Where do College-educated Cops Work in the U.S.? Explaining Variance Between Agencies

• In Event: The Role of Education in Policing

Abstract

Research has documented several benefits of higher education for police officers and police agencies. Yet few departments require a college degree and there is little information about how many officers actually hold four-year degrees or how agency variables and other macro variables affect the proportion of officers with a college degree. Drawing from a nationally representative sample of law enforcement agencies, this study adds to the literature by describing the education level of police officers throughout the United States. It expands on a previous presentation by providing results of multi-level analyses to explain the effects of geography, salary, and demographic factors on the education levels of police officers in the United States.

Author

• Christie Gardiner, California State University, Fullerton