Higher Education Requirements for Law Enforcement

Police Need Higher Education Requirements

When you think about the immense responsibility that police officers have, it’s quite shocking how little formal education is actually required for the job. In most jurisdictions across the United States, cops only need a high school diploma or GED along with police academy training. That’s it – a job where you have the power to detain, arrest, and use force against citizens only requires the bare minimum of a high school education. This low bar for becoming a police officer is highly problematic given the complex situations and interactions officers face every day. They are tasked with upholding laws that they often have little understanding of. They routinely encounter individuals dealing with mental illness, domestic violence, substance abuse, and other intricate human challenges that require empathy, de-escalation skills, and psychological knowledge to handle appropriately.

The Case for Requiring an Advanced Degree

I believe it’s time we raise the education standards for police officers to better equip them for the tremendous responsibilities they hold. At minimum, officers should be required to obtain a master’s degree, preferably in fields like psychology, counseling, social work, or criminal justice. This advanced education would provide the following crucial benefits:

Deeper Understanding of Human Behavior
Psychology curricula explore how the human mind works, what motivates people’s actions, and strategies for communication and conflict resolution. This is invaluable knowledge for police engaging with the public.

Mental Health and Crisis Intervention Training
Many police encounters involve individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. A psychology master’s provides in-depth training on mental illness, trauma, and how to properly de-escalate volatile situations.

Evidence-Based Decision Making
Advanced degrees emphasize research methods, statistics, and using data to inform policies and practices. This analytical skill set could improve how police approach their work.

Developed Critical Thinking Abilities
Graduate programs require synthesizing complex information, analyzing issues from multiple perspectives, and proposing supported solutions – all skills that could greatly enhance how police operate. By requiring an advanced degree, we would have a more highly trained, impartial, and professional police force better equipped to make sound judgments and deescalate conflicts before force becomes needed. The current model of a high school education is simply not enough for a role with so much power over people’s lives.

Leading by Example

Police officers should meet rigorous education standards before being granted authority over society. After all, the consequences of their actions can be severe. It’s time we treat the law enforcement profession with the respect it deserves by requiring the proper educational foundation. I’m calling on lawmakers and police unions to modernize their hiring standards and implement master’s degree requirements. This straightforward policy change could be a powerful step towards transforming policing into a more just, ethical, and socially conscious institution.