January 19, 2001 |
2001-R-0092 | |
STATE POLICE EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND INCENTIVES | ||
By: Jack J. Burriesci, Legislative Fellow Michele Melley, Legislative Fellow |
You want to know (1) the minimum education qualifications for becoming a state police officer in all of the states and (2) whether other states offer incentives for state troopers to further their education.
SUMMARY
All fifty states require state police officers to have a high school diploma. Twenty (or 40%) require additional qualifications or experience, such as post secondary education, military service, or law enforcement experience.
Of the 45 states that provided information about incentives for further education, 35, including Connecticut, offer financial incentives, such as pay raises, bonuses, and tuition reimbursements; the other 10 do not offer any incentives.
Table 1 shows the minimum qualifications and incentives.
Table 1: State Police Minimum Education Qualifications and Incentives for Further Education
State |
Minimum Education Qualifications* |
Incentives for Further Education |
Alabama |
High school diploma |
Salary incentives |
Alaska |
High school diploma |
Tuition reimbursement |
Arizona |
High school diploma |
Tuition reimbursement |
Arkansas |
High school diploma |
Salary incentives |
California |
High school diploma |
2.5% pay increase for an associate degree and a 5.0% increase for a bachelor's degree |
Colorado |
High school diploma |
50% tuition reimbursement at the community college level |
Connecticut |
State law requires a state police trainee to have high school diploma before being sworn as an officer, but he may enter the training academy without a diploma (CGS 29-3a). |
Tuition reimbursement of $90 per undergraduate credit and $110.00 per graduate credit. Reimbursement is given for a maximum of 9 credits per semester. |
Delaware |
60 semester credits |
● Officers with a bachelor's degree receive an annual $200.00 bonus and officers with a master's degree receive an annual $300.00 bonus. ● Also, every two years the state legislature allots money for tuition reimbursement. This money is divided among the officers who apply for reimbursement. |
Florida |
● 30 semester credits, or ● One year of law enforcement experience, or ● Two years of active military service, or ● Two years of public contact experience |
Officers with an associate degree receive a monthly $30.00 bonus, and officers with a bachelor's degree receive a monthly $80.00 bonus. |
Georgia |
● 90 quarter credits; or ● Five years of law enforcement experience; or ● Two years as a Georgia trooper cadet, radio operator, or driver examiner |
No incentives |
Hawaii |
High school diploma |
Did not respond |
Idaho |
● Two years of college attendance, or ● Two years of responsible work experience |
Tuition reimbursement |
State |
Minimum Education Qualifications |
Incentives for Further Education |
Illinois |
● Bachelor's degree, or ● Associate degree and three years of law enforcement experience with the same agency |
No incentives |
Indiana |
● 60 semester credits and have at least a 2.0 GPA based on a 4.0 grading scale, or ● Three years of law enforcement experience, or ● Two years of active military service at the rank of E-4 or above |
No incentives |
Iowa |
High school diploma |
Did not respond |
Kansas |
High school diploma |
No incentives |
Kentucky |
● Associate degree, or ● 60 semester credits, or ● Two years of law enforcement experience ● Two years of active military service |
Did not respond |
Louisiana |
● 60 semester credits, or ● Two years of law enforcement experience, or ● An equivalent combination of educational and law enforcement experience, or ● Four years of active military service |
Officers receive regular pay while attending one class per week at the state university. |
Maine |
High school diploma |
Did not respond |
Maryland |
High school diploma |
No incentives |
Massachusetts |
High school diploma |
● Officers get a 10% pay increase for an associate degree, 20% for a bachelor's degree, and 25% for a master's degree; The degree must be in Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement, or Law. ● 100% tuition reimbursement |
Michigan |
High school diploma |
50% tuition reimbursement for one course per semester up to a maximum of $700.00 a year |
Minnesota |
Associate degree |
No incentives |
Mississippi |
High school diploma |
● 5% pay increase for additional education directly related to the trooper's present position. ● Tuition reimbursement if an employee shortage exists in a particular area. |
State |
Minimum Education Qualifications |
Incentives for Further Education |
Missouri |
High school diploma |
Did not respond |
Montana |
High school diploma |
100% tuition reimbursement for law enforcement courses |
Nebraska |
High school diploma |
Tuition reimbursement |
Nevada |
● Bachelor's degree; or ● Associate degree and one year experience interpreting rules, regulations or procedures; or ● Two years experience in public contact work which included interpreting rules, regulations or procedures; or ● Two years of active military service |
Tuition reimbursement |
New Hampshire |
● 60 semester credits, or ● Two years law enforcement experience, or ● Two years active military service |
Tuition reimbursement |
New Jersey |
● Bachelor's degree or ● 60 semester credits and two years of responsible work or military experience |
Tuition reimbursement |
New Mexico |
● 60 semester credits or ● 30 semester credits and attend San Juan College for 30 additional credits |
Salary incentives and tuition reimbursement |
New York |
● 60 semester credits, or ● Two years of active military service, or ● Completed a certified police officer training course approved by the N.Y. State Municipal Police Training Council. |
Tuition reimbursement |
North Carolina |
High school diploma |
Tuition reimbursement |
North Dakota |
● Bachelor's degree or ● Associate degree and two years of work experience |
50% tuition reimbursement |
Ohio |
High school diploma |
Tuition reimbursement |
Oklahoma |
● Associate degree or ● 62 semester credits |
No incentives |
Oregon |
High school diploma |
3% pay increase for an associate degree and 6% pay increase for a bachelor's degree or above. |
State |
Minimum Education Qualifications |
Incentives for Further Education |
Pennsylvania |
● Associate degree or 60 semester credits, or ● 45 semester credits and successful completion of training certified by the Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission, or ● 30 semester credits and two years of law enforcement or active military service, or ● Two years as a full-time police officer certified by the Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission |
No incentives |
Rhode Island |
High school diploma |
● An officer receives pay increases based on a point system. Officers receive a $1,000 pay increase for 30 points, $2,000 pay increase for 60 points or an associate degree, $3,000 increase for 120 points or a bachelor's degree, and a $3,500 increase for a master's degree or a juris doctorate. ● Tuition reimbursement, except for courses taken towards a law degree. |
South Carolina |
High school diploma |
Tuition reimbursement |
South Dakota |
High school diploma |
No incentives |
Tennessee |
High school diploma (Requirements currently under review) |
Tuition reimbursement |
Texas |
● 60 semester credits, or ● An equivalent of college credits and law enforcement experience, or ● Two years of active military service |
No incentives |
Utah |
High school diploma |
Tuition reimbursement |
Vermont |
High school diploma |
Tuition reimbursement |
Virginia |
High school diploma |
Tuition reimbursement |
Washington |
High school diploma |
● 2% pay increase for an associate degree and 4% increase for a bachelor's degree. ● Tuition reimbursement. |
West Virginia |
High school diploma |
No incentives |
State |
Minimum Education Qualifications |
Incentives for Further Education |
Wisconsin |
● Associate degree; or ● 60 semester credits; or ● A combination of credits and credit waivers, as determined by the Law Enforcement Standards Board, to equal 60 credits |
Tuition reimbursement |
Wyoming |
High school diploma |
Salary incentives and tuition reimbursement |
*All departments accept equivalent education qualifications, e.g. GED for high school diploma, quarter credits vs. semester credits, etc. and require an official transcript from an accredited institution. Law enforcement experience must be full-time sworn and certified. Any military service requires an honorable discharge.
Source: OLR survey of states
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