Continuing education in law enforcement

article by Public Service Degrees | November 01, 2011

Most entry-level positions in law enforcement as a police officer only require a high school education or associates degree. If this is the only education required in beginning this career path, then why continue on with more education?

Well, like many careers, in law enforcement pay scale and upward mobility are often directly tied to education and training. Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith explains in an article for PoliceLink, that continuation of education can also be crucial to an officer’s success in their police work.

“The reality of law enforcement is that we use our pens and our laptops far more than we ever use of guns,” Smith wrote. “While firearms proficiency may save our life someday on the street, the ability to put words on paper in a cohesive and comprehendible manner may someday save our butt in court, or at least make our day to day existence as a crimefighter easier.”

At the same time, by advancing education, opportunities on a grander scale are opened up.

On the local level, one can advance in rank by dedicated hard work. However, a bachelor’s or master’s degree in criminology can often expedite that process. Moving over from a police officer to detective or narcotics, depending on the area often requires extra education and training as well.

When pursuing education, it is important to explore your options. A degree in criminal justice is often required, but do not forget to pay attention to any required electives. Focusing electives in a specific area can make all the difference. For example, taking accounting classes can give one a leg up in investigating white collar crimes.

Corrections, meaning careers such as probation and parole officers, corrections officers and counselors, also require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, social work or psychology.

On the federal level, education is required. Federal agencies like the FBI, CIA, ATF and the DEA all require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and give preference to those who hold a master’s degree.

Again, with these degrees, criminal justice, criminal psychology and forensics are generally the preferred degrees, but extra experience in other areas can help. Electives can supplement this. In the CIA, for example, candidates who are bilingual are strongly desired especially those fluent in languages from high risk areas in the world, like the Middle East and East Asia.

Jim Guffey, a former police officer, explained in a piece for PoliceOne that these electives could mean the difference in getting a sought after position.

“Years ago—when I first got into law enforcement—I applied to the Attorney General’s Office in Pennsylvania for a white collar crime unit,” Guffey wrote. “The gentleman who interviewed me told me that if I had six credits in accounting he would’ve hired me. My entire career would have been completely different.”

Lastly, an increasingly popular field in law enforcement is in forensics investigation. Depending on where you are working, the educational requirements may be higher and more stringent. One may have to have a bachelor’s degree or higher specializing, for example, in both forensics and chemistry, or forensics and accounting.

While getting into a law enforcement career may not take much education to start with, moving beyond traffic enforcement requires more. The good news is that there are plenty of courses that one can take online around a working schedule, and departments may be willing to pay part, if not all, of the tuition.