By Kathy Hieatt | 05/26/2026
Throughout the US, police departments face an uphill battle: As media coverage zeros in on cases of misconduct, the pressure to protect communities without drawing public scrutiny intensifies. Meanwhile, the growing divide between police officers and civilians continues to erode morale and fuel prolonged staffing shortages.
Following the 2020 murder of George Floyd and the civil unrest that ensued, law enforcement personnel resigned in droves. Today, many police departments nationwide remain short-handed as they struggle to attract and hire qualified new recruits.
On the surface, misconduct, low morale, and staffing shortages may not seem like issues that would share a common solution. Evidence suggests, however, that law enforcement agencies can overcome these challenges by connecting officers with continuing education resources.
The Benefits of Higher Education in the Law Enforcement Field Are Simply Too Great to Ignore
In many fields, there is a discernible link between formal education and professional conduct. Law enforcement is no exception.
Compared to officers with no postsecondary education, college-educated law enforcement officers are nearly 40% less likely to use force. They are also associated with fewer instances of police misconduct, which, in turn, suggests that higher education helps sustain positive community relations. In fact, college-educated officers receive fewer complaints and disciplinary actions, and there are fewer individual liability cases filed against them.
Police work requires critical thinking and astute problem-solving, competencies that university-level coursework helps foster. Many criminal justice and public safety programs also emphasize key concepts that law enforcement personnel must be deeply familiar with, such as criminal behavior, emergency preparedness, and disaster management.
Postsecondary Education for Police Officers Has Been a Topic of National Discussion for Nearly 60 Years
In response to a sharp rise in violent crime throughout the country, President Lyndon Johnson established the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and The Administration of Justice in 1965. The commission’s 1967 report, The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society, notably recommended that police departments actively pursue college-educated recruits: “Police candidates must be sought in the colleges, and especially among liberal arts and social science students.”
Although law enforcement agencies did not uniformly adopt this practice, there are multiple prominent examples of police departments that may require[NH1] postsecondary education for new officers. Some of these organizations include the following:
- New York Police Department (NYPD)
- Chicago Police Department
- Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)
- Tampa Police Department
These names serve as a testament to the importance of thorough training and education for law enforcement officers. Moreover, research shows that college-educated police officers are about 40% less likely to use force.
As Rick Michelson, MPA, a 30-year veteran of the field says, “While nothing will replace the experience and street smarts of veteran officers, perhaps we should really listen to such voices as Sir Robert Peel (1829), August Vollmer (1916), the Wickersham Commission (1931), the President‘s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice (1967), the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence (1969), the American Bar Association on Standards for Criminal Justice (1972), and the Police Foundation‘s Advisory Commission on Higher Education for Police Officers (1978), all of which said essentially said the same thing: The path to true professionalism is through education.”
Increasing the Minimum Education Requirements for New Hires in Law Enforcement Can Create Challenges
Despite the advantages of employing college-educated officers, mandating higher education for entry-level roles could have unintended consequences. Most notably, applicant pools can shrink, resulting in understaffed agencies and, consequently, skyrocketing crime rates.
Police departments regularly have vacancies from officers leaving the force, whether due to retirement, resignation, or involuntary separation. Backfilling these roles can become difficult, however, when stringent education requirements disqualify job seekers who may otherwise be well-suited to the law enforcement field.
In recent years, police forces throughout the country reconsidered their stance on postsecondary education for these exact reasons. For example, New York City’s NYPD previously mandated 60 college credits for incoming officers. By 2023, however, this requirement alone disqualified 29% of NYPD applicants. To remedy the NYPD’s yearslong hiring crisis, Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch lowered the number of required college credits from 60 to 24 in February 2025.
Outside of New York, law enforcement agencies facing similar shortages have also reconsidered their college education mandates. Some employers, such as the Dallas Police Department, now waive the requirement for candidates with relevant work experience and/or qualifying military service. This approach may connect recruitment teams to a larger talent pool, but it simultaneously denies agencies the benefits of employing college-educated officers.
It's Time to Incentivize Law Enforcement Professionals to Pursue Continuing Education
Through university partnerships and employer-sponsored tuition benefits, law enforcement agencies can leverage the advantages of higher education without bottlenecking the hiring process. Employer partners gain access to special tuition rates for their employees that can be applied to degree, certificate, and microcredential programs.
Public safety personnel may also qualify for transfer credits, which further reduce out-of-pocket tuition expenses. American Military University (AMU) awards credit for Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET), Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), military service, and other relevant academic and professional experience. Students may transfer up to 45 credits toward an associate degree and are encouraged to complete a $0 transfer credit evaluation.1
Learn More About How Police Officers Can Save on Education Expenses at American Military University
As an institution committed to career-relevant education, AMU partners with employers to provide accessible, online programs to busy working professionals. Explore AMU’s wide selection of public safety programs, including degrees, certificates, and microcredentials in the following disciplines:
- Criminal justice
- Intelligence studies
- Homeland security
- Emergency and disaster management
- National security studies
- Intelligence analysis
- Law enforcement leadership
The University’s Everyday Heroes Grant also allows law enforcement officers, as well as other emergency services professionals and their families, to save 10% off tuition expenses. Learn more about this offer and how AMU’s online programs provide career-relevant education for public safety professionals.
1The University reserves the right to accept or deny credits according to policies outlined on our University website.