As with most jobs, the higher the education level, the better; especially in terms of salary and promotions. The same can be applied to law enforcement agencies, particularly because most police departments require a certain amount of college education (usually around 40-60 credits is the bare minimum) before students can even begin the application process. In order to be one step ahead of the crowd, or at least on par, strive for a useful police education by pursuing a bachelor's degree of any kind, preferably in the field of criminal justice, public relations, or even a foreign language. If you have an associates degree, that can be a great start since many police officers will have an opportunity to further their education by attending night school, should they choose. And if you have dreams of becoming the next chief of police, you better have plans for attaining a master's degree. If you aren't sure where to start, there are plenty of opportunities online, such as the Regis online criminology masters program, or by checking out nearby college campuses.
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