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ALL POLICE OFFICERS MUST BE COLLEGE EDUCATED - A 1968 CONCEPT REVISITED

NCJ Number
53184
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 26 Issue: 11 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1978) Pages: 30-40
Author(s)
W SHAW
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE IMPORTANCE OF A COLLEGE DEGREE FOR FUTURE ADVANCEMENT IN A POLICE DEPARTMENT IS EXAMINED.
Abstract
IT IS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT MANY, IF NOT MOST, MANAGERS OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS, PARTICULARLY IN MEDIUM- AND SMALL-SIZED DEPARTMENTS, HAVE COME UP THROUGH THE RANKS, LEARNING THROUGH ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. FORMAL HIGHER EDUCATION CULMINATING IN A COLLEGE DEGREE IS CONSIDERED TO BE PRAGMATICALLY IRRELEVANT TO POLICE WORK FOR MANY OF THESE POLICE CHIEFS. THEY SEEK INTELLIGENT AND DEDICATED RECRUITS WHO CAN DEVELOP THE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE POLICE WORK. WHILE NOTING THAT SUCH A PERSPECTIVE MAY BE LOGICALLY APPEALING, IT IS BELIEVED IT CANNOT WITHSTAND THE TIDE OF INFLUENCE COMING PARTICULARLY FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS WHICH CONSIDERS A COLLEGE DEGREE AN IMPORTANT IMPLEMENT OF PROFESSIONALIZATION IN MODERN POLICE WORK. ALTHOUGH MANY OF THESE SAME AUTHORITIES ARE INDICATED TO ARGUE FOR THE USE OF LESSER EDUCATED PARAPROFESSIONALS TO PERFORM SOME WORK FORMERLY ENTRUSTED TO THE PATROL OFFICER, THE AUTHOR CONSIDERS THAT THERE ARE NO POLICE FUNCTIONS THAT CAN BE HANDLED BY THE POORLY EDUCATED. IT IS ADVISED THAT OUR SOCIETY HAS BECOME SO ENAMORED WITH HIGHER EDUCATION THAT IN 20 YEARS THE CHIEF THAT STARTED OUT AT THE BOTTOM WITH LIMITED FORMAL EDUCATION WILL BE A RARITY. IT IS FURTHER RECOMMENDED THAT THE POLICE OFFICER WITH MOST OF HIS CAREER AHEAD OF HIM AIM AT OBTAINING A COLLEGE DEGREE TO ASSURE THAT HE WILL MEET ALL FORMAL EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT MAY BE NEEDED FOR FUTURE PROMOTIONS. (RCB)

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