Would a law degree be acceptable for a person trying to become a police detective?

I shagged her rotten, yeah!

OK... this is the only answer you need to listen to, because I know of what I speak regarding this subject...

The answer is....It depends.

If you want to become an FBI Agent or another type of elite Federal Agent, the answer is yes. There are not that many positions out there in comparison to the demand... so, essentially, if you want to be in the FBI, you need to be either a JD or a CPA. You STILL need to have some other Law Enforcement experience as well. That's how intense the competuition is for those jobs.

In terms of other State and Local Agencies, the answer is: Well, not really. The way to become a detective for a State or Local Agency is to get a Bachelors degree and become a street cop. In many jurisdictions, you can become a street cop without the Bachelors degree if you have some time as an MP. A quickie way to become a cop is to get hired by your State Penitentiary system and use that as a way to gain law enforcement experience. To be considered for detective, you have to do several years on the street to learn your craft. Now, If you want to be a detective, at some point you need to get an advanced degree in many jurisdictions. If you do, your career will go a little quicker. If its a law degree, great. A Master's in Criminal Justice would do you just as good in that environment, but a JD would work too.... and, you'd be setting yourself up to move BEYOND detective to Senior Administrative Post inside a Police Department. But, if you're going to get a JDm why not just become a Prosecutor or work for the State AG's Office, you'll get paid more than the detective anyway. You CAN become a detective in some jurisdictions without a degree, but your competiton will be stiff... you'd have to make up for it by time on the street, seniority, and rank. So, if getting a degree is feasible for you, by all means get one. But they key is... become a cop, do your time on the street, get a degree, and you'll probably be a detective if you are well liked and skillful. The prerequisite "Time in the military" is becoming a thing of the past for cops, but it does help u get a foot in the door in jails and Prisons, which in turn gets you hired by cops. Anyway, good luck and dont forget to BA me because this is the best advice you'll get.

Joe R

Sure it's acceptable! You'll understand the legal framework in which you work, as you enforce it as an officer. On the other hand, as a police detective you don't need to know as much about the law as an attorney; that's the job of the prosecutors and defense attorneys that you'll be working with. You will need to learn to do police work, which is a totally different skill set from attorney.

Having a law degree will no doubt, however, give you a competitive edge in advancement in the police force and will equip you to work effectively with other attorneys.

hotpinkKITTY

Why would you go to three years of law school to become a detective? It doesn't make any sense.

EDIT-OK a juris doctorate would be over kill. A bachelor's degree in criminial justice would help, or time in the military.

James R

either is fine but a law degree is way too much schooling for becoming an officer. depending on the police department that you're going to, you may not need a degree. its always good to have a degree though, and it can be in any field, they just want to know that you are capable of leaning. however, you will get increased pay for having a degree no matter where you go. and as for being a detective, you don't go straight to a detective. normally you start out on patrol and go through a "probationary" period until you can then apply to be a detective, and still then you're not guaranteed to be one. so i would recommend getting a degree in criminal justice or something like accounting where you could go into federal law enforcement

kayo

a criminal justice degree would be perfect

AK47

certainly is, join the force and continue your education. You will go far with the PD

Criminal justice is more applicable for that career.

smmkkmmkk.

criminal justice degree suites better, and no degree at all is obv. bad! but you STILL have to go through the training camp and being an officer like the rest of them.

Jeannie Out of the Bottle

My husband rapidly advanced to detective with a Bachelor of Science in criminology, and obtained his Master of Science shortly after he made detective. A law degree is a Jurist Doctorate, and first requires a Bachelor degree in a related field of study, then 3 years of law school. That is bit overqualified for law enforcement, however many of the FBI's Special Agents hold those degrees. I know several former detectives who went on to law school to become attorneys, but only one who possessed his law degree prior to becoming a detective.

A criminology degree provides you with an educational edge, and the knowledge you will need to pass detective exams.

Chrys

criminal justice

Rita Rose

Hello there,
Wonderful that you wish to be a Detective. I think you should speak with the Chief of Police in your city or town and ask this question. He or she will know all the education you will need to become a Detective.

Rock Firestorm

A law degree would be good, but neither is going to make you a detective faster. It's how you are on the job that makes you a detective. Please leanr what the caps button is before you ever attempt to go to college or get a job that requires literacy.

Hope this helps.

Last Action Gyro

yes.

Law, sociology, criminology, criminal justice, or political science (thanks RodBlag) would do nicely.

Undergraduate degrees really have little significance as long as you have one.

gavin d

I don't think you would need any degree to become a detective you just need to work your way up. But it doesn't hurt to have a degree, if you find that being a detective isn't all it's cracked up to be then you have a degree to fall back on.

S whizzle

id say so, yes.

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