As a future police officer, I have a strong desire to uphold law and order and serve the community. However, the way our law enforcement now functions has demoralized me over time. In order to create a better future based on justice and trust, this petition is an appeal to change the requirements for becoming a police officer.Since serving the public is their primary responsibility, we have witnessed some of our own police officers act without regret against the individuals they are supposed to be protecting. Future police personnel should be better tested by police academies, and they should provide criminal justice degrees or certificates. These worries are not only the result of worried citizens; they are also the result of someone who aspires to work for the federal government or the police. In order for our society to get past the harm already done to the country, a great deal of work has to be done. 

There are currently over 700,000 sworn law enforcement officers in the United States (data from the U.S. Department of Justice). With such a widespread network, it's crucial that the personnel maintaining our peace and law are of the highest calibre, received the best training, and embody service and equality.

The education requirement, however, currently just requires a high school diploma or its equivalent and a short training term, sometimes lasting only a few months. We must review this. Rigid mental aptitude exams, thorough background checks, and extensive training that covers human psychology, crisis de-escalation, compassionate communication, and a thorough grasp of communities and their particular needs should all receive more attention. “The minimum required Basic curriculum is 556 hours, though all academies exceed this requirement. Academies may be full-time or part-time, and length ranges from 16 to 40 weeks and typically run from August-December or January-May/June” (Colorado Peace Officer and Training). The average time to finish the police academy is fewer than six months nationwide, however this is only true for the state of Colorado. Use Norway as an example, a nation with low crime rates that has extended the time required to graduate the police school.  We depend on officers to give us security and a sense of peace. We rely on cops to provide us with safety and tranquility. To protect us, those policemen have to be properly outfitted and not only undergo rudimentary training. “58% of killings by police in 2022 — 682 deaths — were traffic stops, police responses to mental health crises, or situations where the person was not reportedly threatening anyone with a gun. Creating alternatives responses to these situations could substantially reduce this violence nationwide” (Samuel Sinyangwe, et al). To prevent our law enforcement from behaving carelessly in the future, there must be defined requirements and credentials for this position. As a result, fewer needless, biased, and even dangerous individuals will enter the legal profession, lowering the number of deaths caused by hasty decisions.  

We are the first to go on the path to meaningful transformation. For our safety, the integrity of our law enforcement, and a future in which a police badge represents honor and trust rather than dread, let's support this shift. To change the requirements for becoming a police officer, kindly sign this petition.

https://policeviolencereport.org/​

https://post.colorado.gov/academies/basic-academies#:~:text=The%20minimum%20required%20Basic%20curriculum,or%20January%2DMay%2FJune​ 

www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-awards-over-62-million-support-health-and-safety-law-enforcement-officers