Laura Motes worked for 21 years as a police officer for the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, eventually earning the role of Sergeant in charge of handling the day-to-day activities and operations of the West Precinct. Motes came into her role as a police officer with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in Management of Information Systems, where she learned highly valuable skills that allowed her to move up in the hierarchy. Motes recommends earning a bachelor’s degree for all officers, even if they don’t get one directly related to criminal justice or policing.
For those who want to move on to the federal level, you have to earn a bachelor’s degree, usually in Criminal Justice or Criminology, and spend three years on the job at the local level. Laura Motes earned a business degree but still moved up in the ranks because of her discipline and specialized skills.
For all bachelor’s degree holders, having a specialized set of skills and educational background in a given field can be very helpful in rising through the ranks. All good police officers that want to work in their departments for a long time will eventually develop the needed experience during their everyday duties, but, like Laura Motes, if you have certain abilities and education, your name will come up for promotions more frequently throughout your career.
Laura Motes has since moved on from her career in law enforcement and is currently studying to be a nurse at Georgia Regents University. Her education will help her move up in that profession as well.
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| Laura Motes |
For those who want to move on to the federal level, you have to earn a bachelor’s degree, usually in Criminal Justice or Criminology, and spend three years on the job at the local level. Laura Motes earned a business degree but still moved up in the ranks because of her discipline and specialized skills.
For all bachelor’s degree holders, having a specialized set of skills and educational background in a given field can be very helpful in rising through the ranks. All good police officers that want to work in their departments for a long time will eventually develop the needed experience during their everyday duties, but, like Laura Motes, if you have certain abilities and education, your name will come up for promotions more frequently throughout your career.
Laura Motes has since moved on from her career in law enforcement and is currently studying to be a nurse at Georgia Regents University. Her education will help her move up in that profession as well.
