A urban fable that’s come up recently, is that being a law enforcement officer (LEO) requires less training than a beautician (although inaccurate, I must agree some states put ridiculous requirements on licensing to cut hair). The implication is that police are undertrained, or worse, untrained. To put it mildly, that is inaccurate. Liberals in the US want to paint a narrative of police as Keystone Kops who’s only mission in life is to shoot every unarmed black male, they see every day. Like many issues, the left gets this one wrong
Organized policing in the United States started in the 19th Century, with the first major department established in New York City in 1846. Per the Encyclopedia Britannica, the “response to unrest in major urban areas (New York, Boston) was twofold:”
Versions of the constable and night-watch system were tried, and voluntary citizens’ groups were encouraged to try to solve urban problems…
…The first police department in the United States was established in New York City in 1844 (it was officially organized in 1845). Other cities soon followed suit: New Orleans and Cincinnati (Ohio) in 1852; Boston and Philadelphia in 1854; Chicago and Milwaukee (Wis.) in 1855; and Baltimore (Md.) and Newark (N.J.) in 1857. Those early departments all used the London Metropolitan Police as a model. Like the Metropolitan Police, American police were organized in a quasi-military command structure. Their main task was the prevention of crime and disorder, and they provided a wide array of other public services…
…In part because of an ideological commitment to local control over most institutions, police power in the United States became the province of state and local governments, and each city established its own police department. The authority for policing was decentralized to the level of political wards and neighbourhoods, which developed relatively autonomous police units. The police established intimate relations with neighbourhoods and neighbourhood leaders and initially did not even wear uniforms. Middle- and upper-class reformers believed that one of the primary tasks of the police was to reestablish political and social control over a population racked by ethnic and economic rivalries. The tension between being closely linked to communities and being an instrument for reforming them inevitably resulted in a struggle for political control of the police—a struggle that was one of the dominant themes in the history of police in the United States…
Diversity was an issue even in the 19th Century. Who would have thought that?
… The struggle for political control of the police in the United States gave rise to a distinctive strategy of policing that became influential throughout the Western democracies in the 20th century. The strategy involved new managerial techniques, integrated sources of authority, innovative tactics, and a narrowed definition of police work. Many of the reform leaders were police administrators who desired to make policing more professional. They sought to improve the administration and organization of their departments while at the same time isolating them from the corrupting influence of local politics. The strategy eventually led to the rejection of the Peelian principle that effective policing needed community approval and support.
Making the police more professional and isolating them from the influence of local politics. Sounds like an issue for today. Back to comparing law enforcement officers to hairdressers, et all.
First of all, in most states a civilian cannot become a LEO at the age of 18. Most states in the union (and federal law enforcement) require an applicate be at least 21 years of age, and have either 60 hours of college education, or 2-4 years of military service, or a combination. Age and experience help bring a more mature person into the field. In my time training new officer’s, I’ve found rookies with previous careers (civilian or military) makes them more rounded and capable.
Every state licenses LEO’s as peace officers (It gives them the legal authority of arrest, use of force, etc). Using my home state of Texas as an example, the requirements for a peace officer’s license are set by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCLOE). To serve as a law enforcement officer, the state requires 728 hours of instruction (approximately 18 weeks, basic laws, arrest procedures, defensive tactics, etc). But that is only the beginning. Assuming you are hired by a large city agency (Dallas Police Department , Houston Police, etc.) their academies are much longer, around six-seven months The integrate the state standards with their local requirements (e.g. city ordinances, local police procedures) to graduate probationary police officers/sheriff deputies. Those officers then go onto a field training program of 12-20 weeks, mentored by senior police officers on how to apply what they’ve learned in a classroom on the streets. They won’t be allowed on the streets “alone” until after their probationary period.
With many smaller agencies take a graduate of a state approved peace officer’s academy (or retired/former LEO’s from other agencies) and began to field train them. This is cover local law, their procedures, etc. And they also put them through a field training program to insure they can apply what they have learned. I can’t emphasis the importance of field training. You pass on a man with no business on the streets, you can get legitimate issues like use of force, and leave your agency/local government open to major civil liability.
That is only the beginning of training. In Texas, all active peace officers must have 40 hours of training every two years per the state. However, must agencies require more, as they have local/department issues to train on. Then there is other training required for expert areas. Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), depending on the agency, take several weeks, and significant training all year. Truck Enforcement inspectors require three weeks initial training, plus annual recertification. Driving While Intoxicated certification is normally one week. This is in addition to updates on law, new computer programs, and firearms qualification (depending on the agency, monthly to yearly).
As the years go on, the change in our mission requires new training. When I first started as a cop in 1998, It was drilled into me that I would not apply a tourniquet to a wound, as this was a significant risk of an amputation. With the experience of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, departments have issued torniquets and trained their officers on them. Experience has shown stopping the bleeding before the ambulance crew arrives will keep people alive.
Just past the turn of the century, Active Shooter training became needed to agencies large and small. Prior to the active shooting in Columbine CO, patrol officers were trained if there was an active shooter to secure the scene and await specialized backup. That is no longer an option, and officers are trained to engage. When I went through an initial active shooter class, I called it the best training I had every received as a cop.
My point with this? Policing in America did start off, to a large degree, unregulated, unprofessional, and nepotistic. Policing has evolved into a profession, like medicine, law, etc. It has adjusted as the threats to the public have changed (see active shooting and first aid training). Can it improve, absolutely. In my opinion, leadership training is definitely a shortcoming in many agencies. But please, don’t compare us to the nice people who cut my hair ever other week, seeing they don’t have to worry about life-or-death decisions as part of their job.
Michael A. Thiac is a retired Army intelligence officer, with over 23 years experience, including serving in the Republic of Korea, Japan, and the Middle East. He is also a retired police patrol sergeant, with over 22 years’ service, and over ten years experience in field training of newly assigned officers. He has been published at The American Thinker, PoliceOne.com, and on his personal blog, A Cop’s Watch.
Opinions expressed are his alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of current or former employers.
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