Law Enforcement Officers Please Respond

[druid]

My feelings on this topic are not as positive as some of the other replies I've seen. I am a former Corrections Officer, and am still friends with many cops and co's. If you'd like my input, drop me a PM.

I am CURRENTLY a Corrections Officer (over 10 years and SRT member) and have an idea where you are coming from. I'll not dive into anything deeper about it, other than to say that we do the exact same job as a Police Officer but are confined to a building. Now, we don't have bullets whizzing by our heads but we have shanks/shivvs, bludgeoning instruments, suicidal hangings, throat/wrist slicers, jumpers (off elevated tiers) and the like. Screaming kids and crying families because the inmates are locked away from them.

They don't hate us, they hate what we stand for...the uniform and badge. It takes a thick skin to do what we [all] do and the most difficult part is not taking anything personally.

Galb,
You posted quite a bit about why you don't like your current situation, but you don't say much about your reasons for looking towards law enforcement. Why the Police Department? Why not the Fire Department? Is it the "security" of a government job? Is it to help people? Fight crime? The "excitement" of police work?

The fact is it's not like T.V. To paraphrase Casey, the job is long periods of boredom, punctuated by terror, followed by endless paperwork.

The most sucessful officers I've known are the ones who feel a calling towards the profession - the ones who would want to be a police officer even if it paid less. They are not starry-eyed idealists, they know that they are not ending crime and they people they help will likely curse them for doing it. But they don't care. It is a satisfaction that comes from within.

Personally, I've been doing it for over 13 years now, and I think it's the best job in the world - for me.

I suggest you contact your local police agency and arrange to go on a few ride-alongs. Talk to the officers on the force in your jurisdiction, then decide if you really want to be a cop, or if you just want a change from your current situation.

(Feel free to pm me if you want to talk more in depth.)

^^^ I couldn't agree more. I might also add the department of forestry, environmental protection agency, department of natural resources, BATF or something in the forensics division.

[druid]

oops...double post

[bowser]

Cant see your side of the water being much different from ours.
Make sure your doing it for the right reasons, unless the situation there is different to here it wont be for the pay, or the hours.
I have 3 years to go to my 30, over all its been worth it.

[Caddy One]

I retired with 31 years of service in law enforcement......only suggestions I can make to you would be:

Common Sense.....
Attitude
Determination


I could name more and I know the other officers currently employed or retired could add many more and the job itself is an education that you never read in a book..............

Good Luck on your journey in law enforcement...............if you so decide and
Be Careful......................

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

It's not a job, it's more than a career, it's an avocation. Unless you have wanted to be a cop for your entire life, then you might want to consider another career path. If you are looking for some sort of secure career, with a pension pay-off in 20-30 years, trot on down to your nearest armed foreces recruiting office. All of the services are experiences shortages of junior officers, and all of them wuold be interested in talking to you. Reading your initial posting I'd sugest you check out the Air Force or Coast Guard.

[Galb]

It's not a job, it's more than a career, it's an avocation. Unless you have wanted to be a cop for your entire life, then you might want to consider another career path. If you are looking for some sort of secure career, with a pension pay-off in 20-30 years, trot on down to your nearest armed foreces recruiting office. All of the services are experiences shortages of junior officers, and all of them wuold be interested in talking to you. Reading your initial posting I'd sugest you check out the Air Force or Coast Guard.

Thanks, but it is too late for me to join the armed forces. I'm already married and we are looking forward sometime (within the next couple years) to have children. It's not that I am too old, but I have no interest in leaving my wife while I head into basic training and then during deployment or having her move every time I get a new assignment.

I actually talked to a police recruiting officer earlier today. Things seem pretty interesting. I have a few options ahead of me and after speaking to him in regards to the career as an officer I am more interested as it does sound like something I would enjoy. The only downside is right now they do not have sponsored recruitment which means I would have to put myself through college again. Considering I have a full time job already, I would be looking at night school for approximately 8 months, and the loss of half a weekend just to get through the classes. Because I am married and have to help put food on the table, as well as the roof over our heads, full time student is out of the question.

The plus side is that the sponsored program is very new and they are running a trial on it now. The officer said it may very well take off, and then I could go into the force and get paid during the training and schooling. This is the best option right now. But the fact that there is night classes at my local college allows me to have a fall back plan.

