In these turbulent times, law enforcement agencies must employ the most qualified personnel to ensure preservation of both democratic principles and public safety. The exploratory research this paper presents examines the performance of New York City police officers who were members of three distinct groups: officers who entered with cadet background, officers who were college graduates but not cadets, and officers who entered with a high school diploma only. Results indicate that both cadets and college graduates outperform those officers who entered the Department with only a high school diploma, suggesting that higher education has a positive effect on policing. Future research needs to focus on the value of the cadet model to law enforcement.