Free online courses for law enforcement are necessary. Whether you are in a supervisory position or a patrol officer, continuing education (CE) will benefit you.
Advantages
These free courses give officers an advantage when it comes to performing their duties. What these courses do is provide helpful information about law enforcement information technology, criminal justice administration and hostage negotiations among others.
The fact that they don’t cost a cent adds to their appeal. Some of these classes bear credit, while others don’t. Either way, these studies expand your understanding of the issues that are affecting law enforcement today.
Choosing an Online Class
Accreditation is one of the most important aspects to consider. The site must cover different and pertinent subjects like problems with crime, drugs, DNA testing and how technology is used to battle criminal elements.
The quality of instruction is also crucial. They must be of the same level as in a traditional class. This is crucial. While studying online is convenient, it makes no sense to study them if the material is outdated.
Officers who want to learn should also check the schedule of online classes. Like other web based schools, these sites allow you to log in anytime. Others may not be so lenient in their scheduling however. This is crucial, because law enforcers are very busy and often work odd hours. Officers working full time will do well with sites that offer 24/7 access.
Hybrid Classes
Most of these Internet schools are fully online. Everything you need is on the web, although you may have to download some files. Some online sites however, may require onsite lab work (i.e., when studying forensic science). But usually these are for pay classes. Most of the free web courses consist of purely Internet based materials.
Other Information
There are other benefits to learning online. You don’t have to pay for gas and you never have to worry about being late. Few free courses have deadlines either. Take advantage of universities that provide free material on the web. Many of the top universities in the US have uploaded materials on topics like criminal procedure, police training, human rights and the police and other related subjects free of charge.
Even though many free online courses for law enforcement don’t bear credit, they produce relevant and useful information. Most of them have been culled from brilliant law enforcers, assuring their quality and reliability.