How To Become A Police Officer In Toronto
The Toronto Police Service is an elite law enforcement organization dedicated to serving and protecting the people of Toronto. As the Canadian metropolitan area with the most police officers, Toronto has many career opportunities for aspiring and current police officers, but the hiring process can be competitive. A policing degree or a criminology degree can set candidates apart, lead to promotions, and open doors to a broad range of job opportunities.
Lauriers online Bachelor of Arts in Policing and online Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Policing develop analytical and critical thinking skills, foster key competencies required for leadership roles, and give public safety professionals an edge in their overall careers and salary potentialno matter where in Canada they may be studying from.
Toronto Police Officer Application Process
The process outlined below belongs to the Toronto Police Service. Most police agencies in Ontario follow a similar process.
Applicants can be declined at any stage in the application process. The most suitable candidates in the application pool are selected amongst those who pass every stage.
Once you have been selected, you advance to recruit training. In the Toronto Police Service application process, you are sent to the Ontario Police College for recruit training. Recruits need to pass this program in order to become a police officer.
From Security Guard To Police Officer
While there are a fair number of employment opportunities, as you have seen in the information presented in this article, policy agencies hire only the most suitable candidates. So you need to do what you can to ensure that your application stands out from the rest.
Police agency recruiters advise applicants to significantly improve their chances of being selected through:
Don’t Miss: How To File A Complaint Against A Police Department
How To Become A Police Officer In California
California is in need of LEOs, and with a total of 509 law enforcement agencies in the state, there are plenty of places to choose from
The Police1 How to Become a Police Officer special coverage series covers everything you need to know about launching a new career in law enforcement from finding the right agency to work for and making it through the application process all the way to successfully navigating your rookie years, and beyond. Start your journey today by clicking the link above.
It doesnt get much better than the Golden State. From the stunning sequoias in Yosemite to the beautiful beaches of Santa Monica, California truly has something for everyone.
And like most of the country, California is in need of police officers with a total of 509 law enforcement agencies in the state, there are plenty of places to choose from. Here’s how to become a police officer in California.
Network In The Community
To land a job in law enforcement without a degree, you will want strong letters of recommendations from upstanding citizens like your pastor or former high school principal. Be visible by attending art fairs, athletic events and charity fundraisers. Consider volunteering to be on a board of directors of a youth organization to show community spirit and meet people. Talk about your interest in becoming a police officer with the professional contacts you make through public service. You never know who might put in a good word for you with the police chief on the golf course.
References
Also Check: What Are The Steps To Becoming A Police Officer
How Long Does It Take To Become A Police Officer In Toronto
It takes 24 weeks to complete the prescribed police training and become sworn in as a 4th class constable. As cadets-in-training, new recruits attend a three-week orientation at the Toronto Police College followed by a 12-week session at the Ontario Police College. Training concludes with nine weeks of training at the Toronto Police College.
Benefits Of Earning A Policing Degree
While a policing degree is not required to become a law enforcement official, a policing degree from Laurier helps enhance the career and earning potential of an individual who wants to pursue a career in this field.
Graduates with a bachelors degree in policing will have an advantage when pursuing leadership positions and promotions. In addition to becoming a police officer, some of the top job opportunities for graduates include emergency management specialist, crime analyst and security director.
Additionally, the earning potential is higher for graduates with an online degree in policing. Higher education can translate into higher wages than a high school or college diploma alone. Earning a bachelor’s degree can earn you over 30 percent higher earnings than high school graduates.
In terms of salaries in Canada, a police officer earns an average of $93,000 per year. The average security director salary in Canada is $99,000. And a detective sergeant can earn in excess of $121,000 annually.
Also Check: Can I Volunteer At A Police Station
Law Enforcement Degree In Public Safety Leadership
Another valid degree to consider is one in law enforcement and public safety leadership. This type of degree is relatively new since it was crafted for those seeking to be stronger leaders in their field. Its not offered by very many universities, which does impact how affordable obtaining said degree will be, but it can still advance your career.
Not only will this degree deepen knowledge pertaining to law enforcement, but it will also educate students on the principles of planning and project management in order to effectively manage police resources and protect the public.
What Degree Should I Get To Be A Police Officer
Being a police officer requires extensive training, a good education and a willingness to enforce the law. For many high school students who eventually want to become police officers, the path forward to get into this career is a bit mysterious. Should aspiring police officers go to college? If so, what level of degree will they need to be a cop, and what major should they study in preparation for this career?
