Cops Often Have To Work At Nighttime
There will also be the possibility that you have to work at nighttime as a police officer.
This is necessary since most unlawful activities happen at nighttime.
However, while you can do a great job for your community, it can be quite annoying and exhausting to work at nighttime.
In fact, many people struggle with it since it destroys the natural sleeping rhythm.
Beyond Law Enforcement Careers
No matter how much pride you get from patrolling streets, responding to emergencies, and being a first-contact between the police department and the community, you may eventually want to leave your position and go beyond a police officer career.
So what are your options? When it comes to advancement, police officers should consider positions both vertically and horizontally.
If you are most interested in vertical promotions should first focus on being the best police officer possible. Like any career, attitude makes a difference. While you can train for hundreds of hours a year and have decades of experience on your resume, an attitude focused on the positives of policing will be crucial for your success. Good captains, chiefs, and commissioners need a strong attitude that will rub off on the minds of other officers.
Education still matters. While many ground-level police officers are hired without a college degree, higher-ranking police officers are all but required to have a post-secondary academic education. An associates, or better yet a bachelors degree, is a wise choice for anyone who aspires to work in law enforcement leadership.
There are almost no limits to the potential careers beyond a police officer position. From advancing in your local department to taking your skills to the private sectors, police officers have a variety of skills that can apply almost anywhere!
Field Training Will Be Tougher
As difficult as academy training is, field training can be even harder. Here’s where you put everything you learned into practice, and if you don’t meet muster, all of the waiting through the hiring process and time and effort in the academy will be for naught.
Field training is as much about transitioning from academy life into a full-time law enforcement career as it is about figuring out who has what it takes and who doesn’t. In field training, every move you make will be scrutinized and evaluated to make sure you’re ready for the road.
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Common Questions For Upcoming Police Officers
Every undergraduate, as well as graduate, paper you write begins with a thesis. In the police work, the thesis is that a certain suspect committed a certain crime. Just as in college, you have to find research that supports your thesis. On the job, you record, order, and explain evidence that supports your thesis that the suspect committed the crime. All the writing you do in college will prepare you to write good police reports and, thus, make you a better cop.
Cop work is about one thingtalking to people. You will interview victims, informants, suspects, and witnesses. The list of people you are going to be talking to is endless. The people you are going to be talking to come from all walks of life. They are going to be different races and different genders. Some are going to be wealthy and some are going to be hooked on heroin. The best cops can talk and listen to everyone.
All college curriculum provides components that are going to strengthen your ability to listen and speak with a wide variety of people. Coursework on different cultures, or how cultures relate, will help you develop a wider base of listening and understanding skills. These skills will help you better interview a victim, suspect, or witness. Coursework on public speaking or giving presentations will assist you in developing your ability to communicate.
What To Study To Become A Police Officer
If you are looking to protect and serve your community through being a police offer and you’re wondering what you need to study in order to do so, then keep reading.
Police officers are often looked up to as the heroes of communities and many people aspire to be in this position. This career path requires a lot of commitment, quick thinking skills and good communication skills.
If you are looking to apply to become a police officer then you should know that you do not have to obtain a diploma or degree but you must have passed matric with the compulsory languages and mathematics or mathematical literacy.
The South African Police Service usually advertises trials in the newspapers and on its site throughout the year.
The requirements which applicants must satisfy are the following:
- You must be a South African citizen
- You must be at least 18 years old but under the age of 30 years old
- You must have a valid driver’s license
- You must not have a criminal record
- You must be fluent in English and at least one other official language.
Once applicants are chosen for trials, they will undergo training which lasts for six-months and takes place at one of the SAPS training colleges around South Africa either in Bishop Lavis, Wentworth, Pretoria or Hammanskraal.
Graduates will then have a training period of approximately three months.
Since police officers work within the justice system they are tasked to prevent, investigate and fight crime in society.
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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?
