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About Me
- Dr. Kalam
- United States
- Welcome to our Asynchronous Blog for DSC1006 Introduction to Homeland Security. You should respond to the questions and follow the instructions from our class meetings on Saturday.
This week we will discuss the issues surround hiring in the police force.
ReplyDeleteFollowing up from the last class, we learned that more emphasis is being placed on education rather than on the traditional mode of "training and development" provided at the academy.
Consider the following when responding to the discussion questions:
1. If a police officer has been on the force for 15 years, is s/he qualified for a promotion to a senior management position, even though s/he has no formal education beyond the the academy? If yes, why? If no, why not?
2. How does having a college degree help the officer on the street with decision making?
3. Should the college degree be mandatory for entry level officer positions in ALL police departments?
4. Will your college degree help you with your career? if yes, How?
Thank you for your responses,
Dr. Kalam
November 7, 2009 4:09 PM
November 8, 2009 9:56 AM
1. In my opinion, he is qualified for the position because eventhough he has no formal education he has gained experience over the years. In 15 years he probably has gotten to know the system very well, and how it all works.
ReplyDeleteI think that an officer that has been on the force for 15 years,and that has qualified for promotion to a senior management position should be able to be promoted even though that officer might not have any formal education beyond the the academy. This is a very difficult question to answer because it can depend on a lot of thing. Having a degree does not give you the experience.
ReplyDelete2. Having a college degree helps an officer make decisions specially when it comes to dealing with the public and handeling complaints. It is very hard to maintain order and know the correct ways to respond to the public when a situation has gone out of proportion. Having a degree not only teaches you about your career, but Criminal Justice also teaches you communication skills and the proper ways to act in disorderly conduct situations and unruly people. Therefore, unless you have "people skills" it becomes very difficult to work with the public.
ReplyDelete3.I do think that now a days at least a college degree should be mandatory. This is because like I stated in the previous post, there are some communication skills and public management skills that are not easily learned unless you have gone through college and actually learned about the Criminal Justice field. I think it should be mandatory for ALL police departments because in some way the all work with the public.
ReplyDelete4. A college degree will definetly help me with my career. Learning about criminal justice, being fair with the public but still offer protection, providing a safe environment for the people in the community and at the same time, deter crime and enforce the law, are all difficult tasks that are not all learned with experience itself but with education. A degree with not only help me with my career but also will bring more knowlege and intelect which will always help in my future no matter what decisions I make.
ReplyDeleteIn reponse to what martinezstephanie said:
ReplyDeleteIt is true that a degree does not give you the experience but it does provide knowledge about the specific career being studied which is something everyone needs.
If a police officer has been on for 15 years then I believe that he will have the experience to get promoted to a senior management position. He has so much experience that he knows what goes on in the street and how to handle any situation.
ReplyDeleteHow does a college degree help in the streets?
ReplyDeleteI believe that when you have education and training then you will perform a lot better during your job duties. Educated officers are less likely to be fired then a police officer that does not have any education.
Should a college degree be mandatory in all police departments?
ReplyDeleteI think that it should not be mandatory in all police departments. Not everybody goes for a degree so if you were to recruit in New York for example you are looking for 5,000 applicants and if a degree is mandatory then you lose right of the top more than half of the applicants and when the whole selection process is done you probably would be with a couple hundred which is nothing for a police department of that size.
In my personal opinion a 15 year old veteran officer has the capability to do a senior managememnt position.It all depends on whether or not the department thinks is enough for that officer to do the job with just a High School Diploma n Police Academy. At time that just doesn't cut it.
ReplyDeleteHaving a degree helps an officer make mature rational decisions. It helps the officer reason n can step out of the box and think of different ways to resolve issues. Having a degree gives you knowledge and knowledge is power.
ReplyDeleteMy college degree will help me a whole lot because I want to do senior management as my career in law enforcement . Whenever I apply for a promotion my degree will help. I have learned everything I know about Criminal justice because of school, so it has definitely been my foundation.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Lazaro Paredes:
ReplyDeleteIt is true that if a degree is mandatory a los of applicants will be lost, but then again you dont want to hire just anyone for that position where that person is supposed to protect , serve and maintain order and has barely no knowledge of how to interact with the public in any situation.
In response to Merly L.
ReplyDeleteRight. but that is why you go through a police academy to gain that basic knowlegde and learn how to deal with the public.
_ I don't think if the that officer that has 15 years of experience and is a good officer should be required the eduction beyond the academy. Usually some job positions require x amount of years of experience and then if you have 0 amount of experience they require a certain degree or a certain amount of college credits.