I still have to schedule the ride along sometime soon so I can get an first person view of what it is like. Basically, after talking to the recruitment officer, the job is what you make of it. That makes it even more appealing to me.

[puffer]

A long time ago, (late 60s-80s) I was an LEO. I still interact with LEOs ( local,county,state,&fed.) as a Range Officer & have been called upon by my pastor, to help consul officers.( in the past, I was also a firearms instructor)
The comments of the LEOs, that have been posted, reflect what I experienced, as well as the thoughts I have heard in my talking with LEOs. But I would like to add 2 things that, IMHO, are VERY IMPORTANT.

Social Stigma - Sad to say not all of our society view LEOs as individuals they want to socialize with. ( I am not referring to the "PUNKS") Far too often, LEOs find themselves socially isolated.

Your Marriage - You mentioned that your wife is NOT enthusiastic about you becoming an LEO. The JOB often takes a "terrible" toll on marriages.You will be handling a LOT of physiological "baggage. ( Frustration with the legal system, the "crap you have to deal with on the street, etc.) & when you come home, how will you handle it ?????

BTW, do the Dept.s in your area have a "Reserve Officer program ( I started out as a RO) or a volunteer "civilian" program ?? It might be a way to "feel" it out. Another idea would be to check out your airport police Dept.

Respectively Puffer

[Derek Conley]

Galb,

I notice you're from Melbourne; when next you speak to your recruiter, I implore you to ask him how the Amendment 1 budget issues have affected that particular department, and if they aren't affected now, will they be next fiscal year.

I'm not sure if you're aware, but due to that particular Amendment, all emergency services (law, fire, etc) and schools have been suffering major layoffs and budget cuts all across the state.

For instance, our Department has been on a hiring freeze for most of the year now and there's no clear idea when they'll open up again to hire.

[Chase]

The fact that you have a college degree is a leg up now-a-days, as most if not all departments/citys require a minimum of 60 semester hours...Although you may be eligible as you are, you would be better served if you had prior military...IMO, the miitary may not be for everyone, but everyone should try to do at least one tour.

I've spent the last three years in Iraq with the CIVPOL program and before that, I had eight years on SWAT...I don't think it really matters what any of us say, because it boils down to the individual...You're gonna do what you're gonna do regardless of what anyone says and even after all the pep talks and encouragement, your response to LE will be soley based on your own experiences and how you react/handle them.

I'll tell you one thing, your impression of law enforcement will change once you're on the inside looking out...There are guys that don't belong, there are guys who look like they don't belong, but do, there are great officers, there are bad cops, heavy-handed cops, there's prejudice and corruption, theres favoritism and preferential treatment, you'll get free coffee and doughnuts, everyone will offer you the discounts on meals that "by law" you're not supposed to accept, but a large majority do (even as I have done)...You're the one that makes the already thin blue line thicker or thinner...There's a whole lot of stuff that you'll see and learn that you won't learn in the academy...As a matter of fact, school starts when you graduate the academy and it never stops, and if it does, then mister, you better get out!

Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of great things too...Positive role model for kids, community policing programs, taking down bad guys, making a big bust, saving a life, high-speed driving (if that's your thing), shooting, training, some excitement, but more boredom and lots of routine, watch out for complacency (happens all the time)...I'll give you the perfect example:

A police officer has been killed for every minute of a routine traffic stop...That means one was killled pulling over a vehicle, one was killed getting out of the squad car, one was killed closing the door, one was killed approcahing the vehicle, one was killed issuing the ticket, one was killed returning to the car, one was killed opening the door, one was killed while talking on the radio, etc, etc, etc...The same applies to domestic disputes, or even routine calls...You need to be situationally aware at all times on or off duty...I've lost friends/brothers and true, that's hard, but you move on...Being aware at all times is constant dynamic thing...That my friend is the hardest part of being a police officer.

There is a myriad of things, that drive people to do what they do...I appreciate the fact that you want to make an informed decision...Personally, I say, if you have to ask, then maybe you're not ready and should reconsider...I know that statement won't sit well with others, but I'm just telling you the street version.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Derek Conley]

Tell you what, Chase, that post was dead-on. Well-written.