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How Long Is Police Academy
One of the most important steps, as well as possibly the most challenging, in your path to becoming a police officer is training at a police academy. Each state will have different requirements for the specifics of a police academy, but recruits will typically spend about 800 hours in training before graduation. In general, the academy will take about six months to complete.
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After Becoming Police Officer
Higher Education: As a higher education, a police officer can pursue a PG degree in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement courses.
Start Job: A police officer can engage in various job opportunities such as a Private Investigator, Crime Scene Investigator, Law Enforcement Instructor, Personal Trainer, SP, DSP, Local Police Force, The Ministry of Defense Police, and Specialist Forces, etc. In few courses, Internships are also offered to the police officers.
Police Officer Job Outlook
Job security matters to everyone. In fact it may be more important than overall salary after all, whats the point in having a well-paying career if no jobs are available? The overall expected job growth for police officers is 5%, which is the exact job growth for all career fields in the United States.
Like salaries, however, job growth will depend heavily on location, as certain areas, especially growing cities, will be adding to their police force, while other cities may actually be eliminating positions. Crime rates, according to the BLS, have been falling, but a demand for police to maintain and improve public safety will fuel job increases.
One of the main challenges, however, will be the low rate of job turnover. People hired in this career rarely leave unless they are promoted unlike other careers where people take jobs, work a couple year, then transition into different jobs. This increases competition for these jobs, which makes the need for education all the more important. People with degrees in law enforcement, criminology, multiple languages, and beneficial skills can greatly increase their chances of being hired.
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Best College Degree For Police Officer
Police officers need a broad range of skills to thrive and excel in these careers. From solid communication to a strong understanding of human behavior, police officers will find a lot of value from an associates or bachelors degree in many different fields. The best major for you will be one you have a unique interest in and one that you would like to apply in your career as a police officer.
Best Degrees For Cops
While most police departments have minimum education requirements, you want to climb the ranks later in your career. Lieutenants and other supervisory officers may need a bachelor’s degree, states the Bureau of Labor Statistics . Formal education will not only improve your career prospects but may also lead to higher wages.
Patrol officers, for example, make about $63,000 per year. Detectives and criminals investigators, by comparison, earn a median annual salary of $83,000 and up, reports the BLS. Those who work for the federal government can earn over $88,000 per year. As mentioned earlier, federal agencies typically require a college degree. The BLS says that some police departments offer additional pay for officers who speak more than one language or have completed formal education.
Start by looking for police science degree programs in your area. These usually cover police documentation procedures, law enforcement administration, weaponry, types of crimes and other related topics. Wichita State University‘s associate of applied science degree in police science program, for instance, introduces students to criminal law. They also learn about the most widely used law enforcement procedures and have the opportunity to complete an internship in criminal justice.
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Taking And Completing The Police Enforcement Entrance Exam
One of the major requirements for becoming a police officer includes the police entrance exam. This examination is required for all upcoming police officers and contains items that test a persons ability in math, reading comprehension, writing, and grammar. Since a lot of the knowledge required for the examination is covered in bachelors programs that focus on criminal justice, students that complete this degree program may find the exam easier than those taking the examination right after a high school education. Regardless of which path you take, taking the time to study for the examination is suggested.
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Contact schools for information on enrollment, tuition, and aid
To start your career in law enforcement, you will need to start by getting the right education. Many jobs require an undergraduate degree, but you should be sure to research your prospective career path to fully understand what training you will need. Therefore, you should take a look at some of the best degree options that available for people who are seeking to start a career in the field of law enforcement.
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You Will Have To Make Difficult Decisions
Being a police officer also implies making difficult decisions.
In fact, you will have to decide when it will be appropriate to use your gun and when there will be no need for it.
This can be rather unclear in many situations and one mistake in this regard can even cost your life.
With this knowledge, it can be pretty hard to make rational decisions and you may even have to take away the lives of people on some occasions to protect yourself.
You May Get Injured Or Even Die
There will always be the risk to get injured or dying during your shift as a police officer.
You will just have to live with the fact that your life could be over anytime.
