Columbia Police Department officers no longer need a college education to work in the city.
The change means potential hires could apply as long as they have a high school diploma among other requirements.
Civilian Public Information Officer, Bryana Larimer said this is an opportunity to reach people with diverse backgrounds, who for many reasons, couldn’t go to college.
“We really emphasize that one of the most important requirements for being a successful police officer is being able to effectively communicate with people so you don’t necessarily need a college education to develop that skill,” Larimer said.
Larimer said that this change is an opportunity to look at each applicant as a whole rather than just one part.
“We want to be able to look at each applicant as an individual with individual life experiences and talents that they can bring to our CPD team,” Larimer said.
Larimer said this change does not mean they are no longer looking to see if applicants have a college education, but that this change will allow for an “opportunity to cast a wider net.”