I've heard this argument before, and I think there's a kernel of truth there. Thing is, municipalities+towns+states have already poured significant public money into police earnings, thanks in part to police unions who negotiate generous overtime rules, defined benefit pensions, and even off-duty pay for private security [1].

I think most people would agree that higher education tends to bring higher salaries, but strangely this is exactly backwards with US policing. It seems to me becoming a police officer is a rare way to get comparatively high and stable earnings _without_ earning a degree or putting in the work and time investment associated with other decently paying jobs.

Meanwhile, Norway requires police officers to earn a three year bachelor's degree and over the past 12 months the # of police killings is low (I think 1). In the US, it's 1,117 - around 3 a day.[2][3]

How would you add a degree or substantial training requirement when the pay is already so high? The status quo in America is a national embarrassment, IMO.

[1] https://www.propublica.org/article/new-jersey-police-contrac...

[2] https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/police-ki...

[3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/investigations/polic...