ReplyDeleteALL:
ReplyDeleteI agree that a pen is a powerful tool as is the ability to rationalize your thoughts using a combination of your training and education. One is no good without the other in many cases. Yet in certain circumstances, street smarts are critical and cannot be taught to anyone except on the job.
But I would say that Knowing how to respond to difficult management issues does require that:
the person is motivated
The person has the ability
the person applies a thought process
the person evaluates their decisions....
the person IS THE KEY COMPONENT
Lazaro,
ReplyDeleteI agree, I don't think you can take away experience from someone and it should be sufficient to promote someone.
2. I don't know that the college degree will help with decision making. The college degree will make the officer more educated and might have been exposed to having to rationalize and expand their minds to knew things etc but the decision making is something that maybe the office will have to learn with time or with internal training. Of course decision making with what is related to work.
ReplyDeleteI personally am an over thinker and it takes me a long time before making a decision I would need to learn on the job how to act quick and just decide.
Kalam,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree I was just going to answer to question three and saw your post.
I believe that a degree should not be required for all police departments but some college should. Maybe an attempt or a few credits should be required. Attempting college or finishing it symbolizes to me that the person was able to sacrifice somethings and like Kalam said is motivated to accomplish this goal that not all can do.
I think it defines character. Maybe you are not an excellent student but it shows that you had to apply yourself in one way or another.
Lazaro,
ReplyDeleteThe degree will help I think. I feel that you are now less restricted to the jobs you apply to and believe it or not many things you will learn in the academy academic wise are things we have already learned. It will feel great sitting in that class and not thinking to yourself what the heck is this person talking about. It will be like a refresher course and you wil learn how to apply it to your job rather than learning it for the first time and then having to learn how to apply it to your everyday life.
Merly,
ReplyDeleteLike I told Lazaro the degree will let you now apply for jobs that where restricted before.
Being educated and being knowledgeable is something that I find very valuable.
I believe that my college degree will help me with my career. I will get just a little bit of a pay raise a little one I say but it makes me standout. If i apply myself and do the best that I can do i believe that I would be a more favorable candidate for promotions. :)
ReplyDelete1.I do believe that if a police officer has been on the force 15 yrs that he/she would be qualified for a promotion, even though the officer has had no other education after the academy because you do not learn everything you need to know in training. I feel as if you also learn from real life situations that they can’t teach in the academy. Having so many years on the force gives the officer a lot of experience and I feel that experience and job performance should be looked at when it comes to promotion, not just education.
ReplyDelete2. I do believe that having a college degree will help an officer with decision making. Speaking for myself I have learned so much about the C.J. system, society, and ethic and I feel that all the knowledge I have acquired will be beneficial to me if I were trying to become a police officer. Going into the police academy with an education would be better than learning everything fresh in the academy
ReplyDelete3. I do not think that a college degree should be mandatory for all entry level positions. I agree that a college degree will help but entry level means that you will be trained on how too perform your job. Not everybody thrives in education but that does not mean that they cannot be a good cop. I know plenty of officers that do not have a degree and they have moved up so their ability to do their job and promotions were not based on their educations, but on their job performance.
ReplyDelete4. My college degree will help me in my career. I chose to go to college because I wanted to stand out in my peers by showing that I have a degree. I know that I am an excellent worker and I can move up based on that, but I feel that having an education is an extra bonus that I have on my resume saying that I am educated in this field.
ReplyDeleteIf a police officer has been on the force for 15 years, is s/he qualified for a promotion to a senior management position, even though s/he has no formal education beyond the the academy? If yes, why? If no, why not?
ReplyDeleteI think that if a police officer has been on the force for 15 years, he is qualified for a promotion to a senior management position, even though he has no formal education beyond the academy. I think that 15 years of experiences is more than enough to be promoted to a higher position. A degree doesn't tell you how to react or how to handle differents situations however experience does.
How does having a college degree help the officer on the street with decision making? It helps a lot because they maybe be able to analyze the situation better,and since might have a different perspective they might be a bit more curteous to individuals. Having a degree also helps in the multicultural perspective
ReplyDeletea college degree can help the officer on the street when making decision because he will know how to handle situation in a proper way. In college, we learn about ethics, behaviors, special need offenders,etc
ReplyDeleteWhat PO learned in college can help them avoid problems and commit less mistakes than non educated PO when on the street.
I think that college degree should not be mandatory in all department for entry level officer positions. Some people dream to become police officer but might not have the chance to attend college because of financial difficulties. I don't think that these persons should be penalized because a person can be smart and become a good cop without prior college education.
