Lyndzi Bennett

11/24/2016
Criminal Justice
Education the Pathway for a Better Life
I believe that a degree should be a requirement for all law enforcement
officers prior to hiring. When an officer has received an education, it allows
an officer to be well rounded. An education can help train an individual how
to better handle themselves professionally and act appropriately in tough
situations. I think officers should have between 2-6 years of education
depending what type of officer they are seeking to be. An education will give
an officer the knowledge about laws and the court system. In addition,
education can provide more advancement opportunities and all together lead
to a better life for a police officer.
Education allows for an officer to be a sharp and intelligent individual. I
believe that when a person receives an education it allows the person to be
able to smooth some edges of themselves. It helps them to know more what
the job expects of you and if you can handle what is asked of you. An
education helps weed out those that arent seriously dedicated to the job.
The journal of criminal justice education says that degrees are valuable in
that they:

Improv[e] recruitment. The attainment of at least some level of

tertiary education is now seen as a very useful component in
recruitment. (Wilmshurst & Ransley. (2007) Pg. 106-122).

An officer who has had special training is more likely to be recruited because
they are more well-rounded.
When an individual receives correct career training it is very beneficial.
A college education is a part of that career training that is needed. When
being trained you are given stimulations to help you know how to act in
situations that will challenge you. An education is meant to prepare you for
what is ahead. In the journal Police Education, Experience, and the Use of
Force it says,
Experience sharpens the ability to read potential violence in an
encounter, and the experienced officer has learned when to relax and
when to attack. Bayley& Bittner (1997), pp. 114-137.
College can give you experiences to help you recognize situations and read
people. The process of receiving an education increases your discipline. It
teaches you techniques to remain calm and not over react. Sure you can get
experience when you are on the streets, but if you are prepared beforehand,
you need not to fear. Its like muscle memory the more you do it the more
you know how to react. The more you are trained to be a police the more you

will know what to do. The first day you are on the job will be easier and more
relaxing because of the education you received beforehand.
It is also reported that college-educated officers have been found to
have higher levels of citizen satisfaction ratings, as well as fewer citizen
complaints, compared to their less educated peers. (Cascio, W. F. (1977) 899).
This study shows that officers who are higher educated than their peers are
more valued by the community in which they work. Officers who are more
liked by a community are more likely to not only be retained by their
department, but to decrease the friction that so often exists between
communities and the officers that police them; thus improving efficiency and
decreasing costs. Education allows you to view more how others think, it
helps you relate to those you are working with more effectively. This is
important so you dont overstep boundaries or get yourself in a position with
a citizen that may compromise your job status.
From my own personal experience, I always feel nervous when an
officer is following me, it always eases my mind when they wave or dont act
intimidating. Yes, I believe that professionalism should always be remained
and fearing an officer isnt a bad thing. However, when an officer can relate
to me or make it shown they care about my safety I feel more comfortable
being in their presence. This is something a college education can help
someone with. When you are educated you have a higher capacity to

understand those around you. You see things from a different perspective
that can allow you to sympathize more. That is a very important part of
being involved in a community where you provide primary care of safety.
Growing up I was always taught that an education is one of the most
important things you can do for yourself. The more you learn the more you
understand. When you learn, your capabilities and talents develop. You can
be more of a service to another individual. A police officer who has gotten a
degree from a college wont just know only things about policing but other
important tools that can be applied to life. If an officer has a bachelor degree
in law enforcement and say a minor in psychology that increases their
capability to help someone better. Officers deal with a significant number of
people on a daily basis that are struggling with a variety of mental health
issues. Having a background, even if it was only elementary, would greatly
assist officers in interacting with these individuals. One study found that
even a brief training in different mental illness scenarios was effective at
increasing officers efficacy in interacting with the mentally ill. (Frierson
Richard L. (2013) Pg. 356-358.) If a short course could produce this large of
an effect imagine how much greater the effect could be if an officer has 2-6
years in training.
As a law enforcer you see people from all walks of life. If you are
prejudice or racist, that can be a very difficult thing to overcome, and it is
something that police officers are often accused of. Many colleges require
students to take diversity classes which expose them to different cultures

and perspectives, helping to eliminate the gap between students (and thus
officers with degrees) and the other. When you try to see things from a
victims or a criminals view point, you are applying the education you
received and are trying to serve those that may be different than you.
Although it could be argued that a degree is a costly and unnecessary
addition to the training of an officer, the potential benefits to society far
outweigh the cost. By simply sowing an investment in a degree program for
all new officers a department would reap great rewards in increased
proficiency, versatility, and adaptability. Research clearly shows that
education will only benefit police officers through aiding the communities
which they police, in addition to all of the personal rewards that come from
gaining an education. It should be a requirement for a police officer to get a
degree for these reasons.

Works Cited
Bayley, D. H., & Bittner, E. (1997). Learning the skills of policing. In R. G. Dunham &
G. Alpert (Eds.), Critical issues in policing: Contemporary readings (3rd ed.,
pp. 114-137). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland.

Cascio, W. F. (1977). Formal education and police officer performance. Journal of

Police Science and Administration, 5, 89-96.
Frierson Richard L. (2013) Police Officers and Persons with Mental Illness. Pg. 356358.
Wilmshurst, Kerry & Ransley, Janet. (2007) Police Education and the University
Sector: Contrasting Models from the Australian Experience, Pg. 106-122.