June 30th 2009 Police Officer Preparation is Tough but Worth it
The USA dictates standard police officer requirements. For example, you usually need to be at least twenty years old and have a high school diploma for police officer careers. You also need to be in good physical condition. The more specific conditions differ from city to city and state to state depending on where you want to work. In some cases, going to school beyond high school is necessary. Going to police academy to obtain police officer training is not an option though for most officers-to be. Those looking to get a leg up on their careers or to get higher pay and more responsibility will complete either two year or four year college degrees in areas such as criminal justice, law enforcement, police science, or public administration, and many departments will pay for their officers to complete such a degree. College degrees are necessary for anyone working for a federal agency. Who can apply for police officer careers is determined in most states by civil service regulations that require candidates to pass the civil service exam before they can even be considered. These exams can be very competitive.