Online Police Officer Certification Overview

No specific police officer certificate programs are available online; however, students can apply to online certificate programs in law enforcement, criminal justice and national security, all of which provide students with preparation for formal police officer training. Additional training at a police academy is usually required to become a police officer.

Online Police Officer Certificate Program Overview

An undergraduate certificate program in the field of criminal justice, law enforcement or national security can serve as preparation for police academy. Or, police offers may enroll in such a program for continuing education or career advancement purposes. Many law enforcement programs emphasize homeland security and counterterrorism as well as criminal theory and investigation. The program gives students a good understanding of the common problems a police officer might have to address. Certificate program applicants need a high school diploma or GED.

Program Information and Requirements

Most certificate programs require students to take 3-4 courses in the law enforcement or criminal justice field. The program takes 6-12 months to complete and can be taken entirely online. Many universities allow students to apply course credits from the certificate program toward their undergraduate degrees.
Courses may be delivered online through a course management system or via CD-ROM. Online course lectures, discussions and assignment submissions take place through a course management system; Internet access is required. CD-ROM coursework may be completed offline; however, a computer is still required.

Common Police Officer Certificate Courses

Certificate courses in the field of law enforcement help students hone their investigative and analytical skills. Classes often touch upon common stressors and possible dangers of life as a police officer.

Counterterrorism Course

Students learn about various types of terrorist threats and methods of preventing terrorist attacks. The varying motives of ideological terrorist groups are also explored.

Narcotics Course

This class introduces students to illicit drug identification. Students examine the organization of typical drug rings and the potential for violence when dealing with drug dealers.

Homeland Security Course

Students learn how to prepare for a homeland emergency and how to quickly recover and reorganize after a terrorist attack or national threat occurs. The qualifications needed to join the homeland security department are also covered.

Criminal Justice and Ethics Course

The history of morality and ethics in the U.S. criminal justice system is evaluated. Students learn how to combat unethical behavior and criminal activity while still remaining true to the ethical codes of the court systems.

Police Officer Career Information

Certificate program graduates typically become police officers or detectives. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expected police officer jobs to grow as fast as most other job sectors from 2008-2018; however, increased competition for positions at the federal and state level were predicted (www.bls.gov).
The BLS stated that police officers earned an average annual salary of $55,180 in 2009. Detectives and criminal investigators earned an average annual wage of $65,860 in 2009.

Continuing Education

The majority of actual police officer training occurs at government-run police academies where students are trained both outdoors in a police environment and indoors in the classroom. Police academy application requirements vary by state. Most training programs last around 12 weeks.
Depending on the law enforcement position sought, an associate's or bachelor's degree in the fields of criminal justice, law enforcement or political science may be required. To earn a federal agency position, for example, a student must have a bachelor's degree as well as field experience. For higher ranking officer positions, a master's degree in the law enforcement field might be required.