IMAGE SOURCE: Pixabay, public domain
Read Also: Can Police Take Your Money
How To Become A Police Officer
A career in the police force offers a healthy salary and plenty of opportunity for progression, but, equally, it regularly demands anti-social hours and is a potentially stressful profession.
As the Institute For Apprenticeships says:
‘Being a police constable * is a physically and intellectually demanding occupation, requiring high levels of emotional intelligence, strong behavioural interpretation skills , and an ability to analyse and resolve rapidly evolving events.
‘Police constables have a unique employment status, as every police constable is a warranted officer, making autonomous lawful decisions including taking away an individuals liberty if required.
‘Police constables exercise wide-ranging powers to maintain the peace and uphold the law across complex and diverse communities. They must justify and personally account for their actions through differing legal frameworks including courts, while also under the close scrutiny of the public’.
* ‘Police constable’ refers to a rank that virtually all police officers will start as. ‘Police officer’ refers to all ranks from police constable to chief constable of a county constabulary. With there being such a wide range of roles within the policing profession, there’s plenty of scope for career progression.
Skip ahead:
What does a police officer do?
As a police officer you’ll carry out a wide range of tasks, such as:
How to become a police officer
What to expect as a police officer
At Northumbria:
Bachelors Degree In Law Enforcement
A law enforcement degree at the bachelors level typically takes four years to complete and can include many different topics or subjects. There are prototypical degrees such as criminal justice, criminology and law enforcement studies. But there are other majors that can hold police officers in good stead. For example, graduates with a degree in accounting are excellent candidates for a career in white collar crime investigations, while computer science majors can have an advantage if theyre interested in pursuing a career in computer forensics or cyber crimes.
Those in a bachelors degree program in a law-related field can expect to find courses like these:
Police Ethics
Recommended Reading: How To Get Police Clearance Certificate In Usa
Police Departments In Washington
There are 272 law enforcement agencies in Washington. Applicants hoping to work in law enforcement in Washington may work for the state police, a sheriffs office, or one of the many municipal police departments. There are plenty of opportunities across the state, though three cities employ the largest staffs of commissioned police officers: Seattle, Spokane, and Tacoma. To work for any police department in the state, a recruit must meet the WSCJTC minimum requirements, receive a conditional offer, and successfully complete the training academy.
Enables Officers To Better Relate To The Community
Higher education has been shown to enhance the technical training that police get in the academy or on the job.
For instance, as college students, aspiring or current police officers participate in internships, do community service or study abroad. All of these things have been shown to increase critical thinking, moral reasoning and openness to diversity. College also leads to more intercultural awareness. Taken together, all of these skills are essential for successful policework.
Research has also shown that police officers themselves recognize the value of a college degree. Among other things, they say a college education improves ethical decision-making skills, knowledge and understanding of the law and the courts, openness to diversity, and communication skills. In one study, officers with criminal justice degrees said their education helped them gain managerial skills.
Also Check: How To Become A Police Officer In San Diego
Start Your Day With Laist
Last week, Democratic State Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer of Los Angeles introduced a bill that would require new police officers be at least 25 years of age, or have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Under current state law, police officers have to be at least 18-years-old and have a high school diploma or equivalent. California Highway Patrol officers have to be at least 20. Police officers also have to pass background checks, psychological screenings and physical tests before they’re eligible for a police academy, which takes about six months to complete. Once they’re admitted to a police force, they do 12 weeks of on-the-job training.
Jones-Sawyer told LAist/KPCC that he believes an officer’s age is important, in terms of maturity — particularly when new trainees are thrown into difficult situations and have to think quickly, critically and independently.
Example? Two of the officers involved in the killing of George Floyd had been on the job for less than a week. Derek Chauvin, the officer who applied the lethal force to Floyd’s neck and is now facing trial for second-degree murder, was training them.
DOES EDUCATION AFFECT POLICING?
But Gardner points out that none of this research is causal — it’s just associative, meaning we don’t know if college education was the factor that led to these outcomes of if these officers decided to attend college because they had these behaviors to begin with.
