What do I have to do to get into Criminal-Justice or Law-Enforcement?

Hi Michal,

To begin a career in criminal justice or law enforcement, you will need schooling. Most agencies require at a very minimum a certain amount of college credit hours or a Bachelor's degree to become a police officer. Start looking at Colleges and University's near you to see if they have Criminal Justice programs. You may also want to try contacting some of your local law enforcement agencies such as your local PD or Sheriff's Office to see if they have any ride along or intern programs that you can be a part of. Some agencies have a civilian police academy that you can take to see if you have an interest in the field. If you find that you are interested, I would proceed in getting into a criminal justice degree program.

Good Luck!

Hi, Michael. Great question. I'll tell you what I did: I got my Associate's degree in criminal justice and then finished my last two years at a four year college for my Bachelor's in criminal justice. Then, it was law school. So, its really simple. A four year degree and you're good to go. Good luck!