I am currently considering Law Enforcement as a possible career change and I wanted to get some of your opinions about your job. So please feel free to share if you wish. What is your favorite part about the job? The worst part? How dangerous is it truly? Exciting? Boring? How is the Academy today? How do you deal with the really emotional stuff, like having to show up where domestic violence is/has occurred? Do you ever have trouble keeping your personal feelings out of the job? Any info is welcome and helpful.

Currently I am working in a job I am beginning to dislike greatly. I have been down this road before. I graduated college with a very specialized degree. I found out that it is pretty much worthless in the area I live in. Also the animation industry is incredibly difficult to get into, not to mention that a lot of it is now overseas. Since college I have worked where I could find jobs simply providing money and a means to live on. It's been almost 9 years since I graduated and I can honestly say I have not had a job I truly enjoyed. Although I have had jobs I could stand, after awhile they all grow stale and I find myself hating getting up in the morning.

Now, I am beginning to look ahead to the future. I'm seeing where I am and what I am doing. I wonder if my life will be simply bouncing from job to job every 3-4 years in hopes of better pay but no satisfaction. I'm thinking of my parents, who didn't plan and are now still working as they are approaching their 70s. They are still struggling, especially with the constant downward spiral of our economy. Honestly, I don't want to be looking towards this. I want something different, something better.

But, looking back now at the present I am forced to accept that my job sucks, and no jobs are available. The employer knows this. This is to his advantage to freeze raises and have a different towards the employees. I want a change. I want to find satisfaction in my career/job. I don't want to have to keep getting in a rut every three years and forced to search for other employment. But mainly, I want what I do to mean something instead of simply going to work and shuffling papers that means very little except in the tiny world of my employer.

I mentioned this to my wife, who was not happy about my possible decision. She did say, however, she supports whatever I decide in the end, but wishes I will find something else. I mentioned it to my parents. They are both against it. All of those close to me are afraid that I will get on the force and get killed. They say it is too dangerous. Both my parents are telling me that things have changed so much since when they were kids and it was a good profession to go into. Now, they say, it is too dangerous with the way society is and they don't want to see me get hurt. My mother went as far as saying that me joining won't make a difference in the grand scheme of things. I know what she meant, and I know why she said it, but I cannot help but feel that every officer makes a difference to someone.

In the end I know they will support whatever I decide to do. And as I told them, this is not a career change like simply changing jobs. This is something that takes a ton of research to make sure this is something I want. This isn't something you simply quit after a week. This is a commitment you make. And that alone requires some more soul searching than simply changing jobs. Anyways, any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance and sorry for the novel.