Debate on an Appropriate Education for Police Officers

Criminal Justice
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Criminal Justice
Education involves a continued learning process that enhances the knowledge of individuals as they grow and develop. The debate on an appropriate education for police officers continues to rage with a number of people feeling higher learning was not necessary. However, more education for police forms an important aspect of their professional careers since it enables their intellectual development, increases problem solving and analysis skills, enhances ethical conduct, and improves oral and written skills.
Education can enhance intellectual development in police officers by changing the way they think and reason. This means that officers with more education can understand additional concepts in their daily operations and utilize argumentation and reasoning abilities when making decisions. Such cognitive development creates an environment where police offers take time to view and understand the consequences of their actions, thus resulting in better judgement of situations (Rydberg & Terrill, 2010). Ultimately, education provides the opportunity for officers to develop intellectually and increase their knowledge in areas that matter the most to their career.
Apart from that, more education increases police officer’s problem solving and analysis skills. One of the major duties of police officers involves encountering challenging situations that require quick responses to avoid escalation. As a result, having the appropriate problem solving and analysis skills enables quick thinking that takes into consideration all the parties and issues involved (Bruns & Magnan, 2014). For instance, understanding the challenges in different communities ensures that the unique situations of each area are put under consideration instead of employing a blanket approach in all cases. Consequently, having such awareness enhances service delivery and increases satisfaction with services offered by police officers.
Furthermore, ethical conduct requires constant education to enhance the skills in police officers. Police officers require to adhere to a code of conduct that describes h...