It takes a special person to choose a career where they put themselves in potentially dangerous situations every day, but that is exactly what we ask of someone who becomes a police officer. Beyond the calling to “serve and protect,” however, it takes special training to prepare someone to take on the challenges of being in law enforcement.
What kind of education is needed to be a cop?
Rasmussen College features on their website an article entitled “How to Become a Police Officer: Your Step-by-Step Guide” by Brianna Flavin, a content writer for Collegis Education, that breaks down what training it takes to become a cop.
According to the article, before an aspiring police officer even applies to the academy, they need to consider their credit and criminal history. “Your credit history may be analyzed because it gives potential employers an idea of your level of responsibility and potential problems like gambling-related debts,” the article reads, adding that other points that might be taken into consideration are “employment, residency and academic records.”
Unfortunately, this question varies from state to state, according to the article: “Many states do not require their officers to be college-educated, even if they may prefer it. Some states, like Minnesota, do require an Associate’s degree or equivalent training to be eligible.” In addition, the article says that Mike Shetler, the former police officer and CEO of Shetler Security International, says a bachelor’s degree is “ideal.”
In addition to training, officers must pass the Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) exam in order to be licensed as a police office.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ website lists the mean annual wage for “Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers” as $65,400 and the mean hourly wage as $31.44 (https://www.bls.gov/oes/2018/may/oes333051.htm)
Flavin’s article on Rasmussen College’s website explains that there are two possible routes to becoming a police officer: “Complete training by earning a two- or four-year degree in Criminal Justice or similar field from a Peace Officer Standings and Training (POST)-certified college or university, or Completing training through a government-approved police academy or training program.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ website’s Occupational Outlook Handbook (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/police-and-detectives.htm#tab-2), police and detectives’ duties are as follows:
~ Respond to emergency and nonemergency calls
~ Patrol assigned areas
~ Conduct traffic stops and issue citations
~ Search for vehicle records and warrants using computers in the field
~ Obtain warrants and arrest suspects
~ Collect and secure evidence from crime scenes
~ Observe the activities of suspects
~ Write detailed reports and fill out forms
~ Prepare cases and testify in court
Flavin’s article on Rasmussen College’s website breaks down becoming a police officer to the following steps:
Background checks
Degree or academy training
Police licensing board
Psychological evaluation
Continuing education & career advancement
While every state has different requirements and some states require an associate degree or the equivalent in training, the article says that Mike Shetler, the former police officer and CEO of Shetler Security International, says a bachelor’s degree is “ideal” if you want to become a police officer.
To read the full article, visit https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/justice-studies/blog/how-to-become-a-police-officer/
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