Becoming a police officer is an impactful and meaningful way to give back to your community.

Formal education is not always required to become a police officer; a high school diploma is usually the minimum required qualification. It is rarely mandatory to have a bachelor’s, associate’s or graduate degree. Instead, more specialized and extensive training is typically required.

Police academies are usually responsible for supplying this training at the state, regional or local level. Therefore, many aspiring officers may wonder why they should attempt to get a degree in law enforcement. The two biggest reasons getting a degree is worth the effort are better opportunities for advancement and potentially higher pay.

How can education help aspiring police officers, and what can they expect when they embark on advanced police studies?

Police officer careers

Police officers swear an oath to serve and protect their communities by enforcing laws; obtaining warrants, arresting, and interviewing suspects; securing accident and crime scenes; writing detailed reports; and testifying in court. They also have a myriad of other duties. Officers are frequently expected to respond to emergency calls and work shifts around the clock.

The duties of police officers can be diverse and numerous depending on their training, length of service and appointment.

Some police officers may work on SWAT teams, where they will be required to know procedures and tactics for performing in dangerous conditions, while others may work with K-9 units and respond to suspicions of weapons or illegal substances in property and vehicles.

The daily routine of many police officers is likely to involve patrolling a particular area, such as a portion of a city or a town. As a police officer moves up the ranks, the crimes they investigate may range from petty theft to homicide.

Law enforcement and other related degrees

Officers who want to advance in the field of law enforcement will find a wide range of advanced police studies degree courses that can be helpful.

Certificate in law enforcement

A certificate in criminology or criminal justice is a method that individuals can use to get specific instruction in a particular law enforcement area.

These certificates can be completed by taking a few classes over the course of a couple of months, and they provide the chance to begin an associate degree without needing to commit to the full two years right away.

Certificates can also be very helpful because there are some departments that require college credits from their applicants but not a full degree.

Criminology

Criminology courses examine the theoretical and conceptual explanations and reasoning behind criminal behavior.

Skills that one can expect to gain from these courses include understanding commonly used definitions, applying the principles of criminology to explain particular kinds of behavior, and a deeper knowledge of the principles and foundational assumptions of criminal behavior.

The criminal justice system

These courses teach students about the criminal justice system and its inner workings.

Skills that one can expect to gain from these courses include knowledge of courtroom procedures, familiarity with criminal procedures and laws, and understanding the criminal process from arrest through imprisonment.

Corrections

These classes teach the basic ideas and theories behind criminal punishment and rehabilitation.

Skills gained include how to make use of different philosophies related to criminal punishment, familiarity with the common practices of a correctional facility, and the ability to correctly adhere to the established protocols and procedures of a number of different correctional facilities.

Law Enforcement – Associate Degree

Graduates of an Associate Degree in Law Enforcement program will be prepared for a career in the police force by learning the required information for passing entrance exams into police academies.

An Associate Degree can be completed in two years and is a well-rounded program that also has general education courses. It can be a stepping stone for those interested in furthering their studies to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree.

All Associate Degree programs are tailored to local and regional law enforcement department requirements, which mean that different programs will have different curriculums.

However, incoming students can expect to tackle a number of standard classes, including crime types, police strategy and investigating crime scenes.

Crime types

These classes will discuss a variety of different crimes, including organized, property and white collar crime.

Skills gained in these classes include an understanding of many different crime types, knowledge of victimless crimes, and how to tell crimes apart from one another.

Police strategy

These classes teach students to make use of police intelligence for more effective management of police resources and public protection.

Skills gained in these classes include the application of police analytics and the production of predictive policing maps, the development of strategies and production of police intelligence, and the allocation of limited resources in order to better prevent crime.

Investigating crime scenes

These classes teach students the proper management of a crime scene and how to gather evidence.

Skills gained in these classes include an understanding of the protocols associated with gathering evidence, including chain of custody, the use of crime reconstruction methods, and ways of collecting evidence.

Bachelor’s Degree in Law Enforcement

It usually takes around four years to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Law Enforcement, and it can include a wide array of different subjects and topics.

There are prototypical degrees, such as those in criminal justice, law enforcement and criminology studies, but there are also other majors that can be good for police officers.

For example, a degree in accounting can be helpful to officers who would like to pursue white collar investigations, while those hoping for a career in cybercrimes or cyber forensics would be well served by completing a degree in computer science majors.

Those in actual law-related bachelor’s degree programs will find a number of specific courses available to them, including police ethics, emergency planning and police models.

