Why Do Police Officers Have A Higher Education?

Introduction Law enforcement office are given the legal authority by the state to protect and serve citizens. Law enforcement officers are given a lot of discretion in most situations. Occasionally, officers abuse his or her power and temporarily or permanently deprive civilians of his or her rights to life, liberty, and property (Minton, 2011). Police are often associated with police brutality by the media causing scholars to argue that police departments should mandate that candidates who wish to be hired as police officers must have a college level education. The idea of requiring law enforcement officers to have a college education is not a new idea. August Vollmer, an influential figure in shaping law enforcement, believed that only
individuals of “superior intelligence” should be admitted to the “ranks of the police organizations” (Vollmer, 1931). Vollmer believed that higher education led to an increase in intelligence which in turn would improve problem solving skills. There are positives and negatives to this requirement. Requiring law enforcement officers to have a college degree would largely positively or negatively impact policing at the state and local levels in the following ways:
1. It could significantly decrease adverse behavior of law enforcement officers and the number of public complaints consisting incidents of excessive force received from citizens by making better officers.
2. It could increase policing efficiency through better communication.
3. It could decrease minority representation.
4. It could exclude qualified potential candidates such as military veterans.
5. It could waste time because it could be argued that policing is learned through experience not in a classroom setting.
Analysis
The push for higher education for law enforcement officers was dependent on the assumption that a college education would significantly reduce the number of public complaints received from citizens by making better officers. (Paoline and Terrill, 2007). However, higher education also had the possibility of having the number of public complaints received from citizens remain constant and have no effect on the law enforcement officer.
Research from Carter et al. (1989) suggested that it was implied that those with a college education would be more competent and better at problem solving (as cited in Paoline and Terrill, 2007). Studies that examined the impact of higher education on policing did not begin until the 1970s. According to current research, college-educated law enforcement officers are more likely to use “reasonable force” according to the force continuum; they are less likely to receive “citizen complaints for inappropriate policing”, and are less likely to “fire their weapons” such as a gun, mace, or a taser (Worden, 1996; Cascio, 1977; Cohen and Chaiken, 1973; Fyfe, 1998; as cited in Pauline and Terrill, 2007). College educated officers significantly decreased his or her adverse behavior. The push for higher education also was dependent that a college education could increase police efficiency through better communication. If law enforcement officers had better communication skills, policing at the state and local levels would be improved in the following ways according to Fitch and Means (2009):
1. The emotional tension between the police officer and the suspect(s) in temporary detainment or custody would be reduced making the suspect(s) more likely to be compliant with the officer.
2. Police departments would be less likely to receive complaints or lawsuits from peeved suspect(s).
3. Law enforcement officers would be more effective and productive in writing case reports. Case reports are used in pulling out evidence for prosecutors in court. If the case report is not clear, prosecutors are less likely to pull out important information.
Current research indicates that college-educated officers are better verbal and nonverbal communicators than their uneducated counterparts (Carter et al., 1989; Sterling, 1974; Worden, 1990; as cited in Paoline and Terrill, 2007). College educated officers are better at resolving tense situations involving a suspect. They are less likely to use unreasonable and excessive force through effective verbal communication. They are better at writing case reports for the police department and prosecutors.
Although there are benefits to requiring a college education, opponents of this required qualification believe that it could “possibly discriminate against minorities” (Paoline and Terrill, 2007).
Individuals against such a requirement think that minority representation would decrease among law enforcement officer. There is evidence that is contrary to this belief (Paoline and Terrill, 2007). Minority representation would not decrease because according to Carter et al., 1989 “non-White officers nationally have higher levels of education compared to White officers” (as cited in Paoline and Terrill, 2007). Requiring a college education would not have an adverse effect on minority representation. However, requiring a college education would more than likely exclude military veterans who are qualified from the applicant pool. Military veterans are defined as an individuals who “served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable” (Szymendara, 2015). Veterans have the experience to be law enforcement officers because they are taught discipline during military
training.
Another counterargument to the discussion of requiring a college education as a qualification is a waste of time because experience is more effective and has stronger effect on policing than classroom experience ever will. Proponents of this belief according to Riksheim and Chermak, 1993 believe that police behavior is influenced by the characteristics of the encounter between the police and citizen (as cited in Paoline and Terrill, 2007). Proponents insist that adverse police behavior will decrease as police officers learn to manage the situations they are placed in as time passes. They believe that “policing cannot be taught in a classroom, but must be learned on the streets” (Paoline and Terrill, 2007). Contenders of this belief are certain that street smarts are more important than book smarts.
There are few current courses of action being taken by other police departments. Even though college education was introduced and pushed by August Vollmer in the 1930s, not many police departments and criminal justice agencies require that their law enforcement officer recruits are college educated beyond an associate’s degree. Prior to the year 2004, a study from the Bureau of Justice Statistics conducted by Hickman and Reaves (2003) reported that on a national basis only one percent of police agencies required a four year college degree to be hired as a police officer. Only eight percent required a two year degree and only six percent required some college experience (as cited in Paoline and Terrill, 2007). However in 2015, a study that was conducted by Reeves (2015) found that one in four local law enforcement officer that worked in a criminal justice agency required recruits to have at least a two year college degree. Other agencies made exceptions to those with military experience.
Discussion
The research found indicates that a college education and experience have an important effect on policing at state and local levels.
In terms of education, exposure to a college education from some college to a four year degree impacted how a law enforcement officer behaves. Exposure significantly decreased adverse behavior of police officers and the number of public complaints that included incidents of unreasonable force. College experienced police officers were less likely to fire their weapon. It increased officer’s verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Experience alone cannot be used to impact policing of law enforcement officers. In order to have experience, untrained and uneducated officers must be in the field for a long period of time to have any effect on their behavior. Untrained and uneducated officers are more likely to be dangerous to their community than their educated counterparts. During that time in the field without sufficient experience or a college education, recruits are impressionable. They are more likely to be corrupted. Police departments such as ones in Maryland should adopt a two year college requirement or two years of military experience. But once hired recruits should be assigned to older and more experienced law enforcement officers so that they obtain more experience that they would just on their own.
Conclusion In conclusion, research findings indicate that a college education has significant positive impact on policing. Although this has been reiterated many time throughout this paper, college educated law enforcement officers are less likely to act adversely towards a suspect by decreased use of their weapons. They are less likely to receive public complaints and are less likely to have themselves and their department receive a lawsuit from an irritated suspect. The officer’s verbal and nonverbal communication skills increase as well. College educated officers are better to themselves and better to their community.