Police Officer Training: Enhancing Community Relations
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How important is police officer training for an aspiring law enforcer? Policing has evolved and 80% of the time, the job of a police officer is devoted to community service. While the basic skills to ensure safety and security are part of the preparation for the job, there are now more relevant issues that law enforcers must be aware of and know how to address.
Not police academy training
The job of a police officer is both physically and mentally demanding. That's why the first level of training recruits undergo develops them physically for the rigors of the job. This is the police academy training.
After meeting the requirements including fitness, education and background checks and passing a battery of exams, an aspiring police officer will then enter the police academy for several months of rigorous training, a great part of it physical and psychological. Here, they will learn about criminal law, defensive tactics, firearms, investigative methods, crowd control and responding to emergencies, among others.
There is now another level of training that recruits must complete before they will finally be able to don their blues. It's called police officer training, which was developed as a problem-based learning program. Do not be confused. This is a post-academy training program and is a totally different but necessary step before becoming a full-fledged police officer.
Program description
The 16-week program is divided into four three-week phases that includes non-emergency, emergency, patrol and criminal investigation. A learning outcome is expected from each phase based on real-life problem calls that recruits must resolve. This exercise will not only familiarize but strengthen community relations through partnership and cooperation.
The training does not focus on mechanical aspects of law enforcement since this has been given much emphasis at the academy level. What it strives to develop are strong communication skills, cultural and ethnic relations and more socially-relevant issues that will enable recruits to get to the root of societal problems to better address them.
Since its inception in the year 2000, the police officer training program has been modified and revised to suit the specific needs of police agencies across the country. Any new developments in the area of security and the law are taken into consideration so that new recruits are at once familiar with the criminal justice system and how they can best serve the community.
Gaining entry into the program
It's your dream. Or in your blood. Whatever the reasons for wanting to be a police officer, you first need to meet the requirements before qualifying into the first level of training. So you want to know how to become a police officer?
A high school diploma or its GED equivalent used to be enough to become a recruit. But nowadays, a two-year college course is preferred. Business math, computer applications and behavioral science courses will do, but if you can enroll and complete an associate degree in criminal justice, even better. There's a written and fitness test and oral interviews; you'll also be subjected to an in depth background check. Pass these and you're on your way to the police academy.
That's 12 to 14 weeks to test if you've got what it takes to take on the job of a police officer. Expect the academy training to hone your physical, mental and psychological skills. When you successfully complete this, you will proceed to the police officer training program. All these trainings are to get you ready to serve and protect the community against crime and lawlessness.
Explore police careers
Once you are exposed and experience the life of a cop, you may eventually want to focus on certain aspects of policing like being a detective, fish and game warden, or state patrolling. You may also look towards jobs with federal law enforcement agencies that will give you a better salary. But remember, it will also require much from you to get there.
There are people very passionate about wanting to be part of the police force. Determination is important because of the demands of the job. But police officer training is the final step to make new recruits the well-rounded individuals the community needs.
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