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Should we require the police to have a college degree?

Lynn A. Tovar

Schriener University

ABSTRACT

do not agree there should be a requirement of a higher education degree for employment. Can

police obtain all the necessary skills from the police academy and in-house training? Or in the

pursuit of professionalizing the profession should police agencies require college degrees?

Further, would a college degree enhance the quality of interactions between the police and the

community? This inquiry adds some pieces to the puzzle of examining the value of requiring a

college education for police officers and the relationship of experimental learning in training

police academies within a college curriculum. Over a three-year period, criminal justice students

(N=75) enrolled in an online bachelor's program were asked "do you think police departments

should require a bachelor's degree?" The respondents included traditional and non-traditional

male and female adult learners many current law enforcement officers. The assumption was

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INTRODUCTION

In 1978 Lawrence W. Sherman from the National Advisory Commission on Higher

Education for Police Officers wrote in the preface of his book The Quality of Police Education:

Critical Review with Recommendation for Improving Programs in Higher Education the

American police were in trouble. Rather than minimizing the role of police solely as crime

fighters, many police agencies embraced the belief their role was multifaceted; maintain order,

develop programs and policies to reduce violent crime, be a visible and accessible component of

the police. Some of the conversations propose that additional education/training might prove

beneficial. This is not a new approach.

In the late sixties, the idea of a college-educated police officer was the answer and gained

wide support followed up by the implementation of a forty-million-dollar federal program to

support the education of police. However, Sherman states by the late 1970's police education

was in trouble, and the decade of rapid expansion came to an abrupt halt. Most urban police

departments seem to have adopted the hiring requirement of some education as a way of

improving their department's public image. Ideally, police departments should look at education

as a resource for change. "A study conducted in 2017 by "California State University Fullerton

and the Police Foundation found that more than half (51.8 percent) of sworn officers in the

demands placed on their police departments. Annual on-the-job training for police is common

with proposed reform initiatives, however, the difference between police training and requiring a

college degree is in debate. Other professions require higher education, however, those who

work in policing often do not agree there should be a requirement of a higher education degree

for employment. Can police obtain all the necessary skills from the police academy and in-house

training? Or in the pursuit of professionalizing the profession should police agencies require

college degrees? Further, would a college degree enhance the quality of interactions between the

police and the community? If so, important questions need to be considered such as; "What

subjects should be taught and where should they be taught, who should teach them, who should

study them and how should police department personnel policies take account of them"

person is considering a career in law enforcement, they must understand the distinction between

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sworn and non-sworn officers and state vs. federal agencies. Sworn officers have a badge, carry

a firearm, and have the authority to make an arrest. They are patrol officers, detectives/

investigators, sheriffs, and state troopers and include federal agencies such as the FBI, DEA, and

ATF. They are all sworn to uphold the law. Federal agencies require a college degree. Non-

sworn positions within the law enforcement profession can include correctional officers,

probation and parole officers, dispatchers, crime scene technicians, and lab personnel. Some non-

sworn personnel are allowed to carry a firearm; however, it is not necessarily required. Sheriff's

departments often will require their new hires to be correctional officers prior to transferring to

communicate well verbally and in the written format. To demonstrate empathy, leadership,

perceptiveness, problem-solving, and critical thinking, and possess good physical and mental

health.

Law enforcement officers provide essential protection to ensure a civil society. The

relationship between citizens and the police is an important element to ensure protection is

provided. By working together, the community and police can help foster a safe environment.

Unfortunately, there have been instances, especially over the last few years where some officers

have misused their authority causing a loss of trust among the American people in all police.

Resulting in calls for reform and to defund the police (President Trump Executive order on

Policing, 2020). In 2020 President Trump signed an executive order on policing. Section 2 of

before those deficiencies result in injury to the public or law enforcement officers" (Policing,

2020, p. para 4). The Order specifically highlights the challenges law enforcement has when

encountering individuals with mental illness, homelessness, and addiction. Law enforcement

responsibilities have expanded due to the reduction of mental health treatment facilities;

however, this does not negate the need to promote appropriate social services for individuals

suffering from mental illness, homelessness, and or addiction. Section 4 states law enforcement

officers need to be properly trained for these encounters and to increase direct working

partnerships with social workers and law enforcement so they can handle situations together.

