Best Education route?

[Fury]

I am considering going into a community college, and getting an associate's in CJ (which also includes peace officer cert.) then i plan to transfer out to a 4-year and get my Bachelor in CJ. I also am considering joining the Aux, in order to keep my cert. current through the rest of college. my question being, do you think this is an ideal route to go, or should i do something else? should i wait to get my cert after college? how important will getting a degree be in LE? Thank you!

[scott715us]

I am considering going into a community college, and getting an associate's in CJ (which also includes peace officer cert.) then i plan to transfer out to a 4-year and get my Bachelor in CJ. I also am considering joining the Aux, in order to keep my cert. current through the rest of college. my question being, do you think this is an ideal route to go, or should i do something else? should i wait to get my cert after college? how important will getting a degree be in LE? Thank you!

If you use the "search" engine on this site, you will probably find alot of topics on education. Many of the LEO's on the site encourage folks to major in something other than CJ in college. Depts nationwide usually don't pay a whole lot of attention to what the major is, but that the candidate just has the required college (60 sem hours, associates, bachelors,etc). We do this because, if you decide you don't want the field of law enforcement, you have something to fall back on. I have a major in criminal justice and I feel it helps me understand some of the laws I'm applying on the street and how to articulate things in court, on paper, etc. I encourage folks to minor in it and major in something such as public administration, business, etc.

Grabbing a degree (at least a bachelors) will definitely help when you want to climb the ranks. ;)

[Fury]

thanks for your response scott, another question when your ready! i know that you have to be administered OC spray, and possibly stunned, but at which point throughout training does this occur? after hiring?