Expert: Loren Stevens - 11/18/2009

Question
How are you? My question is do you need a degree to become a police officer in Florida?

Answer
Hello Lou,
I think not, in most city and county agencies. But clearly, the more you can pony up for "ksa's" (knowledge skills and abilities, the more attractive of a candidate you make.
To be certain, of the agency you are interested in, contact their human resources, and ask them to send you all the relevant materials.
Most states also have a "P.O.S.T. (police officers standards and training)...a state body, that generally has oversight on certifications, and some training initiatives. You might contact the FLA Atty Gen for the address of that body, or check the net.
There are some agencies that require varying levels of post HS training and education. Some of the local agencies that pioneered some of this, years ago, was Lakewood, Colo., and Ventura CA.
You should know, that during difficult economic times, public safety and other government jobs are aggressively sought after, and the competition is spirited.
You want to compete with your best stuff.
You also want a decent driving record, reasonable debt circumstances, and related issues, NO drugs, and NO domestic violence.
You might also want to look at the IACP page, and see if they can add some insight to your interests.
And remember, prepare as much for the oral, as you do for the written.
It's good to research some past civil service police exams, to get a handle on the kind of material they look at. You'll want to bone up on math and English subjects. Even though most tests are at the HS diploma level, they can still be challenging.
If you take some college prior to testing. I would recommend you focus on written and oral communications classes, rather than intro criminal justice courses.
Of all the applicants, about 10% get hired, and some of them wash out in training.
At the application level, they are looking for honesty, integrity, and character...coupled with potential.
Hope this is helpful.
And to your first question...I am fine, for an older fella.
Good Luck,
Semper Fi,
loren