Working in law enforcement means to have a sense of adventure, the ability to handle stress, and a willingness to be educated in the intricacies of the law. If you're interested in becoming a police patrol officer, detective, police sergeant, police chief, or a federal law enforcement agent, different levels of training are required.
All About Law Enforcement Degrees and Programs
The BLS reports that state and local law enforcement agencies encourage their applicants to complete law enforcement training prior to hire. Many applicants at that level have at least some college training. Beyond basic law enforcement degrees, foreign language training may be an asset to Federal agencies and urban departments.
Federal law enforcement agencies require most applicants to have a bachelor's degree, related work experience, or a combination of the two. FBI agents often hold degrees in accounting, electrical engineering, information technology, or computer science.
Job opportunities in most local police departments are expected to be favorable, particularly for those with law enforcement training. Employment of police and detectives is expected to grow 10 percent between 2008 and 2018. The BLS reports mean annual salaries for detectives and criminal investigators as $63,840 in 2008. Police and sheriff's patrol officers earned $52,810 of the same year.
With experience and promotion, salaries rise. The International City-County Management Association reports that salaries for police sergeants ranged between $58,739 and $70,349 in 2008. Of that same year, police chiefs earned between $90,570 and $113,930. Factors such as education, experience, and location factor highly in compensation levels.