advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer

March 15, 2023 4:07 am | by | Posted in pennsylvania national guard officer strength manager

No matter which way you personally feel about the subject, the police must be sure not to cross the 'thin blue line' when it comes to utilizing police discretion. Consequently, many police officers are also unable to unplug from what has happened during their shift and carry their worries and emotional issues back home. However, Ive quit pretty soon after that since I havent found true meaning in my job. How pleasant your life will be as a police officer also greatly depends on the neighborhood you have to work in. There had even been cases where police officers joined radical groups that are forbidden by our constitution and local laws. Recall examples of decisions that involve police discretion, Discuss the pros and cons of police discretion. Some people may enjoy the commitment and camaraderie, but others may seek a change in career after a few years. You may also just not be eligible for a career as a police officer. They also get paid for family leave, sick leave, vacation and long-term disabilities. Research has found that when police departments use community-policing strategies, people are more satisfied with how police serve their community and view them as more legitimate. finds relevant news, identifies important training information, Policing is a very dangerous job. Officers love the fact that no two calls are alike and you never know what you are going to get sent to by your dispatch center. [Youre smart and curious about the world. For instance, since many people really appreciate your work, you will often get meals for free in your favorite restaurants. Police work is rife with circumstantial stressors. These internal perks and lack of humdrum keep officers job satisfaction rates high. Especially in your early years as a policeman, you will be on the street quite often. You They are also terminated less frequently for misconduct and less likely to use force. It becomes a part of us we share in small circles. Webadvantages and disadvantages of scatter graphs advantages and disadvantages of scatter graphs Colleges and universities can help officers acquire the skills needed to help to reestablish trust between our communities and those who are sworn to protect and serve. Many police officers are also not able to deal with the emotional burden that comes along with their job. In fact, most police officers dont earn more than 70,000 dollars a year and especially in big metropolitan areas, this will imply a rather simple lifestyle since rents will eat up a significant fraction of the income. You always feel secure.. You can get our highlights each weekend. Research shows that, overall, college-educated officers generate fewer citizen complaints. Police officers work long hours, often with irregular shifts, including night shifts. Now that you know all the pros and cons of being a police officer, it is on you to decide whether you still want to become a policeman or if you want to go for an alternative career path instead. However, there are also many downsides related to this career path. Another advantage of being a policeman is that you can keep your neighborhood safe. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_16',146,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');In fact, many police officers have an inner motivation to improve circumstances and to do good for others. From this time on, I wanted to make a contribution to ensure a livable future for the next generations in every part of our beautiful planet. Police officers have to rely on each other to make their operations as safe as possible. Chances are that it can get much better if you stay ambitious and try to get into different departments. Some exposures to police work change us for the better and others for the worse. Hence, depending on the area you live in, you may really struggle to build wealth as a policeman and many police officers will never be able to afford buying their own homes while judges and many other people who make really good money dont have to worry in this regard. As a police officer, you will also have to rely on the support of your colleagues. Of the 60,105 assaulted officers, 31% sustained injuries. Opportunity to help offenders follow the law*. $55,000 per year on average, ranging from $45,000 to $75,000 per year. Lexipol. If the defendant does have to stand trial, juries hear the case and use their discretion when deciding whether or not the defendant is innocent or guilty. Read several examples of police discretion in use. Being a police officer also implies making difficult decisions. Officers who have an understanding of scientific methods, as taught in college, are better positioned to adjust their departments policies. Many people also greatly underestimate the stress that comes along with being a police officer. Quite often, police officers are confronted with situations that are pretty unpleasant. However, the Educated law enforcement professionals will be better equipped to lead much-needed reform efforts. Jessica is a practicing attorney and has taught law and has a J.D. Similarly, researchers have found that officers with at least a two-year degree were 40% less likely to lose their jobs due to misconduct. An example of police discretion is when a car gets pulled over for speeding. As a police officer, you will also become really good friends with your colleagues over time. However, the majority of the general public is still thankful for the help and security police officers ensure on our streets. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Resources in the criminal justice system are limited and must be used efficiently. Consequently, those wrong decisions can really break you in the long run since you will know that a better choice of you could have saved lives and many police officers simply cant deal with those things in an emotionally proper manner. Some employers Why is being professional important? Now I can do what I really love to do and I want to enable as many other people as well to go this exciting path towards happiness instead of money. Id like to think it made me a better person. Especially if you cant forgive yourself for mistakes you made in the past, you will have a really hard time with being a police officer. Not only do we have individual interests, officers often influence each other and share in the fun. Those attributes we contract from experience tend to become permanent character traits. Police discretion is police officers' freedom to make decisions as they perform official duties on a daily basis. WebAdvantages of Being a Police Officer You have a high reputation in society Police officers can keep their neighborhoods safe You can help out your family and friends Being a police officer can also be quite stressful. The order did not mention the need for police to get a college education, even though higher education was identified in the 2015 Presidents Task Force on 21st Century Policing as one of six effective ways to reduce crime and build better relations between police and the communities they serve. In fact, you will only be called if there are problems to solve and you will not see many nice things during your career as a policeman. Especially if this case is revealed in public, chances are that there will be huge shitstorms on social media and the pressure to fire you will be enormous. In fact, if you want to do good for the district you have grown up in, being a police officer can be a great way to do so since you will have plenty of influence and can also advise young people to stay away from things that might get them into trouble. