Study Investigates Reasons Public Safety Officers Don’t Return to College

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A six-month study by the Jeffrey D. Rubenstein College of Criminal Justice and Public Safety has identified the top three obstacles that prevent or delay a return to college by serving law enforcement and public safety officers. The study was conducted through interviews with more than 100 police, fire and public safety officers in the Southeastern United States.

First among the officers’ concerns is the amount of college credit that can be awarded for professional training and experience. They don’t want to take college courses that retrace what they’ve already learned. Fortunately, students may earn credit toward a degree or certificate through transfer college credit, law enforcement training, military training, credit by examination, credit for life and work experience, or a combination of all of the above. Bell Woods, registrar for Andrew Jackson University, parent institution of the Rubenstein College, adds, “We examine an officer’s experience and training and award degree program credits whenever possible.”

Schedule flexibility is second on the list of potential impediments to an officer returning to college. As might be expected, officers’ schedules, including family obligations, often conflict with classroom attendance.  Set schedules for online courses create similar attendance problems. Almost 100 percent of the interviewees concluded that self-paced online study was the best solution for public safety professionals interested in enrolling in degree or certificate programs.

Cost, the third factor, is no surprise as those in public service are not highly compensated. “Coming up with a chunk of cash to enroll in college is out of the question for many public safety professionals,” says H.C. “Skip” Clark II, chief of police in Juno Beach, Fla. “That’s why we look for accredited college programs that offer special consideration for our officers, like scholarships.”

The results of this study prompted Rubenstein College administrators to structure scholarship, grant and deferred tuition programs, which were then submitted for approval to the college’s parent institution, Andrew Jackson University. University executives promptly approved the programs, which are now available to police, fire and sheriff’s departments throughout North America. These special programs have allowed many of the officers in Juno Beach, for example, to enroll in degree programs that would otherwise be too expensive, restrictive or repetitive for them.

_____________________________________________________

A Jeffrey D. Rubenstein College of Criminal Justice and Public Safety of Andrew Jackson University press release

If you appreciated this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!

Leading in Turbulent Times: Effective Campus Public Safety Leadership for the 21st Century

This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, “helicopter” parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. Register today to attend this free webcast!

Get Our Newsletters
Campus Safety Conference promo