ReplyDeleteYes,college degree will help me in my career. I already have a law degree from France and the degree I am working on now will help me achieve my goal and become international lawyer. I could have just stop my education and work with my French degree but for becoming international lawyer, and being able to work all over the place is my aspiration so college degree will definetely help me achieve my enterprise.
ReplyDeleteIn response to mspaulinapereza:
ReplyDeleteI am agree with you when you said that with a degree an officer will make mature rational decisions. I am sure that having a degree make people think in other ways and defenitely knowledge is power.
I strongly believe that all departments required more than just a High School Diploma. I think that no matter if it is for a level entry position (data entry) to a Police Officer/Dispatcher, a person must possess more than just grade school. Police work is just as important as any other proffesion, therefore an individual must possess more than just the minimal.
ReplyDeleteTo Missiva:
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with the facts that some people don't have the financial entity to go and attend school, but bottom line is that if you wanted to become a Dr/ Attorney/ Nurse, any career that actually takes more than just High School Diploma and approximately 6 months of academy, you would be required to attend to college/University/ Grad school. Those career are prestigious, but Police the role of the POs combine equals many different hats.
I believe if the officer has been on the force for about 15 years he can be qualified for a senior management position without formal education because he has 15 years of experience. Spending 15 years on the force he should know all there is too know within his department.Also gain knowledge throughout his work throughout those years.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to having a college degree and helping out the officer with decision making can be quite essential because in school they can learn different methods in dealing with problems. Also as far as behavior you take classes in which gives you an insight on why the person can be acting and doing certain things. However it teaches you how to have different communication skills or different ways to approach situations, which I believe is very important when your dealing with the community as well as an offender.
I strongly believe that having at least a college degree can help out very much in hiring police officers. The reason why is because atleast they have some type of knowledge in the work they are about to get into. They are just not going into something without knowing anything history or having insight in their work. This can help out alot because the person who went thru school can have a different approach in handling situations.
I do believe that having a college degree will help me out with my career because its giving me knowledge about what I am going to deal with and gives me different views on many situations and helps me understand many things better than before. In addition, the knowledge I have gain thru going to school no one can ever take that away from me so thats something you can take with you wherever you go.
I can honestly say that my degree will NOt help me advance in my present career. As a police officer in order for me to move up in ranks (Sgt/Lt) I need to just simple take a written test and then go thru an Oral panel. In order to me to become a detective (overrated) I would have to just apply for the position and go thru an oral board or know the Right People and for sure you will be moved up.
ReplyDeleteNOW........My degree will definitely help me when I retired. In the next 5 years I plan to continue attending school until my Master is completed. I plan to use My Master degree to my favor. I am preparing myself for my future. when I retired I plan to work because I want to, not because I need to. So to conclude at the end my degree will save me from wearing another uniform and carrying a gun in plain view.
In response to Missiva:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you in that some people may not have the funds to gain further education. However, in order to receive higher education and receive a degree you need to put yourself thru school. There are many ways to get funding for school whether its Pell grants, scholarships or loans. Therefore, I don't think that is a plausible excuse for someone not to better themselves and retrieve the higher education you need to complete in order to further gain knowledge, get a degree and start your career.
To mspaulinapereza
ReplyDeleteI think that being a PO as being doctor, nurse or attorney, It is about passion, some people are talented it's innate and that is why I don't think that a degree should be require for All entry level since PO has to go through Police Academy anyway.
Lazaro I agree with you that having the proper education as well as the proper training can make you become a more effective officer. Also having the education can lead to a higher pay rate.
ReplyDeleteTO Lazaro/Massiva:
ReplyDeleteBelieve me when I tell you that the academy is nothing compared to what reality really is. The academy does not teach you people skills nor it teaches morale. The academy teaches you bout liability. It is a foundation, a start to a career but it is not the main foundation where one just says "the academy will teach me everything i need to know". The academy like anything else is a starting place, one must go beyond to gain knowledge and to gain peoples respect....At times being streets smart is actually better than book smart in the field of PO... Knowing the books doesn't justify your knowledge of the streets.....
To Paulina
ReplyDeleteI am agree,and that is why I think that in this field education alone is not enough. Of course you learned ethics, morales,etc through education, but I think that in this type of field the experience gained prepares you better than reading the books. I think that education is important but experience is too, especially in criminal justices because being confronted everyday to different types of situation teach you how to handle the next one,...Now I don't say that education is not necessary but sometimes hands on experience is the best education.
1. No, I don't think they qualify for senior management position, because they don't have formal education. I believe the police officer needs at least a master's degree at minimum.
