — Jillian Dunleavy, a senior criminal justice major with a psychology minor, spent the fall 2025 semester as an intern with the Hermitage Police Department.
In this Q&A, Jillian shares her duties and responsibilities at the department, and discusses how this internship experience prepared her for her future career goals.
Begin Q&A:
Q: How did your internship experience with the Hermitage Police Department come about?
A: I met Chief Adam Piccirillo through a class on campus and was interested in what was offered there. He talked about internships and said that he can put you in whatever department you are interested in. This piqued my interest because I’m not sure what I want to do for sure yet, so I wanted to get a taste of everything.
Q: What roles are you fulfilling as part of your internship experience?
A: As an intern at a police department, I do ride alongs with officers to calls and work traffic detail with them. I have worked alongside the detectives in blood splatter analysis, fingerprint pulling and got to view crime scene photos. I also got to go to sniper training with the SIRT, and had the opportunity to go on a drug bust with the SIRT. I had the privilege of seeing the entire process from getting into custody, court proceedings, and then taking them to jail. I also got a tour of the jail. I’ve been able to do so many things in all different parts of the field.
Q: What classroom experiences at Shenango prepared you for your roles at this internship?
A: I’ve had multiple criminal justice classes that have prepared me with learning procedures and some rules of engagement. I also took a forensics class online that taught me blood splatter analysis.
Q: What are the key lessons you’ve learned during your internship experience?
A: I’ve learned a lot at this internship. I learned how to pull bloody fingerprints and dust for prints. I learned that “blood talks” and can indicate direction that can help you solve cases. I’ve improved my shooting skills with rifles and hand guns. I also learned about individual officers and how each of them do things differently. I’ve learned the programs that the officers use to look people up as well as license plates, and I was able to see how traffic is controlled through things like speed traps.
Q: What career(s) are you interested in after graduation, and has your internship experience helped you towards reaching those goals?
A: I’m interested in going into the FBI, I’ve talked to several people at the station who have given me wisdom on how to go about things. I’d like to commission active-duty military (I’m in reserves now), and during that time I’d pursue my master's degree in psychology. Once I complete four years I’d like to go to the FBI.
