Police Officer Requirements

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Everything you do in life will end up being a stepping stone to something else. It may be a stepping stone in the positive direction, negative direction, or even to a complete turnaround. Becoming a police officer is just a stepping stone to a higher calling: Chicago SWAT. Requirements to become a police officer include physical, mental, and in some cases educational requirements. Physical requirements are usually just being fit and having good muscle stamina and endurance. Mentally, departments are looking for stable and an orthodox way of thinking. Educationally, most don’t require anything more than a high school diploma while others may require a bachelor’s degree in either sociology, psychology, or criminal justice. To become a …show more content…
First, one must meet certain physical requirements to qualify to be a police officer. The physical requirements to be a police officer are being physically fit and healthy to be able to pass a physical agility exam. Though this test is very much needed it also takes time to get to this stage and complete it. It is best if the male/female has no medical conditions that could conflict with an officer’s ability to perform his or her normal duties. Some of the more common requirements of this exam are to be able to run, climb, carry heavy objects and shoot a firearm …show more content…
Today all departments require a high school diploma or anything that’s equivalent to it at the very minimum. Because of the complexities of the job, more departments are requiring future officers to have completed some college courses. These usually include in sociology, psychology and criminal justice. While there are many schools that claim to offer degrees in police officer training, it’s important to remember that each police department has its own rules for police officer requirements. It’s always a good idea to ask the department that’s caught your interest in joining for their basic educational or college course requirements. USCCR validates this by saying, “Law enforcement agencies should encourage all new police recruits to have a college degree. They should also build closer ties with local colleges and universities to recruit cadets, provide career guidance, and utilize faculty in their training programs. Additionally, programs such as the NYPD’s Cadet Corps and Explorers groups should be created in major American cities with low minority representation.” (Recruitment). Basically, USCCR is saying that with additional college degrees then that’s a very valuable edge you have over competition. The state of Minnesota shares similar views on education also. In Minnesota views published by Star Tribune, “Today, POST is overseen by an executive director and a board of 15 individuals who represent higher

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