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. WebPolice discretion presents a clear danger to society because the average officer can make a poor decision and affect the life of a person or persons. Some policemen also get special training for free which in turn can translate into better chances for promotions in the future. In my opinion, people often make the mistake to choose their profession solely based on how much money they can earn from it instead of doing what makes them really happy. Another downside of being a police officer is that your family will worry about you all day long. See disclaimer. If you have started your career as a police officer in your 20s, chances are that you will be eligible for retirement in your 50s in many states. Lexipol. This knowledge alone can be mentally challenging and if you need to develop a certain mindset to be able to deal with those sad facts. Others think police officers are mean, uncaring snitches who simply arrest people and hand out traffic tickets. All rights reserved. Officer Bob decides to intervene. If you are thinking about becoming a police officer, you should first consider the many advantages and disadvantages of this profession. There are advantages to police discretion, such as allowing officers the flexibility to perform their job, allowing officers to make quick determinations when In fact, you will make many mistakes throughout your career and some of these mistakes can even cost lives. It is unique devotion to people which comes along with the territory. Free gym memberships are also sometimes a perk of the job. The 2015 task force recommended community and problem-oriented policing strategies as ways to strengthen police-community relations and better respond to crime and other social problems. Crime Measurement Programs: History & Nature, The History of Women & Minority Members in the Police Profession, Recruitment of Women & Minorities in Policing. In fact, night shifts are rather common and if you dont want to work at night, you should just go for another occupation instead. Many organizations allow workouts on duty and participate in dietetic and nutritional training for their employees. 7. Policemen also learn how to deal with difficult people early on in their careers. A critical step in knowing whether an approach is achieving its intended goal is evaluating its impact. This makes it really difficult since you will never know whether you will be able to pick up your kids the next week or not. Police officers toe the thin blue line between lawfulness and illegal acts, due to their unique position in society. If anything does go bad, they are here, a Grade 9. The strategy also calls for officers to analyze the underlying causes of crime, develop appropriate responses, and assess whether those responses are working. Good since not many people want to do this job. A study of officer-involved shootings from 1990 to 2004 found that college-educated police officers were almost 30% less likely to fire their weapons in the line of duty. Law enforcement is ever-evolving, and so is the person occupying the uniform. The following are the types of decisions that might require a police officer to use their own discretion. Discretion affords police officers autonomy and authority. You may start your career as normal patrolman, but you can get promoted pretty soon if you are ambitious enough and are willing to put in the work. However, the police have to use their discretion when deciding to perform a search. WebThe advantages of being a probation officer. Probation officers play a significant role in society and in the law enforcement process. In turn, you will never know how exactly your day will look like and what you will experience the next days. 2017 shooting of an unarmed youth. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Along with the good, we get hit with the bad. In fact, you will have the authority to stop injustice and unlawful behavior whenever you see it and can therefore improve the circumstances of the majority of people in our society. Studies have found that a small proportion of police officers about 5% produce most citizen complaints, and officers with a two-year degree are about half as likely to be in the high-rate complaint group. The job is simply too hard for that and you would just not become happy if you dont have an inner motivation for it. Our ethics and morals have been tossed out the window and replaced with disconnect and desensitized human shells. Thus, if you dont want to work as long as most other people do and want to have more leisure in your 50s and 60s, a career as a police officer can also be great in this regard. However, in reality, there are also many downsides related to this job. Community policing and problem-oriented policing require problem solving and creative thinking skills that the college experience helps develop. There are also disadvantages to being a police officer, which include: Due to the high-stress and critical nature of the situations police officers face every day, which often include life-or-death decision-making, there are pros and cons of police discretion. An error occurred trying to load this video. Quite often, you will see families breaking apart and you will also see the worst of humanity. Also make sure to check out the following articles: Advantages and disadvantages of becoming a dentist, Advantages and disadvantages of becoming an actor, https://golawenforcement.com/articles/tips-for-going-into-law-enforcement/, https://www.how2become.com/blog/5-tips-to-pass-the-police-officer-selection-process/. There will only be the harsh reality left and most policemen become really tired of being insulted and attacked in the long run. In fact, there are countless career opportunities out there and you should just choose the one that seems to be right for you. By far, the residual payoffs outweigh the bad. In the long run, this can lead to serious health issues since constant stress is just not good for us. WebPolice officers have played a major role in society by protecting us from crime. You will never know what happens during your shift and every operation could potentially be the last one for you. However, while you can do a great job for your community, it can be quite annoying and exhausting to work at nighttime. Following several deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order on June 16 that calls for increased training and credentialing to reduce the use of excessive force by police. You will also have to make difficult decisions within minutes or even seconds and your life will not be as easy as you might think now. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-leader-2','ezslot_20',190,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-leader-2-0');Since you will often have to deal with difficult people and have to see many unpleasant things, you will soon take things less seriously and your overall frustration tolerance will increase as well. Specially empowered security officers can relieve public police of spending time and resources to address crime against private businesses. There is also the risk that the police officer might misinterpret a statute when performing their duties. Thus, especially if you are a rather skeptic person who doesnt like to rely on others for such important things, becoming a police officer may also not be the right way to go for you. Many times, a police officer is alone when performing their work, so situations arise where discretion must come into play. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_19',189,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');Another upside of becoming a police officer is that you will really learn how to deal with many different kinds of people. At the beginning of your career, you will likely be rather intimidated and insecure regarding how to handle difficult situations. As researchers who specialize in crime and punishment, we see five reasons why police officers should be encouraged to pursue a college degree. Always remember that one wrong decision in this regard can also take away your own life. In fact, not all police officers have good intentions and you should be quite careful in case your boss tries to push you in such a direction. There are advantages and disadvantages of police discretion, just like there are pros and cons of being a cop. Consequently, if you are not willing to take this risk, you should definitely go for a different career path instead. Special District Police Agencies: Types & Roles, What Is a Guardian ad Litem? It is a natural outcome of being on the force with an abundance of Type A personalities. Discretion fosters judicial economy. Sometimes, you will also not be able to choose the neighborhood you have to work in and you might get unlucky and have to work in a rather bad one. Let's look at some examples of when a police officer must use his or her discretion. Webhow is being a philanthropist different than putting $5 into a donation box? Furthermore, the use of discretion helps to foster police and judicial economy. In fact, policemen are at much higher risk to suffer from mental problems since they have to deal with so many conflicts and also see so many bad things during their active careers. Officers genuinely care about making a positive impact in their community. The advantages of police discretion are that it makes the position more flexible, allows for quick interpretation and action, and fosters judicial economy. A lock ( Police discretion allows officers to make decisions when a clear solution may not exist. Being a police officer is inherently dangerous, and each day they go to work, police officers are risking their lives. Imagine you take away the life of a person and it turns out that this has not been necessary at all. I admit, this can be annoying at the beginning. Consequently, your family and friends will likely also have an easier time in their daily lives in general. Often police officers have to deal with angry, distressed citizens or people who do not want to cooperate, which can make police work feel like a thankless job. 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It is up to the prosecutor's discretion to decide whether the offense was serious enough to spend valuable time, money, and resources in pursuing the punishment. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS There are also plenty of career opportunities you can pursue as a police officer. These officers tend to work more proactively with community members to resolve issues and prevent problems rather than only reacting to incidents when called. Moreover, you will also learn how to read people and this is crucial to succeeding not only as police officer, but also in various other parts of your life. You still want to become a police officer? Being fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not only wise, but it is crucial for an officers physical and mental states. Police officers are often misinterpreted when our antics are overheard in public. Police Corruption Examples, Types & History | What is Police Corruption? Police officers also get confronted with really bad things during their careers. Since you will have to resolve conflicts on a regular basis and also have many stressful days during your career, chances are that you will stay in shape. In fact, mistakes on your side can lead to horrible outcomes and you should therefore make sure that you act in a responsible manner. WebAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Police Officers Working Without Uniform Intellectual stimulation One benefit of the detective career is the intellectual stimulation and Being a police officer in America is a tough job.. Being a police officer also doesnt mean that you have to stay in the field you began your career in. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-box-4','ezslot_14',142,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-box-4-0');Consequently, we should thank police officers for what they are doing for us so that they feel the appreciation they deserve. A high fitness level is not only crucial to stay healthy in the long run, it can also help you in the dating market and makes your life easier in various other aspects. Specialty assignments hone in on someones individual talents whether they are born or made. Police body cameras provide visual and audio evidence that can independently verify events. In general, police officers face quite irregular shifts and often dont know how the next weeks will look like for them. 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. There are many instances throughout a police officer's day-to-day work where they can decide how to respond to a situation using their own best judgement and wisdom rather than a strict law. Many officers would say humor buffers the shroud of reality we face in societal problems. Probation officers supervise criminal offenders who have been sentenced to a period of probation rather than incarceration. Research shows that, overall, college-educated officers generate fewer citizen complaints. He draws his weapon and orders the suspect to freeze. In fact, your colleagues will become your second family since you simply spend so much time with them. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Northern Illinois University. Police work affords theopportunity for giving back both on duty and off. Over the past years, there has also been a trend of people losing respect for the police. The use of discretion allows the police officer the flexibility necessary to perform their job. During your career, you will often have the chance to support people who urgently need it. This could mean that they think that somebody follows them to their house when there will actually nobody be there. In fact, it is not easy at all to be a police officer and to deal with all the emotional burden that comes along with it. Based on the Word Net lexical database for the English Language. 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