NCJ Number
230561
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 37 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2010 Pages: 18,20,23
Date Published
March 2010
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article examines online college degrees for law enforcement officers.
Abstract
Law enforcement will see a change in how crime is committed and what is demanded of police officers; officers with a college education will be better prepared to meet the needs of the community. An officer needs experience for his career; however, an education teaches people how to communicate, whether it is writing or speaking - something that experience does not necessary provide. Further differences between training and education are defined; training is more of a hands-on learning experience while education leans more toward the theory-based elements. Many of the new online degree programs maximize the transfer of credit by offering credits for life experiences and basic law enforcement training. Scheduling may be the biggest benefit from an online program; officers can work on their classes around their rotating shifts, court days, or special duties. Also discussed are issues of tuition, certification and accreditation, and the differences between expectations of online course content and in-classroom course content.