During the 1960s, the issue of education among U.S. police officers was raised because of misconduct by officers during their handling of riots. The Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice called for greater professionalization of the police force. This emphasis on professionalism still holds true today, and it begins with education and training of the police force.
In 1998, a study by George Mason University examined the level of education of police officers and their attitudes about the use of authority. The study found that officers with bachelor's degrees were less supportive of abuse. Also, these officers had significantly more responsible attitudes toward how much force is acceptable, adherence to departmental rules, adherence to the police code of silence, and police brutality. The study concluded that recruiting applicants with post-secondary education is advantageous to police departments, reducing violence while increasing police awareness.
The St. Paul Police Department in Minnesota conducted a study on the effect of higher education on the work habits of police officers. The study covered data from 1999 to 2002 and measured the officers' traffic collisions, disciplinary actions, commendations and use of sick leave. It was found that officers with higher education of two years or more fared much more successfully than their counterparts without college education.
The most common hindrance to providing police officers with additional education and training are budget cuts. In some cases other officers can express bias toward police officers with more education, as some officers value street smarts over book smarts. In some cases, police officers with master's degrees are perceived as threats to the careers of officers with no degree.