Requirement for All States to Adopt Minnesota’s Two-Year College Standard for Police Officers

 

The purpose of this act is to require every state to follow Minnesota’s rule that all future police officers must

complete at least a two-year college degree before entering law enforcement.

 

Different states have different training and education requirements for police officers. Minnesota’s two-year college

requirement helps improve communication skills, decision-making, and overall professionalism in law enforcement. Making

all states follow the same rule would help create more consistent training, better-prepared officers, and stronger trust

between police and communities.

 

For this bill, a “two-year college degree” means a degree you get after about two years at a community college or a

similar school that is officially recognized, and a “police officer applicant” means anyone trying to become a police

officer at the state, county, or city level anywhere in the United States.

 

States may use law enforcement training funds, education grants, and financial aid programs to help cover tuition for

applicants who cannot afford a two-year degree. Tuition assistance is optional but encouraged.

 

All states must update their police hiring policies to enforce this requirement, and no police department will be

allowed to hire any applicant who has not completed a two-year college degree, while states that choose not to comply

with this standard may lose access to certain federal law enforcement grants until they meet the requirements of this

act.

 

This bill will go into effect on January 1, 2027, giving states and police departments good amount of time to update

their hiring procedures and make sure that all future police officer applicants meet the new standard.