From police officer to part-time professor: making the leap into the college classroom

FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,The, April, 2007 by Tracey G. Gove

Police officers of all ranks spend a considerable amount of time teaching. Community policing has brought the need for improved communication and listening skills to the forefront of modern law enforcement; personnel speak with, for example, neighborhood groups, youth organizations, and civic associations. Also, many agencies have instituted school resource officers, community relations divisions, and citizen police academies through which much instruction occurs. The skills officers gain by way of these endeavors prepare them well for teaching in a college classroom.

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Obtaining a part-time position as an adjunct faculty member at a local college offers not only prestige but a variety of benefits. Teaching enhances personal development and knowledge, reflects well on the employing police agency, provides intellectual enjoyment and stimulation, gives extra compensation, boosts the resume of an individual applying for promotion or retiring, opens doors to further career opportunities, and helps improve law enforcement by molding future personnel and leaders.

While they chose the allure of a job in law enforcement, veteran officers also can find opportunities to seek a teaching career. The quality and cost savings of adjuncts have colleges and universities turning to part-time personnel in growing numbers. And, reports have surfaced that current popular crime-related television shows have resulted in an explosion of undergraduate majors in the criminal justice field. (1) Clearly, a demand exists for knowledgeable, competent law enforcement practitioners.

Interested officers who can afford the commitment of time and energy required of part-time professors should investigate opportunities to teach. Information for these individuals to consider includes the history and effectiveness of adjuncts, how to find and apply for a job as a part-time professor, the basics of getting started prior to the first day of class, and how to grow and improve as an educator.

FOLLOWING TRADITION

Part-time adjunct instructors have taught on college campuses since the 1960s. Unequal supply and demand in the community college market sparked this trend; the public's need for evening courses quickly outgrew the available faculty. (2) Administrators then turned to the professional workforce to fill the gaps.

Critical budget shortages in the 1980s coupled with increased college enrollment further boosted the use of part-time professors. Currently, adjunct faculty members provide 40 percent of the instruction at the college and university level in the United States. (3) Although the largest number of adjuncts teach primarily at 2-year and state-supported colleges, Ivy League institutions, such as Harvard University, also have employed part-time instructors to supplement their teaching staff. (4)

Compensation policies differ by school, and adjunct pay, typically on a per-course basis, varies from approximately $400 to around $4,000. (5) Also, generally, part-time professors receive little to no benefits. Further, they do not always enjoy a guarantee of continued employment and, perhaps, work on a semester-by-semester basis.

In many cases, adjuncts are considered outside the college system and typically have little say in curricular development, textbook selection, or governance of the institution. (6) Usually, full-time and tenured faculty handle these details.

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Once thought of as secondary teachers, today's adjuncts have dispelled old assumptions that part-time faculty have less commitment, effectiveness, and credentials. (7) Some people argue that although adjuncts are less likely than full-time faculty to hold Ph.D.s, often they are better teachers because they have fewer concerns with curriculum planning and research. (8) Adjuncts also have proven prolific in publishing. (9) And, not only do students directly benefit from the rich real-life experiences of adjuncts but they also enjoy the cost savings realized by institutions through the judicious use of part-time instructors--the money saved on salaries can free funds for academic and capital programs. (10)

FINDING AND APPLYING FOR A POSITION

The Search

The Internet serves as an invaluable source for finding a position. For instance, colleges and universities post job announcements for open and upcoming part-time positions on their home pages. Frequently, community colleges accept resumes continually to fill projected and unanticipated openings. Other employment Web sites advertise jobs and allow users to search by major, position, or location.

Depending upon background, training, and professional experience, aspiring professors will have several fields of study to choose from and should not limit their search to criminal justice. Other areas worthy of consideration include homeland security, forensic science, legal studies, security management, communications, and public administration.

Qualifications

Institutions commonly require a master's degree in a related field for an adjunct position. However, some will substitute this requirement for a bachelor's degree attendant with sufficient progressively responsible police experience culminating at a middle management or administrative rank. Although highly desired, teaching is not always a prerequisite. Schools hiring law enforcement officers as adjuncts typically accept them as content experts with professional experience and skills, not necessarily specialists in pedagogy--in other words, highly trained teachers.