In September, 1941, Dr. V.A. Leonard was asked by the president of Washington State University if he would accept the directorship of a Police Science Academic Program at Washington State. Dr. Leonard accepted the offer and became responsible for developing a four year curriculum which would lead to a Bachelor's Degree in Police Administration.

Upon his arrival at Washington State, Dr. Leonard began to realize how important it was that a Police Science Honorary be established. The purpose of this honorary would be to promote excellence in scholarship and performance. In January, 1942, Dr. Leonard met with seventeen Police Science majors at Washington state and Alpha Phi Sigma was established. Glenn Hill was elected as the first president and appointed a committee to draft the first Constitution and By-laws.

During its initial years Alpha Phi Sigma experienced only limited growth, but on march 24, 1976 in Dallas, Texas, the Executive Board of the Academy of Criminal justice sciences voted unanimously to designate Alpha Phi Sigma as the National Criminal Justice Honor Society. At this time, Alpha Phi Sigma had only fourteen chapters; however, since then, Alpha Phi Sigma has continued to grow and prosper at a very rapid rate and there are now over one-hundred and forty Chapters.

In 1981, Alpha Phi Sigma was admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies as an associate member. Over the years the National Office has been located at Universities across the country, such as, Washington State, Midwestern state University, Eastern Kentucky, Texas Woman's University, Fairmont State, Marshall University, Tarlenton State, and currently at Florida International University.

At the 1976 meeting of the Academy of Criminal justice Science in Dallas, Texas, the Academy recognized Alpha Phi Sigma as the Criminal Justice Honor Society. Since 1978, Alpha Phi Sigma has held its national convention in conjunction with the annual ACJS meeting. The Academy's continued support of Alpha Phi Sigma serves to enhance Alpha Phi sigma's purpose - the recognition of scholarly achievement in the field of criminal justice.

The National Convention can be a valuable experience in its own right. There you will get to meet with fellow APS members from across the nation. Since APS holds its National Convention in conjunction with the Academy of Criminal Justice sciences Convention, there is also the opportunity to meet professionals in the field. Valuable information can be gained from the many lectures given, as well as possible graduate programs of interest There is also a chance to make valuable contacts which may prove to be beneficial in the future.

Membership in Alpha Phi Sigma entitles you to receive our bi-annual newsletter, THE DOCKET, which contains information on the National Organization and the Criminal Justice field. Members will also receive a membership certificate, pin and card.

APS sponsors an Annual Call for Papers competition in which students present papers pertaining to the criminal justice field. These papers are judged and awards are presented at the National Convention. Cash prizes will be awarded to the best undergraduate and graduate papers.

The V.A. Leonard Scholarship Fund provides eligible students with the opportunity of receiving financial assistance in the form of $500 in cash. Applicants must apply through the National Office for the scholarship money.

For anyone interested in a career in Federal Law Enforcement, APS can provide an unrivaled experience. APS is guaranteed positions for internships at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia.

Local Alpha Phi Sigma chapters can be as fulfilling experience as its members decide it to be. The chapter can be a forum for guest speakers, organize trips, tour facilities, and become involved in community service projects. Some examples are recent tours to state prisons, K-9 training facilities, crime labs, and our ever present need for fund raising.

We hope that we have provided you with enough information for you to consider the opportunity that you have. Alpha Phi Sigma is a highly respected organization which is growing very quickly. We hope that with the expanded growth of the organization, we can take Alpha Phi Sigma to a higher level. Your involvement can help make this possible. Any question you may encounter can be directed to the National Secretariat Office listed below. Thank you for taking the time to review this opportunity.

ALPHA PHI SIGMA, The National Criminal Justice Honor Society, invites you to join the thousands of prominent people who have become members of this established honorary. Today, Alpha Phi Sigma (APS) has over 170 chapters. Each chapter is made up of people, like yourself who share with us the commitment to learning and improving the criminal justice field.

If you would like to welcome on your campus an opportunity to compliment your criminal justice education program, APS invites you to consider the establishment of a Criminal Justice Honor Society Chapter.

Alpha Phi Sigma is the nationally recognized honor society for students in the criminal justice science. The society recognizes academic excellence by undergraduate, as well as graduate students of criminal justice.