Also cited in the Order is the importance of retaining and recruiting high-performing law

enforcement officers. The Order doesn't mention the need for police to get a college education,

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COLLEGE EDUCATION

The idea of having an educated police force is not a new idea. In 1829 Sir Robert Peel

(Father of policing; aka Bobbies, 1788-1850) noted to improve policing and the reduction of

crime a better-trained police officer is required. In 1921 August Vollmer (Father of American

policing, 1876-1955) promoted the idea further by stating every officer should have a bachelor's

degree (Schanlaub, 2005). Research has shown five prevailing reasons why college should be a

requirement for police officers; less likely to use violence, better at implementing problem-

commendations, have fewer traffic collisions, less sick time usage, have fewer disciplinary

actions, are more likely to use technology, accept organizational change and new methods of

policing, and are able to solve problems more readily than those without a college degree (The

Importance of a College Degree for Police Officers, 2020). Officers with only high school

education were the subjects of 75 percent of all disciplinary actions. Whereas, officers with

four-year degrees accounted for 11 percent of such actions" (Hill, 2020, para 2). Several other

similar studies demonstrate officers with a college education correlate with better behavior.

The most common degree for police tends to be criminal justice or criminology. The two fields

are related; criminal justice is the study of the system of US law enforcement, including courts

and corrections, while criminology is the theoretical study of crime, which includes causes and

Christina Gardiner (2017) from the University of California, Fullerton conducted a study

examining the impact of higher-educated officers to those without a college degree. She

surveyed 958 law enforcement agencies in all 50 states and found the most critical area of

improved policing was in report writing. Gardiner told VICE News, "This is important because

if college-educated officers are truly better report writers that can translate to better

investigations, higher court case filings, fewer evidentiary constitutional challenges, fewer false

confessions or wrongful convictions, or more successful prosecutions" (Dowd, 2020, para 8).

The controversy over whether law enforcement officers should be required to have a 4-

year degree continues. Those who oppose a college requirement say it can be discriminatory. Dr.

Gardiner stated, if California requires a 4-year degree for law enforcement officers this may

obtained with experience" (The Importance of a College Degree for Police Officers, 2020, para

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12). Therefore, some may argue requiring a degree might be completely irrelevant to police

work. However, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) calls for increasing

educational standards for hiring new officers, and those working on police reform should include

education in their reform agenda as a requirement. The ICAP is calling for a minimum of two

years of college in a related field. With Black Lives Matter and other advocates calling for

reform, serious consideration needs to be made in regard to whether modern democracy and

policing can survive without better-prepared law enforcement officers (Hill, 2020). Exceptional

demands are placed on police leaders because of their duty and role as the first line of defense in

becoming police officers. Those who do want to become sworn law enforcement officers often

seek federal agency jobs after graduating with their degrees. Federal career opportunities are not

as readily accessible as local, or state law enforcement jobs based on the number and probability

of available positions. Students in college may have character disorders, physical deficiencies,

felony arrest records, or no innate ability or true desire to perform police work. In addition, the

dramatization of TV doesn't accurately depict the true nature of police work (Molden, 1999). A

degree in criminal justice need not only limit a student to a profession in policing. The field of

criminal justice is wide and varied, offering numerous career opportunities outside of police

work. The fact remains that a college degree is worthwhile because it widens one social and

global perspective. In college, you are exposed to a variety of people from various backgrounds,

compassion for others. A degree is an investment and employers consider an employee an

investment and embodiment of the organization.

