Sirrine 1 Megan Sirrine November 14, 2013 Criminal Justice Final Paper- Do police officers need a college education?

Police forces today are trained extensively in academies and boot camps across the country. They are educated about the field and what their duties are as an officer and how they can best protect the people around them. But the question remains, while they are receiving education in their own individual way should police officers be educated in a regular college setting besides just being trained by other officers in the force. And if the answer to that is yes, then to what length is it going to be enough. In my personal opinion I believe that police officers should indeed be required to attend college to receive a better education. I think that it would not only allow them to become a better officer in their particular field but I also think it would help them became a better educated person as well. As the rise of technology continues to change it becomes increasingly important for people to be aware of their surroundings and what is going on in the world today. (There is a great) need for trainers to not only maintain excellence in their subject area but to obtain and retain the content and skills needed to effectively train adult learners. (Charles, 2000) Because our society is constantly changing the need for trainers to keep up on current events and technology is going to increase. Without their personal knowledge and willingness to teach, other officers wont be as competent in their everyday tasks or as intelligent as they could be if they decided to improve their education by going to college. Our very fast paced and ever growing society needs competent leaders who are going to be willing to become educated to help train our forces to protect and serve the citizens of this

Sirrine 2 country. While there are multiple levels of superiority in the police force I believe that education should never be stopped. I dont think it should necessarily be about aiming towards a particular goal for a degree but more of always having opportunities for learning and advancement. With that said, No work is the sole effort of one person. (Charles, 2000) meaning that providing this education is going to take work on all parties and not just on the person receiving the education. There needs to be a common goal to be willing to get the best level of knowledge as possible. This understanding of the world and our society is going to improve dramatically as to the way that police officers do their duties and how they treat others as individuals. While I dont believe that getting an actual degree towards something is crucial in the educational courses, I do believe that the officers should be recognized for their educational endeavors, whether that be through receiving a promotion or a salary increase. That way officers dont feel there time and efforts arent wasted and they are getting an education as well as a pay raise to satisfy their needs. In regards to my previous statement I believe I should clarify that I think if people are interested in aiming for a degree then they should of course aim to do so. Officers that have been in the field for multiple years most likely arent going to want to go back to college and get a degree, but they might have the desire to obtain further education in specific classes. If a new officer that is going into the field however, might have a desire to get a degree especially if the opportunity for a pay increase is available. If they arent interested in getting a degree then that is when they can also have the opportunity to take specific educational courses to improve their knowledge and gain the skills necessary to improve their employment as well as their everyday life. As we discuss the importance of extra education we also need to recognize that there is a distinct difference between college education and vocational training. According to Paul T.

Sirrine 3 Bartone the writer of the book Enhancing human performance in Security Operations he states that training is classified as a process of gaining skills and attitudes which are needed to perform specific tasks. Education on the other hand is classified as, a process and series of activities which aim at enabling an individual to develop knowledge, skills, and values. While both definitions are very similar I think it is crucial to recognize that in the education aspect that is truly were you are really being active and implementing the skills you are learning. Education requires action. Both gaining training and education is vital to improving your skills and knowledge, but what training lacks is the fact that education offers to teach you values that you might not receive in the training courses. These values that you learn from gaining education are concepts that allow you to improve your own personal integrity and also allow you to realize how you should treat people in the world. Police officers have a responsibility to not only do their duty but to also respect the people around them as well as respect the laws of our land. Perhaps by gaining these values these officers would gain a new perspective of how they should act in their personal life and on the field while at work. Bartone continues by saying, Training differs from education in that it seeks to impart a set of established facts and skills without the necessity of understanding why you should act in the prescribed manner. He goes on declaring, Education on the other hand seeks to have the student learn and to understand why actions are taken or not. This really shows exactly how essential it is to get an education in regards to the fact that gives an understanding of the work that is being done. A lot of times when you are training you are going through the motions without really knowing the reasons why. But when you are being educated and taught that is when action is developed and you begin to learn exactly what you are being taught and why, and also learning how you can implement those things you are learning into your everyday life.

Sirrine 4 We live in a world with constant change. We struggle with criminal activity every single day and we depend on our police force to be willing and prepared to their best capacity so that we can stay safe in our communities. In order for this to continue police officers need to be as educated as possible so that they understand the way of the world and the people around them. Educational courses are offered all throughout the globe and we have so many opportunities for learning that it would drastically improve our world if people would have the desire to continue their education and grow. In the words of the politician Nelson Mandela, Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. And I believe that if police officers choose to get that additional education they will do just that, change the world.

Works Cited Charles, Michael T. (2000) Police Training: Breaking All the Rules; Implementing the Adult Education Model into Police Training, Illinois Bartone, Paul T (2010) Enhancing Human Performance in Security Operations: International and Law Enforcement Perspectives, Springfield Illinois