Topic:
STATE POLICE;
Location:
POLICE;

OLR Research Report


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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