What Subjects to Take to Become a Police Officer

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What Classes to Take in College to Become a Police Officer?

Becoming a police officer is a noble goal. As a police officer, you help to protect and serve your community and make a difference in the lives of the people around you. It doesn't hurt that you have the potential to earn a good salary, have great retirement benefits and health insurance for yourself and your family either. So, just how do you go about becoming a police officer? Here are some tips for you to get started.

Education

• High school diploma- No matter what branch of law enforcement you go into, a high school diploma is the minimum educational requirement. While in high school there are certain courses that will help you once you start your career. The College Board suggests that a student interested in a future in law enforcement take classes in science, psychology, and math. It's also a good idea to remain physically fit, so you should take physical fitness courses throughout high school as well.
• College courses- While not all local law enforcement agencies require college courses, some do. Many police units like their new recruits to have at least a year or two of college courses under their belt. We'll talk more in-depth about these in a bit.
• Civil Service Exam- This is a requirement for every police officer. Before you can be hired as a police officer, you must pass a civil service exam. These tests include vision, strength, physical, and hearing. There is also a written portion, which focuses on your observational, judgment, and reasoning skills to name a few.
• Police Academy- Yes, it's real, and it's nothing like what is portrayed on TV. After you are hired, it's likely that you will be enrolled in the police academy. In the police academy, you will receive training in areas like firearm use, first aid, traffic control, and constitutional law. It generally lasts between 12-14 weeks.
• Promotion- You should begin as a uniformed police officer after graduating from the Academy. After a specified amount of time, which could last anywhere from six months to three years according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics you may be eligible for promotion. To advance your career, you might get further training in areas like self-defense, law enforcement technology, or crowd-control techniques. You could make your way to becoming a detective.

As we touched on earlier, you can get an edge on the competition and have a better chance of promotion later on if you have some related college courses in your arsenal. A Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice is a good choice. If you pursue this course here are some of the core classes that you can look forward to.

Courses

• Introduction to Criminal Justice
• Law Enforcement Operations
• Criminal Law
• Ethics in Criminal Justice
• Law Enforcement Operations
• Criminal Procedure
• Corrections
• Crime Scene Management
• Research Methods
• Investigations
• Computer Investigation
• Criminology
• Private Security
• Criminal Justice Documentation
• Organized Crime
• Conflict Management

Once you've earned your degree in Criminal Justice, you should be able to consider and assess the quality of the evidence in a criminal case, blend scientific inquiry into your investigation of criminal justice issues, implement protocols and policies when you find yourself facing criminal or emergency situations.

Are you interested in becoming a police officer? If you want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, ECPI University offers this degree at an accelerated rate. For more information, connect with one of our trained admissions advisors today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make !

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Gainful Employment Information – Criminal Justice - Bachelor 's

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What Subjects to Take to Become a Police Officer

Source: https://www.ecpi.edu/blog/what-classes-to-take-in-college-to-become-a-police-officer

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