The latest graduates from the Toronto police training academy include three PhDs and a pro volleyball player. Seventy percent of them have post-secondary educations.
Why the stress on education? (Of course, if you follow this blog you will know that one of most important steps police need to take to improve is to begin to hire the “best and brightest” as police officers. This, I believe, will eventually overcome the #1 obstacle that has arrested the development of our nation’s police — anti-intellectualism.)
Here’s what the Toronto commander in charge of training has to say about educated police:
“We want people who are community minded, we want people who are excellent problem solvers, we want people who are wonderful communicators, and education is a great way to get that.”
You can read the entire article HERE. Toronto hiring…
Improving Police: A Necessary Conversation 
I frequently get push back from officers who say “A college degree won’t make me a better cop.” I always reply that if you spend four years in college and don’t learn something that helps you be a better cop it’s your fault.
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Absolutely! My experience has been that college-educated cops are easier to work with, have a better and broader world-view and see the big picture of policing a free society.
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I hate to see cops with just business or accounting degrees. My father once told me that the worst CEOs he had to deal with were those with business or accounting degrees because all they care about was looking at the bottom line.
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