no, but it is common for police officers to have formal education
Although there ARE some that do, very few police agencies require a college degree.
At minimum, a high school diploma is required. Many departments will require a few years of college, associates degree or a bachelors degree. Common majors include criminal justice, police science, and political science. Additionally police officers go through a dedicated police academy training.
In most cases a high school diploma or GED equivalent is sufficient. Police departments are looking for the best qualified candidate. So having college credits is a + but not a requirement in most departments. Some require "X" amount of college credits and some require at least a 2 year degree. No departments that I know of require a 4 year degree. All federal departments i.e. FBI DEA CIA NSA ATF USM require a 4 year degree.
Police departments usually assist with traffic control at vehicle accidents and fires. Police are also usually called to assist with unruly patients. Some agencies also have police officers respond to medical emergencies to assist medical responders. Departments that do this usually require their police officers to take additional First Responder or Emergency Medical Technician classes.
87% as of 2012
The three largest police departments in Tennessee are the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD), the Memphis Police Department, and the Knoxville Police Department. MNPD is the largest with approximately 1,500 sworn officers, followed by the Memphis Police Department with over 2,000 officers, and the Knoxville Police Department with around 400 officers.
no
The average education of most police officers is an associates degree. Many police officers have no more than a high school education.
== * Graduating from High School: Nearly all departments require police officer candidates to be high school graduates. Some police departments hire graduates directly out of high school as clerks or cadets, but these trainees usually must wait until the age of 20 to become full officers. * Completing College-Level Training: Many postsecondary institutions offer associate or bachelor's degree programs in law enforcement, criminal justice or related fields, helping future police officers gain theoretical knowledge to complement their practical training. Although not every department requires it, aspiring police officers usually have better chances for attaining positions if they have finished some college-level courses or a college degree. * Attending a Police Academy: Police officers must complete a period of professional training in subjects such as community patrolling, ethics, firearms, arrest protocols and first aid before they can begin law enforcement work. The majority of large police departments maintain their own police academies, but police officers in smaller departments often train at regional academies that are shared between several jurisdictions.source: http://education-portal.com/requirements_to_become_a_police_officer.html
Police professionalism
Police professionalism
You have highway patrol or state troopers, you have county sheriffs departments and city police departments. The above relates to the USA, in other countries police and their ranks and specialisms are organised differently.