More bad cops

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Gert Potgieter, Oct 5, 2002.

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  1. Cop suspended over college degree.

    One cop claimed to have obtained a Florida State University degree on the Internet based on his "existing schooling and work experience."

    Another cop obtained a degree from Mellon University (Turks and Caicos Islands) based on 12 years of "successful life or work experience."
     
  2. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    A royal, certified, bonifide mess...

    A bill was introduced requiring all entry-level officers to have an Associates degree as an entry-level requirement before they can be hired. The bill was shot down. However, it could be re-raised in the future.

    Why would we want our officers who carry badges and guns to have some college education behind their belt?

    < sarcasism mode off >
     
  3. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...



    If I were in charge of such things, I would require all entry-level police officers to have an Associate's degree and military service.

    If I had to choose between the two, I'd take military service anytime (especially in these times of kinder and gentler academies). In my experience, those new officers without military service tend to think they know it all and have an attitude in field training. We call them "20-year rookies", and it's usually just a matter of time before they get handed their lunch on the street.


    Bruce
     
  4. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    After reading the article, I would say Mr. Henderson has a lot more serious problems than a fake degree.


    Bruce
     
  5. Re: Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...

    I'll go one better. I'd also require about 30 credits of the most writing-intensive courses possible, no matter WHAT the academic or military background of the applicant.

    Should you ever have to routinely review reports written by other cops.. pray for strength.
     
  6. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Re: Re: Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...

    Not a bad idea.

    Should you ever have to routinely review reports written by other cops.. pray for strength.

    I have, and you're right, the results are sometimes not pretty. It's not so bad around here, the great majority of my fellow officers have at least an Associate's degree thanks to a very generous college education incentive program.


    Bruce
     
  7. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    I used to be in favor of requiring entry-level sworn officers to have an Associates degree, but I have recently had a change of heart.

    Our outgoing major believes that we should have an academic test, sort of like the TABE test, that measures the basics. He suggested that candidates should score a minimum of grade 14 to be eligible to continue in the testing process to become a police officer. I think that he might be on to a novel idea.

    The TABE test only measures up to grade 12, but it is an excellent test. The candidates who score a minimum of 12 in every subject area are always squared away. Conversely, we have candidates with RA Associates and Bachelors degrees who don’t score 12 in every category. Go figure.

    Police work is an odd profession. It is unique and it requires a special type of person who can do a good job. Not everyone can do it. Many people quit between the 5th and the 10th year. By requiring a college degree, we are eliminating a lot of people who might do an excellent job for 25 years.

    My two cents.
     
  8. PSalmon

    PSalmon New Member

    Major Raymond Komar, who approved Cpl. Wyatt Henderson's fake FSU degree, himself uses a degree from Mellen University in the Turks and Caicos Islands: Major signed off on Henderson's diploma.
     
  9. oxpecker

    oxpecker New Member

  10. Guest

    Guest Guest

    Re: Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...

     
  11. jerryclick

    jerryclick New Member

    Re: Re: Re: Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...

    and yew shuld sea tha attrosiouss speling by a manugar wit a phd froum SRU. (This guy wrote me an email once criticizing my "nonstanderd" spelling ):D
     
  12. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...

    A Lieutenant of mine once criticized an arrest I made, stating it was a "waist" of time. :rolleyes:
     
  13. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Re: Re: Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...

    It's been my experience, almost without exception, that an officer with an attitude problem (we call them "20-year rookies") has no military service. A police department is a para-military organization, and a natural extension of the military.
     
  14. c.novick

    c.novick New Member

    Re: Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...

    I agree and I have been working on following this exact criteria in hiring new police officers at my agency. The only new officer that I have hired without a college degree had the military service.

    Society is changing and becoming much more complex. The demands on law enforcement have increased and citizens have high expectations. Law enforcement administrators are responsible to hire the best candidates.

    I believe college educated officers have academic experience that helps them adapt to certain situations. I have observed that some have had a hard time adjusting to the para-military organization that is inherent in law enforcement. The new hires with military background adjust right away.

    The most important thing is that they maintain the highest integrity and honor. When they fail, it can hurt all law enforcement.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 7, 2003
  15. c.novick

    c.novick New Member

    Re: Re: Re: Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...


    We call them the Police "Y" (Why) Generation.

    Our Field Training Unit gets frustrated with the (20 year rookies). Conversely they enjoy training the new officers with military experience.
     
  16. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Re: Re: Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...

    That's exactly why I would require some college in addition to military service. The academics with multiple degrees need to get sucker-punched by a belligerent drunk before they know what's going on, and the military people need to know how to deal with a normal family domestic. That would come from the FTO.
     
  17. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member

    Re: Re: Re: Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...

    Para-military? The citizenry is an enemy to be controlled?
     
  18. Guest

    Guest Guest

    There is a difference in having a legitimate unaccredited degree (Cal Coast and the like), and paying a few hundred dollars for a degree based on past experience (with no additional work).
     
  19. c.novick

    c.novick New Member

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...

    This is an excelent point and common misconception if law enforcement does not communicate with the citizenry served.

    What is meant by para-military is the discipline within the agency. Police officers are charged with the highest of responsibilities and make life and death decisions every day. Law enforcement agencies are established as "para-military" for internal command and control. It is a system that ensures we can better serve, protect and defend the public, not control them.

    The system is similar to the military as there is a rank structure, Officer, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain...etc. There are specific rules, regulations, codes of conduct, chain of command and designed accountability. These systems are in place to ensure that officers who require more supervision get the supervision. In life and death situations when an order is given, it is followed... like in the military.

    It is a long standing agency structure in law enforcement that was designed to ensure accountablilty within.

    Community policing has been a pro-active program to break down the walls and dispel the miscommunication that may occur between law enforcement and served communities.
     
  20. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: A royal, certified, bonifide mess...

    I think c.novick explained it pretty well. There are many similarities between the police & the military....uniforms, weapons, rank structure, chain of command, etc.
     

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