Police Officer Requirements

In his article "Lack of Skills Leads to Violence", James J. Fyfe states that with "training...more comparable to that provided social workers, schoolteachers, psychologists and lawyers", police would become more adept at preventing violence. I believe this to be true, yet I think that many police departments confuse quantity with quality, and divert funding to the wrong places in an effort to better themselves. Training needs to be at the forefront of any reform. A police force that is educated and experienced, with knowledge of the community will be much more successful at preventing violence.

Police officers have played a major role in society by protecting us from crime. Their responsibilities include not only preserving the peace, preventing criminal acts, enforcing the law, investigating crimes, and arresting those who violate the law but also directing traffic, community relations work, and controlling crowds at public events.

In order to become a police officer, individuals have to be twenty-years of age, a United States citizen, have basic law enforcement training, mental evaluation, physical evaluation and no crimes committed. This article compares to the next article listed below because it provides background information and insight into how to become a police officer and the training they must acquire. The article helps me understand a basic component of my essay, which is the training police officers receive.

     The curriculum that is devised for a police officer is very important to the police officer and his or her success in their chosen career path. An officer’s training is also very important to the community in which they serve and the department in which they work. An officer must receive training in a variety of fields to help them be a well-rounded police officer. Officers receive training in such areas as: law, community relations, firearms, vehicle driving, search and seizure, and cultural awareness. The basic curriculum that is offered to a new recruit is focused on giving the recruit the best overall training that will give him or her the tools necessary to become the

A growing number of entry-level criminal justice practitioners have college degrees. This paper will explore whether or not law enforcement agencies should require applicants to have a post secondary degree as a condition of employment and will college-educated police officers will be resistant to organizational change.

Prior to the creation of the formal police academy, officers were taught using various methods that were not always effective or conducive to the work required of an officer. As a result, ill-equipped officers flooded the streets of nineteenth-century America, often unable to perform the primary duty of their job: protecting the public. The United States, inspired by England and other countries with better-developed public safety systems, desperately needed a method of ensuring safety for its people. The creation and evolution of the police academy defined what being a police officer entailed by teaching officers what is expected of them, not only job-requirement wise, but also morally and ethically. The Police Academy prepares an

Jessie, I really enjoyed your post as I have been a police officer for 18 years and it directly relates to my job. Yes, police departments across the country must strive to make their departments more diverse, especially with the rising Hispanic population. One main hindrance to this goal is the fact that many cities are doing away with pension programs and starting hybrid or 401K retirement plans. At my agency, the Knoxville Police Department, we are having problems getting any race to apply because of the new hybrid system. I would recommend offering ride-a-long and cadet programs to attract more minorities to the field. As far as keeping arrest numbers equal to the makeup of the population, there is no way to make this happen

Having had the opportunity to see both sides of the argument play out in the City of Memphis and as a member of the Memphis Police Department. I have become an advocate for requiring entry-level police officers to have at the very minimum an associate degree or the equivalent college credits. The college requirement can only be avoided with military experience. However, my position is not that more education makes you a better police officer or less education makes you a lousy officer. I believe that there should be a “happy medium” when it comes to police work. A good officer will be empathic, fair and in tune with the needs of the community and its members. Requiring a level of education for your entry-level officers speaks volumes about your agency and their dedication to professionalism. The benefits of having a college educated officer have shown to make a difference in the way they do their jobs. An educated police officer is less likely to utilize force when interacting with his co-workers or civilians. A department with educated officers also has shown to see a reduction in misconduct and disciplinary issues(Gómez-Mejía et al., 2016). Some years back the Memphis Police Department had relaxed their

I always knew that I wanted to become a police officer, so I decided to interview a Police Captain. I interviewed Police Captain John Carpenter of Riverside Police Department. I found him through Riverside Police Department after looking around at the organizational chart I found online and looking at the titles that were on the chart. The Police Captain is one rank above a Lieutenant, but one below a Deputy Chief. A Police Captain is in charge of a certain precinct, and normally has his/her own division. Captain Carpenter is currently in charge of investigations, such as gangs, narcotics, vice, and intelligence units.

Many states and correctional facilities prefer or require officers to have post-secondary training and psychology, criminology or related read of study. Some states require applicants to have one or two years of previous experience in corrections or related police work. Military experience or related work experience is also required by some state governments. On federal level, applicants should have at least two years of college or two years of military experience. (Unites States)

Police officers attend academy for a designated period of time. Every state is different some states require that classes to be taken at a community college, while other states require that training is taken at a local academy. While in the academy police officer are trained to protect and serve the citizens within the community. There are physical and educational courses that are taken to prepare officers to handle crimes that may happen at any given time. Some of the courses include: report writing, patrol procedures, investigations, traffic accident investigation, defensive tactics, use of force, nonlethal weapons, criminal and constitutional law and juvenile justice law/procedures. While in the academy training courses are offered to prepare academy students emotionally, physically, and mentally to handle themselves professionally on the scene of a crime. Training does not end with the academy, officers are required to complete continuing education hours yearly to stay current with training.

In order to create more diversity on the force with the applicant pool, there are a few different approaches or techniques that I would follow through with. The first would be to bring officers of color and female officers to job fairs and recruitment events. With the view of most Police Officers being negative in today's world, I think that bringing diverse officers to these events shows that this job is one that is made available to all who strive for it. Regardless of skin color or gender. When students or young people have the opportunity to see that they can in fact relate to people working in this field and that they are welcome there, it creates bridges and opportunities to create a better world of policing. This also opens up the opportunity for students or people who are considering this line of work, the chance to ask important questions. They can ask the officer of color or

To become a Police Officer, one is only required a high school diploma. Chaney and I acknowledge that the lack of education, but that does not justify police brutality and their actions, at least it shouldn't. Should the well-being of a society suffer because a police officer is uneducated? Many may argue that police officers should be cut some slack because they are people too. But, that is not a good enough argument because before someone can call themselves a police officer, they must be trained on how to handle stressful situations. Chaney does a good way of saying it by stating that even though "criminals are also people" like everybody else, that doesn’t stop the law from "[punishing them] for their crimes" and wrong doings. If you follow the argument that police officers are also people, then they also need to get punished for their crime. In her article, Chaney acknowledges that "it’s a tough [and] dangerous job" but she claims it as a false argument because there are many "jobs [that] are tough and dangerous" besides the job of being a police officer. Just because a job is both dangerous and tough, it doesn't justify anyone to "violate... their authority" and be able to get away with it.

How you become an officer is by obtaining the Necessary Education. A high school diploma or a GED is typically the minimum level of education needed to become a police officer, Submit an Application to a Police Department, ,Graduate from a Police Academy Training Program, Actively Work to Obtain Promotions. A police officer, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the common duties of a police officer include patrolling designated areas, enforcing laws, answering calls for help, arresting individuals suspected of committing crimes, issuing citations, testifying in court and conducting traffic stops. Every Officer has to take an oath before beginning their career in law enforcement to set a good structure of what they are there to do.

- Cops must complete a two year degree before they can be a certified officer.