He has been supporting the law enforcement community for decades and has vowed to always be there regardless of the political climate.
One of his concerns is the future of policing in America. With the anti-police rhetoric that has been plaguing America in recent years, he worries about how the incoming generation will view policing as a career.
Policing was long considered a noble profession that many young men and women aspired to pursue. But only the best, most qualified people earned the right to wear a badge and keep their community safe. This was at a time when residents would wave hello to the police and thank them for their dedicated service.
Today, cops endure harassment, taunts, and a complete lack of respect from far too many civilians. And if things don’t change, why would anyone want to pursue a career in law enforcement?
There is one silver lining that may be the answer, charter schools. They represent a change in education that could resemble what is needed for the future of law enforcement.
Here are five advantages charter schools offer that translate into how a student would make a great police officer.
1. More Flexibility in Curriculum and Teaching Methods
Charter schools have greater freedom to design innovative curricula and teaching strategies that cater to different learning styles. Unlike traditional public schools, which must follow strict district guidelines, charter schools can implement specialized programs, such as STEM-focused education, project-based learning, or arts integration, to better engage students.
- A police officer works in an ever-changing, dynamic environment where no one single answer will fix every issue. Learning flexibility in a changing environment will help an officer come up with unique, effective answers to an incident.
Many charter schools maintain smaller class sizes, allowing teachers to provide more individualized attention. This can lead to stronger student-teacher relationships, better academic support, and improved student performance.
- The police academy jams a lot of information in a very short amount of time and the officers are expected to learn the content. Smaller class sizes help students prepare to absorb the information better compared to larger, less controllable class sizes.
Charter schools operate under performance-based contracts, meaning they must meet academic and operational goals to continue receiving funding and remain open. This accountability encourages them to prioritize student achievement and maintain high educational standards, whereas traditional public schools often face less direct consequences for poor performance.
- Standards and accountability are critical for law enforcement. Everything they do must be per policy and at a minimum standard. Charter schools help future law enforcement officers understand the true value of standards and accountability.
With the involvement of the community, students will enhance their social skills and confidence within their limited community. It develops an accustomed setting and helps in active communication between students and teachers. Having a community-reliant charter school guarantees that students are confident.
- There are many highly skilled and highly trained police officers who simply don't communicate well. Poor communication skills could easily and unnecessarily escalate a developing situation. This skill is one of the most critical for prospective law enforcement officers to improve.
Because they are independently managed, charter schools often operate with a focus on efficiency and innovation. Without the bureaucratic red tape that traditional public schools face, they can allocate resources more effectively, invest in modern technology, and respond quickly to students’ and teachers’ needs.
- Police departments are government-funded and typically get by on a shoestring budget. Learning how to maximize resources will come in handy in police work.
Michael Letts and InVest USA have hit on how America can go back to respecting and admiring the law enforcement profession. America must maintain law and order - our country needs it to thrive and once again become a world leader.
And it can all start with charter schools.
Michael Letts is the author of Truth, Lies and Control: Finding Hope in an Upside-Down World. Preorder your copy on Amazon today!