To become a member, the student must have completed one-third of the total hours require for graduation at his or her institution. The student must be recommended by the local chapter advisor or faculty member. Undergraduates must maintain a 3.0 overall GPA and a 3.2 GPA in their criminal justice courses. The student must also rank in the top 35% of their class and have completed a minimum of 4 courses within the criminal justice curriculum. The honorary is open to students with a declared criminal justice major or minor. Graduate students are required to maintain a 3.4 CPA in all courses.

The first thought most of us have when we hear Honor Society" is that it would be a great resume builder. Although this is true, APS has much more to offer to its members. APS offers leadership and group organizational experience to those students interested in doing a little more. Each local chapter contains four elected officer positions ( President, Vice-President Secretary, and Treasurer). The National Officers are elected annually at the National Convention. These positions are open to nomination of active members,

Alpha Phi Sigma was admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies in 1980.

The Association of College Honor Societies was organized October 2, 1925, by a group of college and university teachers, administrators, and representatives of a few well established honor societies. Its object was then and is now to consider problems of mutual interest such as those arising from the confusion prevailing on college campuses concerning the character, function, standards of membership, multiplicity, and undesirable duplication of honor societies; to recommend action leading to appropriate classification or elimination; arid to promote the highest interest of honor societies.

This movement, started by Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, and Omega Alpha, has grown through the years to bring about greater responsibility and usefulness among college honor societies. The growth of the honor society idea since 1900 has been rapid and varied. Many groups are of local significance only, while a number have expanded to other colleges and universities and seek to be recognized as national in scope. Their multiplicity, and in many cases their duplication, low standards, and competition, present a burdensome problem to students, faculty members and administrators, and to college life generally. It was with this situation in view that the Association of College Honor Societies was organized.

There were six initial honor societies in the ACHS: Phi Beta Kappa, in Liberal Arts; Sigma Xi, in Scientific Research; Tau Beta Phi, in Engineering; Phi Kappa Phi in all academic fields of university scope; Alpha Omega Alpha, in Medicine; and the Order of the Coil, in Law.

Provision was made for responsibility to be lodged in the Council which consists of an official representative of each member society. Provision was made also for meetings, admission of other societies found to have proper qualifications, for admission fees and annual dues, and for need studies, reports and recommendations.

The problem faced by higher education and by the ACHS of developing and maintaining high standards in college honor societies covers the whole college field and all categories of Greek Letter Organizations Individual associations and conferences in the general social and professional fields are also studying ways and means of improving conditions.

Educational associations and councils are cooperating. While progress was slow and difficult at times during the early history of ACHS, great progress has been made since 1945 by joint action of college administrators and faculty members and representatives of the major societies and fraternities and their respective associations. The real solution of the problem requires such a cooperative combination of forces.

The objective of the ACHS now is to encourage all general and specialized honor societies to join forces for the establishment and maintenance of desirable standards and useful functions in higher education and for he achievement of appropriate recognition of member societies of the Council of ACHS. To this end, the ACHS invites qualified societies to affiliate with it. Societies which do not meet the standards will be helped in every way possible to come up to them. Special attention is called to the Constitution and the By-laws of the ACHS and to their statements of definitions , standards and requirements for membership and functions of honor societies.

Progress toward achieving the present objective of the ACHS is found in two specific developments. The first of these is that two established sources of information concerning Greek Letter Organizations. ( The World Almanac and Baird's Manual ) have sought and gained editorial assistance in the problem of classifying the numerous societies which are in existence, and have accepted the distinctions as the basis for classification. this extension of common categories is an instance of cooperation toward the goal of maintaining standards for honor societies.

The second development is closely related to the question of honor society standards. Membership in a national honorary society meets one of the requirements for entrance at the GS-7 level in numerous professional and technical occupations in the Federal Service. However, applicants must meet all of the requirements as described in the particular Federal Job Announcement covering the positions for which the apply."

This affords a very tangible acknowledgment that organizations maintaining honor society standards merit distinction.

The job is not completed, but these are signs of achievement.

Source: Booklet of information, Association of College Honor Societies, 1980-81.