Each year, between 140 to 160 officers are killed in the line of duty. Today, which is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, is a day in which citizens across the United States can show their appreciation to those men and women who put their lives at risk in order for us to have a safer & better community.
Whether you are a police officer, have a family member who's a police officer, or don't even know any police officers, this day is all about bringing light into a dark perspective of the police force.
This day was founded in 2015 by multiple organizations, including the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S), the FBI National Academy Associates, the Fraternal Order of Police, the International Association of Chief of Police, the Officer Down Memorial Page, Law Enforcement United, and the National Troopers Coalition to name a few.
According to C.O.P.S, they believe that there's a need to show law enforcement officers that people recognize the difficult careers they've chosen in public service in order to protect lives and uphold the law. Today is a day for the public to spread encouragement and show respect to these brave men and women.
There are several ways to show your support for law enforcement, including:
The minimum requirement to enter the law enforcement field is typically a high school diploma; however, an increasing number of police departments now require applicants to have at least an associates degree. A bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement for federal police jobs.
Hocking College offers an associates degree in Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement. Students in law enforcement will have the option of taking the Ohio Peace Officer Basic Academy during their last semester at Hocking College, which will allow them to graduate with both an associates degree in criminal justice and their Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) certification*. (*Dependent on passing state test)
In addition, Hocking College has a new partnership with the University of Cincinnati’s (UC) Criminal Justice program, which is not only nationally ranked, but also ranked number one in the state of Ohio. This partnership allows students in the Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement program to complete their associates degree at Hocking College the first two years, then continue on to UC to earn their Bachelor’s degree within another two years. Another benefit of this partnership is that UC offers an online Bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice, which means students can earn their degree remotely. This offers more flexibility for those students who wish to enter the workforce upon graduation from Hocking College, all while continuing to earn a Bachelor’s degree. In the end, students who choose this route will be able to save both time and money.
Students who enroll in Hocking College's Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement program will learn the following:
For more information on Hocking College’s Criminal Justice program, contact Ashlynn Lucas by email at lucasa35804@hocking.edu or by phone at (740) 753-6472.