re: Why do we allow academic failures to become police officers?

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was told in the 80s by someone who'd know, if you scored to high on the civil service exam you likely wouldn't get hired. The reasoning was you'd get bored with the job and leave.

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I tested and there was a three part test. Written, psyche and interview. The psyche test should weed out people who don't have the aptitude. It's pretty easy to manipulate once you spot the patterns of what they want though, but most dummies aren't doing that.

I scored lowest on the interview. The question was something along the lines of "what you would do if you saw a fellow cop taking something from a crime seems."

Tou had to score a minimum on each test to make it to the next round. 200 people started testing for 4 positions, when it got down to the interview there were less than 30 left.

Since then (1995) they've weakened the testing.

Cops are like pussy. If you had standards, you would never get any.

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Having a college degree should be required to go into LEO

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I go back and forth on this. There's obviously the question of debt but I believe local PDs and state universities should be able to work out a program that's more cost effective. Or maybe compensate them for their education experience? Crazy notion, right?

I do think it'd be beneficial to have a LEO with a law specific degree. My undergrad was at a school with a well-rated criminal justice program, Homeland Security programs, criminology, etc. I had a criminal justice minor and was in class with a lot of people who were either state troopers going back or were going into Kentucky State Police. I appreciated their grasp of law and public policy and many relayed scenarios where that education helped them in the field.

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Cops are a lot like teachers. Probably half of them are in it for the right reasons, they love students, or they want to help society. The other half are doing it because its the only job they could get and they are terrible at it.

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This is absolutely true. About 1/3rd are capable officers, who can handle the pressures of the job and perform adequately. About 2/3rds are a mix of dudes who were picked on in high school and insecure/divorced women.

Because most folks with good grades and better options don’t want to deal with the dregs of society and a higher chance of getting killed or injured for $35,000.

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Can’t be a goon if your smart enough to ask questions

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Exactly.

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1/3rd are capable officers, who can handle the pressures of the job and perform adequately. About 2/3rds are a mix of dudes who were picked on in high school and insecure/divorced women.

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I went to college in Monroe and got my undergrad degree in Bus. Management with a minor in Criminal Justice and was heading to OCS in the Marines after graduation. My goal was to try and get on with the FBI after I got out of the Marines. There was a bunch of MPD and OPSO guys working on their degrees that I had classes with. I got to be buddies with several and seeing the make-up of these departments in the early 90's, you are spot on with this. Glad, I didn't have to go that route.

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Well my college degree basically got me a job at EBRSO. So there’s that. Without that I wouldn’t haven been accepted due to no military experience. Seems your whole post is worthless now?

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Your basic city/metro police department officer typically is only required in several states to only have a high school diploma (Louisville Metro here in Kentucky only requires HS diploma).

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Additionally we have chicken littles that sit in towns like Vidalia or Talliulah and write tickets for going 36 in a 35.

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Let’s not forget Goooolden Meadow

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 maybe a personality test to become a law enforcement officer

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They do.

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This is why we have so many unnecessary shootings, and routine stops gone wrong

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No it isn’t. There are tens of millions of police interactions with the public annually. There are bound to be mistakes made.