I've always thought cops should be required to get a 4 year degree. And not in criminal justice. In sociology, psychology, something like that. Something that will actually inform them about the causes of crime and why criminal behavior exists in the first place.
Just by requiring a solid education of any sort, many bad apples will fall away, and "police culture" will change significantly. (That's my hypothesis, anyway.) But another benefit to doing things this way is that cops would become social workers in some respects. Instead of just taking people to one place "jail" (or sometimes a mental institution), they would be actively involved in getting addicts set up for help, protecting prostitutes from abusive circumstances, etc.
This is an idea I began working around 8 years ago, before police reform became the front-and-center notion is is now. I know others have thought of similar things, probably before I did. But the idea is such a no-brainer that I discovered it independently.
Just by requiring a solid education of any sort, many bad apples will fall away, and "police culture" will change significantly. (That's my hypothesis, anyway.) But another benefit to doing things this way is that cops would become social workers in some respects. Instead of just taking people to one place "jail" (or sometimes a mental institution), they would be actively involved in getting addicts set up for help, protecting prostitutes from abusive circumstances, etc.
This is an idea I began working around 8 years ago, before police reform became the front-and-center notion is is now. I know others have thought of similar things, probably before I did. But the idea is such a no-brainer that I discovered it independently.
