Importance Of Liberal Arts In Law Enforcement

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The Importance of Liberal Arts in Law Enforcement Careers
In discussions of law enforcement one controversial issue has been whether liberal arts courses are necessary or should be required. In “The New Liberal Arts” Sanford J. Ungar believes that liberal arts are crucial to any professional career. Mike Rose however disagrees, and suggests that a college education in general is not necessarily a must. Although both articles make a good argument, I concur with Ungar. The liberal arts are the foundation in almost any professional field, and teach students how to adapt, especially in law enforcement.
Most people will readily agree that higher education is crucial to success although tremendously expensive in some cases. When it comes to the liberal …show more content…

The influence of higher education on police officer habits would surprise many according to Matthew D. Bostrom, D.P.A of the Saint Paul Police Department in “Police Chief Magazine-The Professional Voice of Law Enforcement”. Although a degree is required for some agencies and considered ideal for any person looking to join the law enforcement field, surveys show otherwise says Bostrom. According to a study conducted in St. Paul, Minnesota there were more on-duty vehicle collisions by officers with formal education beyond high school than those who only obtained a high school diploma. The article also shows figures indicating more disciplinary actions towards officers with college degrees and a significant difference in those of officers with high school diplomas only. The measurements of work habits shown indicate that perhaps a college degree in general is not necessary to be an effective police officer. Traffic Officer James Dunn of the California Highway Patrol in an interview said, “a degree can be beneficial, but some people are very eloquent and knowledgeable even without attending college-a person can learn the specific duties of any job, but college does not teach you the responsibilities of being a police officer. You learn that by hands-on training”. Although a degree is helpful, Officer Dunn admits that he has been very successful in the law

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