The Expansion Of Education In Law Enforcement

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

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.

First, there is lack of information and knowledge on the right police training philosophy, learning approach and training program objectives (CALEA, 2010). This lack of knowledge has immense negative effects on police training, especially because it affects not only senior commanders of police departments but also management, police trainers and other staffs. The other ingredient to police training that lacks is community understanding and support for police training programs (Mitrani, 2014). It is found out that the communities that are served by officers do little to support or appreciate post-academy training programs, which have numerous benefits to communities (CALEA, 2010). For instance, post-academy and field training for newly posted officers helps in the utilization of individual and department creativity, stakeholder collaboration, and effective problem-solving skills and techniques that would improve communal safety and

There is a debate that is as controversial as police officers holding a degree and that is whether the law enforcement career is a profession or craft. Although, the classification of police work as a craft, trade, or a profession was the subject of intense controversy, there appeared to be little doubt that the trend toward professionalization was exerting a powerful impact on the field of law enforcement. Many officers argue that policing is a craft that you must have passion for and academies are irrelevant to learning police work. In order, to become a good officer one must gain experience and knowledge on the job. Then you have others who say that policing is a profession with education a central feature. They believe that one

Many people might argue that the lack of training in the police force is more harmful to the officers than the effect it has on society. Leslie Pfeiffer mentions in her article “” that the Federal government devotes a shocking amount of money toward training, yet local police agencies are often left to fend for themselves” (Pfeiffer). Whatsoever the federal government may be doing with the funds should undoubtedly be providing effective programs and necessities to ensure a complete and sufficient training process for officers. Often time’s people forget that although the officer is vulnerable to failure, error, and possible injury, in the event of a possible suspect or wrongfully accused person the lack of knowledge perceived by the officer can cause outcomes such as hostility, hatred, and death. Not only are officers fending for themselves but in

The profession of policing derives its effectiveness from its ability to attract and employ quality individuals who will strive to better their community. Therefore proper recruitment and selection of officers is incredibly important to a police organization. Some major needs to Missouri’s recruitment process will be addressed in the following paragraphs.

Training is the only option to teach and gives lectures of how any criminal enforcement officer should have because here in this training they will find the way how to handle dangerous situations and if they would need to use the force if they are the situation requires it. As J.C. Hall expressed in his book, “Police Use of Nondeadly Force to Arrest”, he describes that the training should describe the twofold of the offenses. One of this factors should describe how an officer should assess any threat that they encounter while conducting their duty. While on the other hand, the training as well should also describe how to encounter a threat. At first, this two factors might sound the same thing but its truth is that they are completely different from each other because one is mainly focusing how the criminal enforcement officer should think before they act.

Lawyers and psychologists require even more schooling, a minimum of around eight years. Police officers end up being all of these things, and more. To obtain the real goal of law, and prevent crime, officers must have the trust and respect of the community they serve. "Instead, policing has been defined as uneducated people's work" (Fyfe, 262). Many citizens feel that the people protecting them are not as smart as they are. This leads to disrespect, and a sense of superiority within the community. With disrespect comes uncooperation, something any department would be worlds better without. If officers were required to obtain more basic schooling, and focus on social issues and psychology more during training, they would be better equipped to take up the position of law enforcement in any community. Besides the obvious benefit of being more adept at dealing with citizens, there would be added bonuses in police departments requiring more strenuous schooling. With four years of general education, officers would inherently become acquainted with a wide range of topics that they might not otherwise be exposed to with the minimal curriculum now required. Foreign language, art, and psychology classes would be especially useful in exposing up and comers to the varied environments they might encounter in their careers. Most importantly, people in the community would have a new respect for the

Each year citizens die in encounters with law enforcement officers. It is reported that “Americans are eight times more likely to be killed by a police officer than by a terrorist” (Rucke, 2013). Although there is no official data base tracking these occurrences it is estimated that between 500 and a 1,000 people are killed by police officers each year. To put this in greater perspective this number equals approximately 5,000 since the 9/11 terror attack which is roughly the same number as U.S. soldiers who have been killed in the line of duty in Iraq (Rucke, 2013). This statistic is justifiably concerning. The cause of police related killings are multifold and cannot be attributed to only one factor. Many deaths may be unavoidable and perhaps, dependent on the situation, necessary. I contend, however, that many of these deaths may very well be preventable.

During the first phases of the police professionalism movement in the early twentieth century, training came to be viewed as a promising means to develop more responsible officers and agencies (Klinger,2012). Conversely, due to the progression of society and emerging of technologies, training has become a basis of American policing as it as it enables and educates enough to carry out their duties in a fair, effective, and lawful manner (Klinger, 2012). This education comes in a formal academy that teaches them all they will know is a matter of months. Once this phase is completed, they are then put out on an apprenticeship with a seasoned officer to learn the tips and tricks of the trade in the real world. Once this phase is completed and successfully passed, they are then granted the title of police officer. Many of the topics and task in the academy are repetitive and mundane; however, there are very important topics that the officers learn

Law-enforcement needs to expand educational areas and how police officers are to execute the duties of the job, as well as teaching the individuals at younger ages, how to interact with an officer. The research has shown that many altercations between civilians and officers are escalated because of the communication between the civilian and Officer. The offices are only following the evolution of the policing models to make sure that they keep the streets safe from drugs, criminals, and potential dangers. The policing evolution continues to evolve with the needs of the world. Criminal justice agencies take the time to evaluate what is working to protect the community and what needs to change to evolve policing into what the community

Law enforcement like much of the economy and society has had to adapt to the rapidly changing Atmosphere of the technological advances. To counter these advances, education has served in the forefront to combating the technological sophistication that is rapidly sweeping the workforce. The need and desire to remain competitive with the technology that we have is a need that can be satisfied with more education. Much like technology, education has benefits elsewhere in the equation of remaining competitive. Education on the higher tiered level provides a professionalism to accompany by the demands placed on students during their scholastic years of study. Activities required by many professors in the higher education

Governmental entities and supervisors are typically held liable for their officers' unlawful conduct when the officer was acting pursuant to an established custom or policy or in cases when the officer is not properly trained. As such, it is incumbent upon police departments to ensure the appropriate policies are in place and law enforcement officers receive adequate training. Many law enforcement executives may see training as a budgetary constraint. However, if viewed from litigation perspective, additional training along with the applicable certifications make good practical sense much like supplemental insurance.

One of the most debated and hot button issues in the Criminal Justice System is the issue of education linking with crime, and because public education has now become universally available and with efficient control and funding which is disbursed from the government has now seem to make education and crime link more transparent. “Education in the United States (US) is provided by both the public schools and private schools and given the fact that education has now become mandatory over an age range which now commences from age five and ending with age eight and ending somewhere between ages sixteen and eighteen, depending on each state.” U.S. Census Bureau, (February 2013) “In the 21st century, the educational accomplishment of the

Training is one of the most important roles at a law enforcement agency. It is never-ending as “concepts, theories, philosophies, practices, procedures, and techniques are constantly changing to meet social needs” (Iannone et al, 2009, p. 60). Without training, even the best officer will turn into one that is not respected by his peers or society. Gone are the days when an officer is sent to the training academy and has no more except for yearly inservice. This can be accomplished with field training after the academy, roll call training, inservice, emailed updates from the training staff, and outside the agency training. It does not always have to be expensive. Most think that the effectiveness of training can’t be measured, but successful training can easily be seen through “higher morale, less job stress with its high economic cost, greater esprit de corps, a lessened need for punitive discipline, greater effectiveness, in crime suppression, increased public support and confidence, fewer errors, better