ReplyDelete2. Having a college degree allows the officer to think more analytically. He's able to apply those skills in the right form.
3. No, only if they want to move up in the company.
4.My college degree will help me advance in my career, but it certainly won't be enough since there is a lot of competition out here.
Lazaro Paredes..
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on your statement regarding officers w/a college degree perform better. I feel this statement applies to all positions.
Nikole
ReplyDeleteI am not agree with you when you said that a PO with 15 years experiences is not qualify for senior management position, because they don't have formal education.
15 years experiences is more than enough to acquire knowledge and skills needed to be qualified for a senior management position.
Mspaulinapereza
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, being street smart is very crucial in law enforcement . However to advance beyond a Sgt or Lt one must have a college degree for a position as a police major for example.
To Lazaro:
ReplyDeletein my Department beyond a Sgt or Lt, the job is appointed, meaning the Chief of Police chooses who he wants to "promote" for those appointed position....so...in reality one does not need to have a college degree...
Im all for education but reality is that in this field- especially an officer unfortunately a degree is not really required.
Should the college degree be mandatory for entry level officer positions in ALL police departments? yes,i think that having a degree gives them the knowledge they need to assess different situations with different people.
ReplyDeleteWill your college degree help you with your career? yes, because its going to give me all the knowledge i need to know and will help me promotion wise then i will have a better understanding of my field of study. the practical part, i will be able to learn on the job.
ReplyDeletePaulina,
ReplyDeleteDo you think that the education requirements apply only to your department?? Do you think that maybe other departments may have a different requirement? I ask because so many officer go to school with us...all ages and positions. Also we have professors that are either retired officers or current officers and well obviously they are educated individuals if not they will not be teaching.
Massiva,
ReplyDeleteI agree that the financing could be a difficulty for some. I do however feel that when you want something bad enough you will find a way. There are loans and for those that have low income financial aid and other grants that can be won etc. Like they say, where there is a will there is a way.
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI agree it's a bonus to add to your resume and may make your more desirable to employers. Like i mentioned before, it says a lot about an individual.
They have determination to finish school, find the means to do so & have sacrificed themselves to achieve there goal.
Hey all...apparently we were supposed to post on this one.
ReplyDeleteDr.K - I posted my responses to the other questions in the previous blog area. I thought that was the right place. Here is number four...
4) Will your college degree help you with your career? if yes, How?
I think that my degree would help me with my career because of the coursework and instruction received. If I were to get a job that didn’t relate to my degree I might be less inclined to agree but there are still skills I have acquired in getting my degree that transcend the field where I am employed. There are analytical and critical thinking skills that are a part of the coursework. There are team building and communication skills taught through the instruction that one might not be able to develop through training alone.
As I stated in an earlier post, these are skills that are essential in any profession or trade. These skills are sought after by large corporations or small businesses. It doesn’t matter where you go or what you do, as long as you have these skills you will be sought after by any potential employer.
@ Nikole....
ReplyDeletei think asking for a masters degree at min is a bit much for a management position. i mean so for a position above management would you expect them to have a doctorate??? its a bit much is all im trying to say i agree that having a formal education is a plus, but 15yrs of experience and job performance should also count for something. Anybody can become a great leader regardless of their education level. the real question is can they get their job done.
Nicole I disagree with you when you say that you need atleast a masters degree to obtain a senior position. I believe 15 years of experience is good enough to handle and take over that position.
ReplyDelete@ Michelle
ReplyDeleteI think people have to remember they (management) are entrusted to enforce standards, create & revise policy, serve on incident boards (shootings, etc), serve as the role model to lower echelon officers, advise gov't members, etc. Asking for some for of graduate work I believe is nothing extraordinary. Again depending on the size of the department, location (big city vs. rural town), needs of the community, etc. But if we are using Miami as the example, I believe it is a must. Yes people become great leaders with time and experience but remember that 15 years on the force says nothing about being a leader, it speaks about job knowledge and proficency. As an everyday officer (not management) you are to be the master of your trade whereas being part of staff (management) you have to be the jack-of-all-trades. because you aren't limiting yourself to one area of expertise instead many that you must combine and mix-n-match in order to troubleshoot whatever prolem may arise.
To Jessenia:
ReplyDeleteIn reference to education reqtuirements, I can only speak for myself, I know that State Wide, Only a HighSchool education is required to meet minimal requirements. As far as moving up in ranks, I also believe that you are not required to have more than just a HS diploma as long as you can take and pass required exams in ordere to move up in ranks....Again I love education n definately promote it. I will one day be teaching in a college/university atmosphere as a retired cop