calicer1996
Well-Known Member
You yourself said it.. It's an urban legend. So, it's a lie. There is no logic in that! It makes no sense.
ItsZiggy
Well-Known Member
There's 5 basic requirements;
Citizenship Requirement
Agencies require applicants to be U.S. citizens, or in some cases, permanent resident aliens who have applied for citizenship. Some agencies require officers to reside within their jurisdictions while others do not.
Minimum / Maximum Age Requirement
While most agencies require you to be 21 by academy graduation date, some take cadets as young as 18. The maximum age can vary widely. Do not assume that just because you are over 30, your chances of becoming a police officer are over. Some agencies have no maximum age.
Education Requirement
Most agencies expect officers to have a high school diploma or GED at a minimum. Some agencies require a bachelor’s degree or a minimum number of college credit hours. Others offer additional pay based on educational attainment. Regardless, education beyond high school will only help you in your law enforcement career. Having a four-year degree or an advanced degree is an asset in your career progression, particularly when seeking a promotion or specialized assignment.
While criminal justice studies are the traditional route for those aspiring to a career in law enforcement, many other fields provide you with a good foundation. Sociology, psychology, and social work are a few other fields that are particularly well suited for police work.
Valid Drivers License
Since most officers start out on patrol, a valid drivers license is a requirement for any law enforcement position. Your driving history will also be reviewed during the background check.
Minimum Fitness Requirement
The type and rigor of these requirements vary by agency. With enough training and preparation, you can meet the challenge.
I would imagine any other forms of intelligence testing would come from exams issued in the police academy.
Hope this answers your question.
bravetran
Member
ABC News had an article stating that potential officers were barred from joining because of higher IQ's. I can't add a link to the article but the title was "Court OKs Barring High IQs for Cops" September 8th, 2000. This happened in New York where a man scored 33 on an intelligence based test, the equivalent of an IQ of 125 and because of this was not allowed to join. This wasn't the first case and it's a bit unsettling. Is this ABC article a fake?
Doulachic79
Active Member
Doesn't sound right. Urban legends have a way of worming their way into reason and logic.
bravetran
Member
I just looked it up and noted ABC and the New York Times did pieces on a court case that happened in regards to this. To me this is starting to not sound like an urban legend at all but fact. The reason given for Robert Jordan not being given interviews was because people with higher IQ's have higher turn over rates, which is a shame because he seems like a well spoken and educated fellow that would make a great police officer. Judge Peter C. Dorsey of the United States District Court was the judge presiding over the case.
Doulachic79
Active Member
I agree that you have read an article regarding the court case the New York Times covered and that it is only one case that represents one instance out of the entirety of the principles the law enforcement hiring practices are based upon.
bravetran
Member
It's not so much that they are too smart. The idea is that those with higher IQ's and education are more likely to have a higher turn over rate; which isn't bad either, but the amount of money it costs to train a single officer being so high, that's where the problem lies. I guess if you score about 22 or some such, you may not get any further in the process because of it. I'm not saying that all police officers are dumb, that score equals to a still slightly above average IQ. These hiring practices are probably not throughout the United States either, it's just something to make note of in some areas and it shouldn't be dismissed as an urban legend when the court case is right there. It only happens that one man was able to take this to a court level when denied the ability to work for the police, and the ruling was that it was discrimination because they do it to everyone. I'm sure it happens a lot but in places but it's just never mentioned.
AugustGreig
Member
Yeah, I remember very specifically this story being reported on the news several years ago. If I recall correctly, it was somewhere in new england. I never really understood how someone could be overqualified or too smart for a job, especially being a cop. Although a high intelligence might lead to boredom at lower levels of police work,I'd imagine that it would be an invaluable attribute for someone like a detective. You would think that they would actually fast track those who test high into positions more condusive to their skill set.
Whitewolf2578
Well-Known Member
Well that doesn't really make sense that people with a higher IQ would have higher turn over rates. Law Enforcement jobs have a high turn over rate regardless of how smart you are. Some people don't know what they are getting themselves into, the moment they get shot at they want to quit, it is just logical.
thomas pendrake
Active Member
A quick look at the internet confirms that it is, indeed, a common practice of most law-enforcement agencies to not hire people with significantly above average IQs, based on the theory that smarter cops will become bored and quit. Some agencies, such as the FBI, require advanced education, so they will probably have higher IQs. The increased use of educated forensics experts probably helps to increase the intelligence level of the over-all force, but I really think that other steps to help attract and retain more intellectual police would help improve police/civilian relations. Of course, we should realize that we also need officers who can relate to all people, including those who are intellectually impaired.
Those of us with higher IQs (last time I was tested, mine was 170) do need to realize that a person with an IQ of 100 is not stupid (the average for cops seems to be 104, according to several internet sites). I have known people considered intellectually impaired who were capable of thinking much like a person with a well above average IQ (creative-divergent type thinking) and I have known people who were supposed to be above-average (even having advanced degrees) but who had very rigid, un-creative intellects. IQ is not the only significant facet of intelligence.
Those of us with higher IQs (last time I was tested, mine was 170) do need to realize that a person with an IQ of 100 is not stupid (the average for cops seems to be 104, according to several internet sites). I have known people considered intellectually impaired who were capable of thinking much like a person with a well above average IQ (creative-divergent type thinking) and I have known people who were supposed to be above-average (even having advanced degrees) but who had very rigid, un-creative intellects. IQ is not the only significant facet of intelligence.
IshieVonDyson
Well-Known Member
I was not aware of this at all, urban legend or fact. It's an interesting subject. But as previously stated, IQ isn’t the only factor that determines overall intelligence, so it’s probably disingenuous to say people with a higher IQ are too smart for… well, anything. Perhaps a high IQ coupled with factors determined in other exams could bar one from entering the force, but I find it hard to believe a high IQ alone is the determining factor.
lushlala
Well-Known Member
No way, I doubt someone would be disqualified from joining the police force on the basis of them being TOO INTELLIGENT! That sounds off and just doesn't make any sense at all LOL In fact, I have yet to meet a police officer who I deemed stupid. In Botswana, more and more university graduates are joining the police force, and I'm willing to bet that some of them have very high IQs. Maybe it's different in each country LOL I just find it laughable that any force would be so restricting on that front, and to what end?!
thomas pendrake
Active Member
It probably is different in your country. In a nation with limited opportunities, police officers would likely be people who are "above average", but in other "advanced" countries police work would appeal to many people not as likely to pursue high-end jobs. The popularity of police tv shows featuring more advanced forensics may help attract students to advanced courses, but police agencies will need to hire them.
Years ago (between WWII and the Korean whatever it was), my father was a deputy sheriff. I don't know exactly what his IQ was, but I seem to recall hearing 140 stated once. My family had political pull, so he was hired as a deputy when it was hard for anyone to get a job. Although he continued to have contacts with police work (he was recalled to help start the Air Force, and did carry a badge in the Air Force, even though he only briefly served officially in the Air Police. He always had friends in police work, and always had that Air-force badge. I think he would not have continued to work as a regular cop, he had far too muck rank.