POLICE TRAINING

Education and training are fundamentally different. Training systematically builds skills

for a particular job. The concept often heard in policing is "that they fell back on their training,",

especially in high-stress situations. One may think training is more physical while education is

more mental, however, both must be achieved through the police academy curricula. Academy

training covers many of the same topics as a college criminal justice degree program with a

conduct role-playing exercises, and record and provide feedback on the spot. These hands-on

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learning experiences can be tapped into during a stress-induced situation. Also, police

academies are less politically charged allowing for a more exploratory learning experience

without dire consequences.

The US Census report (2021) shows a sharp decline in the number of Americans who go

to college. The number is about a million since the start of the pandemic and three million over

the last decade. The reasons for the drop in enrollment have been widely discussed — declining

birth rates, the widespread immediate availability of jobs, and greater public skepticism of the

need for higher education (Marcus, 2022). This is a concern for many careers and high-paying

not necessarily be a requirement for an officer to begin their career, however, "additional

education is important for anyone interested in pursuing a supervisory role or someone interested

in teaching at a police academy" (Law Enforcement Education: Career Boosting Options, 2022

para 10). The academy is only a portion of the police candidate's training. Following graduation

from the academy, they start their period of field training with a certified training officer

typically for three months. The recruit is evaluated daily on performance and knowledge by their

training officer. If they don't receive high ratings, they may be placed on a performance

improvement plan followed by termination. It is common practice that once a candidate has

completed their academy training, passed a state certification exam, and successfully completed

their field training phase they remain on probation for at least a year. Some agencies have

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE PROGRAMS

Experiential learning is a pedagogical theory explained by Kolb that reflects on how

students' knowledge can be transformed through experience, observation, and reflection (Kolb

1984; George, Lim, Lucas & Meadows, 2015). Criminal justice educators face many challenges

in preparing their students for the numerous career opportunities associated with the criminal

justice system. College criminal justice curricula are designed to expose students to a variety of

related areas; criminal law, forensic science techniques, criminology, juvenile justice,

corrections, social diversity, and research methodology to ensure the student understands the

complexities of the profession. College educators traditionally have used lectures as their

based activities into their programs. These include internships (Fichter, 1987; Stone & McLaren

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1999, George, Lim et al, 2015), the ride-along (Cromwell & Birzer, 2012), service (experiential)

learning (Sims, 2006; George, Lim, et al.), field trips & research projects (George, Lim, et al.

2015) (Tovar & Misischia, 2019). Educators in numerous disciplines have adopted this student-

centered 'hands-on' approach to replace or supplement the traditional lecture-centered formats in

the classroom. These disciplines include nursing education (Warnke & Thirwell, 2014), medical

education (Gugliucci, & Weiner, 2013) engineering. (Durkin & Verma, 2016) business (Winsett,

Foster & Dearing, 2016) and criminal justice programs (George 2015; Cromwell & Birzer, 2012;

Sims, 2006; Stichman & Farkas 2005; Sgroi & Ryniker 2002.) (Tovar & Misischia, 2019).

most effectively in their work" (Territo, 1976 p. 28) (Jamieson, 1978).

Today's students grapple with complex social trends and current issues in American

society and their implications for criminal justice (Gibbson & Blake, 1975). For today's law

enforcement professionals, it is essential to have the ability to read people, data, technology, and

forensics. A formal understanding of social and psychological aspects is needed to be an expert

in policing. Higher education better prepares individuals for what they are asked to do (Dudley,

2020).

Studies indicate experiential learning has a high rate of knowledge retention; therefore,

consideration should be made to incorporating more skill-based exercises, role play, and

interactive requirements into criminal justice curricula. The difference between education and

Michael, 2004). "Education and training are fundamentally different tasks, though in an ideal

world they should complement each other" (Buerger, M., 2004 para 12).

