Relationship between educational requirements and the impact the Research Paper

Relationship between educational requirements and the impact the requirements have on policing at the state and local levels - Research Paper Example This has been criticized, especially due to the fact that it leaves out minority ethnic groups who have a lower chance of being educated. The other main question that has to be answered is the question of whether the requirement of law enforcement officers to have a degree increases their efficacy and professionalism in executing their job of policing. The requirement for law enforcement officers to have a higher education is a topic that cannot be easily exhausted. Definitely, there are some advantages in having educated officers. To begin with, research and literature seems to indicate that college educated officers are more likely to be more productive and also be better able to handle difficult situations that need judgment and discretion. For instance, as Doerner (2007) says, policemen with a higher education are more likely to handle sensitive situations in a better way than those with only a high school education. Secondly, the need to professionalize the profession of policing requires that the people be required to take up higher education. The only problem with this is that they are not necessarily needed to take up courses related to their work. This then brings in a problem because the definition of a professional is that he or she must take an education that related to her service. It might be better to ask; is it necessary to need law enforcement officers to be educated, to professionalize the trade? If so, what is meant by professionalizing? The truth, is, even as there is some evidence that college educated law enforcement officers are able to be more effective in executing their duties, this does not necessarily solve the issue of improving the trade. Dunham (2001) argues that police attitudes may be changed for the better by and education. However, he argues this does not solve all the issues. Making law enforcement to be professional would be done better if there were college cour ses specifically