Police ethics

This course examines ethical and moral dilemmas, with skills learned including familiarity with common sources of unprofessional and unethical police conduct and the ability to identify the police actions and culture that facilitate unethical behavior.

Other skills learned include the application of particular strategies and tools to deal with ethical problems.

Emergency planning

This course looks at instruction in emergency management and teaches students risk reduction methods and tools.

Skills learned include risk management and mitigation practices and familiarity with the type of organizations that often supply their services during a crisis.

The course also allows students to gain experience in riot control and non-lethal uses of force.

Police models

This course exposes students to a wide array of different policing models that are used at the federal, local and state levels.

Skills gained during this course include information management and intelligence gathering methods; an understanding of the way in which management and organizational methods differ between local, state and federal police; and the most efficient management methods to deal with problems.

Master’s Degree in Law Enforcement

Master’s-level law enforcement degrees are tailored to a number of specific professional goals, including advanced and specialized knowledge in certain areas, such as intelligence, leadership and research.

A Master’s Degree in Law Enforcement can be particularly valuable to those who are looking to advance in their professional career and usually involve around two years of additional schooling.

There are a variety of classes involved in a Master’s Degree in Law Enforcement, including criminal statistics, intelligence gathering and criminal justice professional development.

Criminal statistics

This course teaches students fundamental analysis methods and techniques.

Skills learned include a familiarity with statistical models, the ability to confirm the validity of the use of statistical data, and the ability to draw helpful conclusions from the interpretation of data.

Intelligence gathering

This course addresses intelligence and surveillance techniques and methods.

Skills learned in this course include conducting intelligence gathering operations, knowledge of the legal issues involved in intelligence gathering and how to make use of information obtained via surveillance, and how to take the operational and logistical limitations associated with intelligence gathering into consideration.

Criminal justice professional development

This class teaches students about the principles and concepts associated with leadership and management.

The skills gained from this course include effective leadership methods within the context of law enforcement, law enforcement career advancement strategies, and an understanding of underlying management practices.

What does a successful career as a police officer involve?

Police officers, like many other professionals, make use of special skills and tools.

In the case of police officers, these skills and tools are unique in the sense that serious problems can arise if they go missing as they are important to the safety of both the general public and the officers themselves.

Skills

Software engineers are expected to have a broad base of knowledge and skill sets in a wide variety of technical and nontechnical proficiencies.

Leadership

Leadership qualities are of vital importance, not just for leading fellow officers but also to help the general public when they need it.

Police officers need to have the ability to assess situations and tell people what to do to stay safe.

Sound judgment

Police officers face a number of problems for which there are no simple solutions.

Sometimes complex solutions may be required to do the right thing, and the line between right and wrong can become blurry, which means that sound judgment is an essential quality for an officer to have to make the best decisions they possibly can.

Reading people

Every day, police officers interact with members of the general public, which makes it essential for them to have the ability to tell when something is not right. This is often more related to subtext and intuition than what is actually being said.

Officers will also deal with disagreements that come down to the word of one person over another, making it essential to be able to tell who is lying and who is telling the truth.

Stamina and strength

Being a police officer is extremely demanding work, whether it involves rescuing civilians, chasing criminals, or working very long hours.

While this level of drama will not be part of all police work, it is still vital for officers to have physical stamina and strength.

Psychological strength

Police officers often encounter scenarios that most ordinary people could not even imagine. They may not be able to continue their career if they do not possess the psychological strength to be able to cope with the extreme situations they encounter as part of their job.

Tech and tools

There are a variety of different tools and technology that police officers will handle as part of their duties.

These tools include firearms, body armor, handcuffs, a radio, radar speed detector, flashlights, a police car, non-lethal weapons, laptops, surveillance equipment and breathalyzers.

Credentials

Police officers are expected to be able to gain and maintain particular licenses and certifications, especially those that relate to basic first aid, CPR and firearms.

There will also be several opportunities beyond those basic credentials for officers to gain further credentials in areas such as management, crime scene investigation techniques, arson investigation and special weapons and tactical training.

Many special training regimes and certifications will be specific to certain municipalities or individual departments.

A career in law enforcement can be rewarding, exciting and even fun, and there are countless reasons someone might want to become a police officer.

It is not difficult to understand why some people are attracted to the role of police officer given the job security and the many fringe benefits, but it is important to be aware of certain factors before deciding to take the plunge and take a policing course.

Becoming a police officer is not a job for everyone, and some people will simply be unsuited to the work for various reasons. However, for those who are a good fit for police work, the opportunities for advancement are numerous.