Pass The Post Exam & Become A Police Officer
In order to work as a police officer, aspiring applicants must pass the Peace Officer Standards and Training or Police Officer Standards and Training exam. Commonly known as the POST exam, this is required for each state except Hawaii . Each state has subtle differences in their testing procedure, requirements, and the test itself, so its important to do in-depth research on the test your particular state requires.
Examsfor police officers include not only the POST written examination which includes an evaluation of grammar, reading comprehension, andwriting but other points as well, such as physical agility,medical health, psychological fitness, background review, and an oralinterview. Some states might add other requirements, such as apolygraph test. Once these tests are satisfactorily passed, graduatesare ready to work as police officers. The procedure it takes to getfrom passing the tests to wearing the badge depends on the state andin some cases, the department itself.
Step 6
Don’t Miss: How To Pay Police Ticket
Police Training Academies In Washington
The only basic police training academy in Washington is the Basic Law Enforcement Academy, or BLEA, run by the WSCJTC in Burien. Recruits whose hiring agency is more than 40 miles away from the Criminal Justice Training Center are eligible for on-site lodging throughout the academy. The only way to enroll in the academy is first to be offered a conditional position with one of the states recognized law enforcement agencies, including the Washington State Police, a sheriffs office, or a city police department. The BLEA does not accept self-sponsored applicants.
Recruits attending the BLEA learn all the basic skills needed to be a law enforcement officer across 720 hours of training. These include criminal law and procedures, cultural awareness, traffic enforcement, communication skills, firearms skills, crisis prevention, patrol procedures, and defensive tactics. Many hiring agencies require additional training, such as field training, after officers graduate from the academy.
Associate Degree In Law Enforcement
An associate degree in law enforcement prepares graduates for police careers by providing the information necessary to pass police academy entrance exams. The associate degree usually takes two years to complete, is a well-rounded degree with general education courses mixed in, and serves as a stepping stone to the bachelors degree. Because each associate degree program will be tailored to the requirements of the local and regional law enforcement departments, curriculums will vary. However, some of the classes incoming students can expect include:
Crime Types
Don’t Miss: What To Study For Police Exam
Other Helpful Skills And Experience
Additional skills, such as physical strength and stamina, can help candidates meet police officer requirements. To keep up with daily job requirements, apprehend suspects, and pass required physical tests for entry into the field, officers and detectives must maintain good physical shape and demonstrate strength. Employers see prior military or security experience as a plus, since these candidates undergo previous physical and firearm training.
Moreover, police officers must possess good written and oral communication skills to effectively give detailed incident reports and speak with the public during fact-gathering. Law enforcement agents may also speak with suspects who communicate in other languages. To help diverse communities, officers should understand many different perspectives and display empathy. Law enforcement agents must also practice good judgment by determining the most effective way to solve problems.
Officers holding higher positions, such as detectives and fish and game wardens, may need critical thinking skills and perception to determine in advance why suspects act in certain ways. Since the public looks to officers for assistance in emergency situations, these professionals become highly visible community members. In their public roles, officers often serve as role models and must possess leadership skills.
Police Community Support Officer
Although they do not have the same powers as a police officer, PCSOs play a key role on the frontline of neighbourhood policing. According to the College of Policing, the job involves:
- dealing with minor offences
- providing support to police officers
- conducting house-to-house enquiries
- guarding crime scenes
- providing crime prevention advice.
Starting salaries are typically between £17,500 and £20,000, although North Yorkshire Police states that their trainees currently earn £21,135, which rises to £23,406 with experience.
This is a uniformed role, and you’ll work shifts including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
Apply for PCSO positions directly through the police force that you want to join. You do not generally need any formal qualifications, but you’ll need to meet the basic eligibility requirements set by individual police forces. Check their websites for details.
The application process typically involves an application form, online tests, an interview and assessment centre. You’ll also have to demonstrate your fitness and pass a medical test. Successful applicants will then undergo a training programme lasting between three weeks and three months.
You may later decide to apply to become a police officer, or continue as PCSO.
Also Check: How To Lookup Police Report Number
Faq: Do You Need A Degree To Be A Cop
Being a police officer is a worthwhile and impactful job that serves the community. Experience and skills are key to a role as a police officer. They undergo specialized academy training and pass exams to gain employment, though often no formal education is required. In this article, we explore the career of a police officer, including their duties, experience, skills and how to become one to help you decide if this is the right career for you.