College Degree Basic Requirement for COPS

Understanding Probable Cause (PC)

Officer discernment |dɪˈsəːnm(ə)nt|
noun [ mass noun ]
the ability to judge well: an astonishing lack of discernment

‘Blackness is not probable cause.’

POLICE OFFICERS CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER………ALL HUMAN LIVES MATTER. MD STATE ATTORNEY FINDS PROBABLE CAUSE FOR CRIMINAL CASE.

It’s important to know what does and does not constitute PC for any given situation.

Officers with four-year degrees are more skilled at resolving problems without having to resort to force, and they often give citizens alternative means of compliance instead of simply relying on the stick, the mace or the gun.

Probable cause is the legal standard by which a police officer has the right to make an arrest, conduct a personal or property search, or to obtain a warrant.

PC is something more than the “reasonable suspicion” required to justify a temporary investigative detention.

The headlines today are full of officers making arguably poor — if not downright criminal — decisions: shooting unarmed black teenagers, beating up suspects, using Tasers to the point of death, conducting high-speed — and deadly — car chases through populated city streets, and so on.

A better educated police force would likely be better equipped to evaluate and respond to the volatile situations officers encounter.

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., notes that higher education is not an “absolute answer” but stated in its 1994 Standards Manual that “Officers who have received a broad general education have a better opportunity to gain a more thorough understanding of society, to communicate more effectively with citizens, and to engage in the exploration of new ideas and concepts.”

Numerous studies conducted since the 1970s have suggested that the benefits of higher education in policing include:

•Better behavioral and performance characteristics;

•Fewer on-the-job injuries and assaults;

•Fewer disciplinary actions from accidents and use of force allegations;

•Greater acceptance of minorities;

•And a decrease in dogmatism, authoritarianism, rigidity and conservatism.

**Embargo: St. Louis, MO**Police from various departments face off with protesters in Ferguson, Missouri on the night of March 11, 2015 following the resignation of Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson earlier in the day.

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