MYERSVILLE, MD - OCTOBER 24: A Maryland State trooper looks on as an ATF vehicle passes near where two sniper suspects were found sleeping in their car at a rest stop on I-70 October 24, 2002 in Myersville, Maryland. Police said the men are prime suspects in the recent Washington-area sniper attacks. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

By: Marc King

The Maryland Legislature has announced it has passed the first of its kind bill in the country to eliminate the “Police Officer’s Bill of Rights.” POLITICO followed the announcement with their report:

“Maryland’s Democrat-controlled legislature on Saturday moved to pass a sweeping police reform package that repealed the state’s police bill of rights, becoming the first state in the nation to do so and overriding Republican Gov. Larry Hogan’s vetoes in the process.”

This has been hailed by the far-left Socialist Democrats as a great social justice victory. That said, I believe that Governor Hogan hit the nail on the head when he responded to the veto override with these words:

“These bills would undermine the goal that I believe we share of building transparent, accountable, and effective law enforcement institutions and instead further erode police morale, community relationships, and public confidence,” Hogan said in a statement. “They will result in great damage to police recruitment and retention, posing significant risks to public safety throughout our state.”

Now, consider this — perhaps, we have been going about this policing thing incorrectly … we are eliminating safeguards for those who we want to protect us and serve us at the same time we know that crime is increasing across our major metropolitan areas. Everyone agrees that improvements in the training of our law enforcement personnel will give us a “better social outcome” … especially when the issue of race is involved.

If training achieves a better outcome, then let’s take a look at some other jurisdictions around the world and see how they do their police training.

Let us start with Germany

A place I lived for nine years as part of the United States Military and where I had the opportunity to personally interact with the police from time to time. In Germany, most police recruits spend about two and a half years in the regular police academy training. (Mittlerer Polizeivollzugsdienst)

The auxiliary police forces, with fewer powers and often not equipped with a duty-weapon, are trained in just 12 weeks.

Now, Canada

One must first complete a 6-month training course for cadets at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Academy. After completing the course, the candidate must complete another 6-month course, but this one is in the field under the guidance of a mentor. Aspiring police officers need to be of at least 18-21 years of age to apply for the post of a police officer.

They also need to have a minimum of 2 years of college education. Thus, a diploma or an associate degree is mandatory. Jobs at a federal level will need require one to have a Bachelor’s degree.

Now, France

To work as a police officer for the French National Police or Gendarmerie, a candidate must … hold as a minimum, the French Baccalaureate and a clean criminal record. Successful candidates enter National Police School where they have “student police officer” status. These students alternate work experience and classes during one year of study. After a student completes formal study, they are categorized as a “gardien de la paix,” or trainee peace guardian, for one year. On-the-job training lasts one year and can be extended by periods of three months to a year.

Finland

Basic police training requires three years of study and is considered a Bachelor’s degree.

Vietnam

The Vietnam People’s Police Academy is one of the leading schools of the Vietnam People’s Public Security, training officers with university degrees and postgraduate degrees. The People’s Police Academy is a training center under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Security.

The trend could not be clearer … across the world, the requirements to be a police officer far exceed those in the United States.

On average, across the US, we require a high school diploma, or equivalent. A clean record — mostly, and 6 months of police academy training, along with a short period of on-the-job training.

Clearly, the latest move by the Maryland legislature will damage recruitment and retention, thereby forcing local departments to lower their standards at a time when they should consider increasing them.

So, let us stop exposing our law enforcement professionals to additional liabilities … as achieved by Maryland’s passage of legislation to eliminate the “Police Officers Bill of Rights” … and start increasing the educational threshold and standards that equip people to be the professional law enforcement cadre we expect in this country.

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