After tabulating results from all state police agencies, all municipal agencies serving populations greater than 50,000, and all sheriff's departments with more than 100 sworn officers, the study found that the average educational level of police officers has risen steadily over the past two decades. While only a small proportion of police departments formally require a college education for employment or promotion, a large majority of these departments have educational support policies and an informal criterion of college for selection and promotion of officers. The study also revealed that women are being recruited effectively with mean educational levels nearly a year higher than those of males, minorities are being recruited and hired with educational levels competitive to those of whites, and employment of minorities in law enforcement in this study population is proportionately comparable to the proportions of minorities in the general population. 8 tables, 52 references. (Author abstract modified)