Many police officers just have a hard time dealing with this fact and try to suppress it.
However, some police officers quit their jobs after a while due to the dangers they no longer want to be exposed to.
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Physical Requirements To Become A Police Officer
Beyond the basic bio requirements, you will also need to meet physical requirements, such as:
- Basic physical criteria
- Good vision and hearing
- Mental strength
The physical requirements will vary from state to state and even city to city. For example in LA, male applicants must have a body fat percentage of less than 22%. In Philadelphia, recruits must pass a physical fitness test to be accepted into the training academy.
If you meet these essential requirements, you can move forward with education and training, which may include formal college courses, an important part of how to become a police officer.
How Much Money Does A Police Officer Make
What is the Average police salary? According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for police patrol officers and detectives was $67,290 as of May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $39,130, and the highest 10% earned more than $113,860.
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Additional Perks For Police Officers
Since police officers enjoy a high reputation among the general public, they often get additional perks.
Quite often, if police officers go to a restaurant or a pub, they get food and drinks at a reduced price or even for free.
Consequently, apart from your decent salary, you will also be able to save money on many occasions in your daily life, which makes becoming a police officer even more attractive from a financial standpoint.
What Degree Should You Take If You Want To Be A Cop
Related
A career in law enforcement will give you the opportunity to make an impact on your community and receive competitive compensation. While you don’t need a college degree to get into this career, it’s worth researching the best degrees for cops. Police officers with a major in criminal justice, law enforcement or social sciences are more likely to climb the ranks and land a high-paying job.
Tip
One-third of police officers have a four-year college degree and more than half hold an associate degree, according to the National Police Foundation. A bachelor’s or master’s degree in criminal justice, law or social sciences may lead to faster career advancement and higher pay.
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What’s It Like To Be A Police Officer
Police Officers serve to protect public life and property. They undertake extensive on-the-job training and perform a diverse range of duties, including: maintaining public order and safety being first responder to emergency calls investigating and prosecuting criminal offences enforcing traffic law securing and examining crime scenes and dealing with violent offenders or people under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Police Officers in Australia are required to carry a firearm and must pass a series of background checks and psychometric, fitness and medical tests.
Police Officers interact with members of the public daily and must be adept at resolving disputes, de-escalation, and remaining calm under pressure.
Choosing The Right Degree For Law Enforcement
Selecting the degree that is right for you is a decision that you should make after conducting thorough research. After all, the career path that you choose will likely be the focus of your life for several decades. If you choose a degree program that you will enjoy, you are likely to be motivated to get a high-paying job and to achieve further advancement. Therefore, you can set yourself up for success by putting in the effort to conduct your own research before diving into the degree of your choice.
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You Can Improve Overall Conditions In Your Community
Some police officers also grew up under rather poor conditions and urgently want to make a positive change for their community.
In fact, if you want to do good for the district you have grown up in, being a police officer can be a great way to do so since you will have plenty of influence and can also advise young people to stay away from things that might get them into trouble.
What Types Of Career Advancements Can A Bachelors Degree In Policing Lead To
Besides the knowledge that you gain, the skills youll develop can lead to many exciting career paths. The list below is a small sample of the careers Laurier police studies degree graduates have gone on to:
- Chief of Police / Commissioner / Chief Constable
- Deputy Chief of Police / Deputy Chief Constable
- Staff Superintendent
- Sergeant / Detective
- Police Constable 1st Class / Detective Constable
In the curriculum guide, you’ll find:
- Complete curriculum listings
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Pathways To This Career
How To Complete Police Courses Online
Lauriers online police degrees are administered via the schools online learning portal. Lectures are recorded, and you can access the videos 24/7 through the portal.
The professors notes and additional instructions are posted each week, and most textbooks are digitally accessible. Courses also include discussion boards so you can talk about lessons with your fellow students. You can also contact instructors through the messaging system, and the library offers extensive online resources.
To assist you throughout your entire time as a student, you will be assigned a student success advisor to ensure youre able to access all the materials and resources you need.
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