Police Training
Police officers maintain law and order, collect evidence and conduct criminal investigations. Therefore, police training is a varied and intense program designed to meet the needs of different types of law enforcement agencies. There are many types of police training that coincide with what level of police department the intended officer is entering. For example, urban police officers have general law enforcement duties including maintaining regular patrols and responding to calls. Many officers are assigned to patrol a specific area, such as a business district or residential neighborhood. Detectives, on the other hand, gather facts and collect evidence for criminal cases. They conduct interviews, examine records, observe the activities of suspects, and participate in raids and arrests.
There are many factors that must be considered before entering a police training program. At minimum, applicants for police training need to be a US citizen over 20 years old, not be a convicted felon, have a GED or high school diploma, and pass several competitive written and physical examinations. Federal and state law enforcement agencies require a college degree. Similarly, many law enforcement agencies encourage applicants to complete either a 2-year associate's program or a 4-year bachelor's program in a criminal justice-related area. Knowledge of a foreign language and being physically fit will also help you cultivate a career in law enforcement, as well as successfully complete the police training at the academy.
Once an applicant is accepted for police training, they will receive 12-to-14 weeks of training in a police academy. Police training includes classroom instruction in constitutional law and civil rights, state laws and local ordinances, and accident investigation. Recruits also receive training in patrol, traffic control, firearms usage, self-defense, first aid, and emergency response. Continuing education is a requirement for police officers and detectives. Many agencies pay all or part of the tuition for officers to earn a degree in criminal justice, justice administration or public administration. Departments pay higher salaries to those who earn a degree to supplement the police training they received at the academy.