Requirements to Become...
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What are the Requirements to Become a Police Officer?

As a police officer your primary duties are to prevent criminal activity, pursue perpetrators, and put criminals behind bars. However, the job also includes many other roles:
  • Maintain order
  • Provide expert testimony
  • Collect evidence
  • Interview witnesses and suspects
  • Respond to emergencies
Police officers are not only protectors of the peace, but they are also crucial actors in the criminal justice system. A misfiled report, sloppy procedure, or improperly logged piece of evidence can have disastrous consequences during legal proceedings, so meticulous record keeping is essential for this job

What Are the Requirements to Become a Police Officer?

To be eligible for this position, you must possess at least a high school diploma or equivalent and be eighteen years of age. Some precincts require that you complete one or two years of college, if not a full four-year degree. When completing your college education, try to slant your coursework towards areas like criminal justice, police science, law, computer science, and information technology, since these are likely to come in handy once you enter the field.

After passing a physical and written exam, accepted applicants then go through several months of training at a police academy or similarly-themed institution. Classroom learning focuses on areas such as civil rights, constitutional law, forensics, and police ethics. Field training explores areas such as weapons safety, emergency response, conflict management, self-defense, first aid, and crisis negotiation.

Thereafter, the remainder of your training happens on the job. Most new recruits are paired with more experienced officers until successfully mastering all of the ins and outs of the profession. Some police officers regularly go back to school to receive additional training in specialties like psychology, cybercrime, or animal training.

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