Criminal Law is a course taught both in a police academy and in college degree

programs. Training academies and college courses may look at Criminal Law from different

perspectives; criminal elements of each category vs. broader approach examining the philosophy

of law and the nature of legal reasoning, however, what is most important is the law enforcement

agency's needs (Buerger, M. 2004). They need someone who can write a thorough report which

supports an affidavit of a crime and be well-prepared to testify in court from their original report

two years later. Thus, creating a complementary approach to improving police service may be

the blending of teaching content and style. Society would like to have police officers,

with integrated knowledge and progressive proactive ethical real-world conditions. The graduate

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will be a marketable asset as a police officer due to their ability to apply theoretical wisdom with

cognitive knowledge and skills.

METHOD

This inquiry adds some pieces to the puzzle of examining the value of requiring a college

education for police officers and the relationship of experimental learning in training police

academies within a college curriculum. Do all police need a degree? According to (Carlan,

hiring purposes (Carlan, 2006). Carlan's study found nearly three-fourths of the officers (72%)

from 16 municipalities in Alabama purported that the criminal justice degree taught them

valuable policing skills not offered in the police academy and only 9% disagreed. Also, "officers

greatly believed that the educational journey promoted skills related to communication, human

relations, administration, and critical thinking, as well as a wealth of knowledge regarding the

criminal justice system, law, and procedures" (Carlan, 2006, p.62)

Over a three-year period, criminal justice students (N=75) enrolled in an online bachelor's

program were asked "do you think police departments should require a bachelor's degree?" The

respondents included traditional and non-traditional male and female adult learners ranging from

ages 18-45. Occupations ranged from a full-time student, various service occupations, current

The opinion of the respondents was mixed on whether a degree should be required for

police officers, however, they all agreed a college degree is beneficial and worth seeking.

Following are sample responses.

"I agree that we need to understand the mindset of criminals and furthering your education can

show the importance of work ethics and knowledge. I believe that experience is just as

necessary, if not more important, than just being educated through a degree in a specific job field

in law enforcement. Having experienced help, educators build a better educational institution and

improve officers' tactics and techniques to face daily issues. Unfortunately, if law agencies lack

the experience or knowledge, the system can fail. Both experience and education work hand to

new employers, we should mentor them and help build their skills. Training employers is the

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most crucial thing in any job, and if we fail to train our employers, we are only failing ourselves

and the place we thrive to improve within that workplace." (male)

"I have served in the military for over 11 years. I learned many things within my first year that

require me to have a high-security clearance level to learn how to use advanced technology and

understand my responsibilities. These include controlling crowds, conducting progressive

profiling, direct air traffic, direct ground traffic, leading a team, identifying bombs from a

distance, using multiple weapon systems, etc. However, this did not require a degree but a

person's dedication, time, effort, integrity, and many other traits. People must trust one another

sucked into the old mindset that a degree matters in every aspect, but experience does not as

much. I believe our law enforcement needs more training and leaders to become involved to

encourage the community to trust them once again." (male)

"I don't think having a degree should be a requirement for a position in law enforcement,

I do think you should have some type of schooling. However, as long as you have the basic

curriculum like critical thinking, fast learner, ethics, culture, sensitivity, de-escalation strategies,

and some kind of investigative skills a person should be fine. The training the police have to

take; should give them basic law enforcement skills”. (female)

“A law enforcement officer will not be better equipped if they have more education

because a police job isn't about education unless you're trying to move up the ranks of the

"I think that law enforcement should require a college degree for all law enforcement

officers. It was not long ago that you did not need a degree and all you needed to become a

police officer was to know someone inside. As a result, that created an environment that was ripe

with nepotism, corruption, and lawlessness, which would eventually need to be addressed. The

fact that police officers are now being required to have a degree coincides with the changes and

reforms recently implemented as a result of community outcry and interest groups. Don't get me

wrong, there are great people out there that have what it takes to be a law enforcement officer,

but having a degree certainly helps.” (male)

“I believe having a degree will result in the law enforcement officer being more problem-

orientated and less likely to use violence. A degree allows the law enforcement officer to learn

and basics, and knowing as much as possible will help you to become a better law enforcement