Many police officers take law enforcement education classes to further their careers.
The education prerequisites for law enforcement depend on the job and can range from a high school diploma to a bachelor's degree. After you decide which agency you want to work for, the next step is determining which job title you want, such as police officer, border patrol agent, federal agent or U.S. marshal. The more information you gather about the agency and the more education you have, the better chance you have of getting a job at that agency.
Instructions
1. Research the different law enforcement agencies online; a good website to start with is officer.com, which has a comprehensive listing of the law enforcement categories, with thousands of sub-categories to choose from. Determine whether you want to work for a federal, state or international agency and explore the sub-agencies within each main category. For example, the U.S. Department of Treasury is listed as one of the 61 federal law enforcement agencies. After you choose the law enforcement agency you want to work for, look on that agency's website for the general education requirements.
2. Investigate which educational path is the best way for you to get the law enforcement job you want; school is expensive, and you don't want to choose the wrong school or the wrong course of study. Request information from local and online schools that have law enforcement education programs and ask individuals who work or worked in the field. Generally, most police agencies require a high school diploma or a GED, and many are encouraging job applicants to take additional training courses before applying to the police academy. Federal law enforcement agencies require a bachelor's degree and additional departmental training.
3. Register for a college or law enforcement program after you have decided which agency you want to work for. The college or law enforcement program must be accredited. Once you are comfortable in your law enforcement program of study, try to get an internship with the agency you would like to work for. Many law enforcement agencies have short- and long-term internships for law enforcement students. Study hard and stay physically fit, because law enforcement agencies choose the best candidates for open positions. You will be enforcing the law, and you do not want the law breakers to outsmart or outrun you.
4. Apply for an entry level position within the law enforcement agency and, if successful, enroll in a law enforcement education program. Many state and federal law enforcement agencies will provide additional educational training for those interested in working in other departments within the agency. Some law enforcement agencies provide tuition reimbursement for employees.
5. If you are in the military, you can use your military education benefits to enroll in a law enforcement education program. After your term in the military is over, you will have valuable experience and a degree in a field of law enforcement. Law enforcement agencies encourage former military personnel to join their agencies because of the physical and tactical training, mental discipline and leadership ability of many military personnel.
Tags: enforcement agencies, enforcement education, want work, agency want, agency want work, enforcement program