It really depends on where you want to become a police officer, Helen.
Different jurisdictions have different requirements.
Not all departments require a college degree, but it does help for a person to have college credits before applying to any department. Desirable qualifications include a broad knowledge of laws, firearms, a good memory, an ability to analyze situations quickly and good working relationship skills. Applicants must be in good health and have no felony convictions on their records. Written tests, physical agility tests and background checks are common. In Oregon, once an officer is hired, he or she attends a police academy, similar to a boot camp, for 10 to 12 weeks.