Perhaps it's like the soliders and Marines in Iraq who play war video games to wind down after a day of fighting. I've heard they do this, because it relaxes them in some wierd way; like they cannot be defeated because they have strategies they apply to these video games and then to the real world. I think any job/duty/profession that has to do with violence is straining on the conscience and mind in ways even the participant may not understand or communicate with voluntarily. I wouldn't guess reading classics would be the best way to deal with interactions of violence on an everyday basis, but I could be wrong. I don't see how violence encounters would NOT be connected to this reading requirement.

Remember, this is Mexico! Literacy is limited and apparently, so is freedom of choice! I think Lionel hit the nail on the head in mentioning the dream of "the civilizing power of the proper canon". It makes me think of the Puritan practice of instilling virtue by forcing Bible reading all day long. It won't always (maybe even often) have the desired effect.
On the other hand, encouraging reading is a good thing. Too bad they couldn't find a more positive way to do it!

I suppose an experience in police custody would be a more pleasant one if cops quoted Shakepeare or Milton while beating you to a pulp--the Brandenberg Concertos tinkling in the background, perhaps. While having cops on the beat who dream of tilting at windmills or baobab trees is a wonderful thought (and a humorous one), I fail to see how forcing a literary appreciation on police officers produces anything except literary cops. This sort of plan reeks of that old Arnoldian dream—the civilizing power of the proper canon—which, save for a few lone cranks and holdouts, has seemingly been discredited everywhere.

Police officers should be literate, but i dont think requiring officers to read a certain amount is a good idea. This requirement will only distract the police from their job. In stead of being alert, officers will have their eyes in books. This would only distract from their job- preserving peace, justice and order.

In contrast to Meg and Priscilla, I kind of like this idea. I do find it ridiculous that this "scheme," as it is called, is being used amongst a police force, though. Yes, police should be literate, but then again, everyone should be. Threatening not to promote the officers for not reading is not what I would consider a good idea, but maybe there is another incentive the police chief could come up with.

I am unable to see the connection between reading classic novels and being a police officer. It's interesting that instead of studying up on criminal law and reading books pertaining to their field of study, they are reading novels written a long time ago. I can only see this helping with reading skills, but nothing beyond that.

I find it difficult to comprehend an employer demanding that his/her adult employees do something as vague as "read a book". Surely literacy is an imperitive skill to be a successful police officer, but shouldn't that be a requirement before these people are hired? While being ABLE to read seems a necessity I'm not sure reading "The Little Prince" will make officers better at their jobs-better people, perhaps-but not better police officers.

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