Acting as an intermediary between law and chaos can be stressful, and means that there are many pros and cons of being a cop. Police work is rife with circumstantial stressors. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 1. Their responsibilities include not only preserving the peace, preventing criminal acts, enforcing the law, investigating crimes, and arresting those who violate the law but also directing traffic, community relations work, and controlling crowds at public events. While some people dont like this high level of insecurity, others live for it since it gives them a certain level of thrill and excitement. Police officers usually also get more money if they work on weekends, in the nighttime or on holidays. I did the same when I started working in consulting after finishing my Masters degree in Economics. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-banner-1','ezslot_15',144,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-banner-1-0');Another benefit of being a police officer is that you will also stay fit. Police discretion is an officer's freedom to make decisions on the job. Yes, there are people who simply dont like them. These are held in a tiny little space inside our heads often referred to as Pandoras box which complicates our moods and influences. 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 discretion examples include an officer's decision whether or not to draw their weapon, to make an arrest, to issue a traffic ticket, to perform a search on a suspect, or to stop and assist someone in need of help. Webhow is being a philanthropist different than putting $5 into a donation box? Whether it is a call to action in the line of duty or a personal crisis, the blue family will be there for one another come hell or high water. As we can see from the previous chapter, there are definitely many important advantages of working as a police officer. Research shows that, overall, college-educated officers generate fewer citizen complaints. Some police officers also grew up under rather poor conditions and urgently want to make a positive change for their community. Share it! They also make sure that people who dont play according to the rules get arrested. As a police officer, you can also help your family and friends in case they get problems with neighbors or suffer from any other injustice. You still want to become a police officer? In fact, there is plenty of frustration around in the cop world since many people just had different plans for their lives and thought that being a cop would just be different. They protect the community or certain neighborhoods and work to reduce crime rates. Thus, becoming a police officer can also be a great career path for you if you love excitement and action on a regular basis. Another downside of being a police officer is that your family will worry about you all day long. They do not find comic relief in a tragedy. Racing through traffic to crime scenes, risking being shot and approaching unsuspecting criminals are just some of the daily activities that make being a police officer dangerous. If you are thinking about becoming a police officer, you should first consider the many advantages and disadvantages of this profession. You may not only lose your job, you may even have to pay high fines and this could ruin you also from a financial perspective. Danger at Work. Officers who have an understanding of scientific methods, as taught in college, are better positioned to adjust their departments policies. 1. You should really be convinced about it and should take your mission quite seriously. All of these things have been shown to increase critical thinking, moral reasoning and openness to diversity. I show you all the pros and cons of being a police officer so you can make a profound decision of whether you still want to become a police officer or not. These changes often come with company benefits. Copyright 2023 Some employers Webadvantages and disadvantages of scatter graphs advantages and disadvantages of scatter graphs Another said they felt safer while walking home. Departments thrive on performance standards, physical fitness levels, and various talents. Many officers would say humor buffers the shroud of reality we face in societal problems. Thus, make sure that you are willing to work hard if you really aspire to a police officer career. Officers get to work on an individual basis as well as in a team environment. In this case, police are given discretion, or freedom to decide, on the job to make decisions, but there is a 'thin blue line' that the police cannot cross or they will be in violation of the law. As a police officer, you will also become really good friends with your colleagues over time. Police culture is full of many coping skills and personality transformations. She has tutored English and History, as well as STEM classes, such as Statics, Calculus, and Thermodynamics. Why is being professional important? Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. It enhances the status of the profession. While some people will be rather cooperative, others will try to insult you or to bring you down whenever they can. Copyright 2023 Police1. and LL.M. Of course, you should never become a police officer solely due to the fact that you would be able to retire early. What is police discretion? 14 chapters | Louise Gaille - 16 Advantages and Disadvantages of Being A Police Of Each specialized duty boasts about its place in the organization and those assigned sometimes try to outshine the others in performance while respecting the independent functions. While some people still believe in the best of people, police officers just have a hard time doing so since they experience so many bad things every day. 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. Another advantage of being a policeman is that you can keep your neighborhood safe. You always feel secure.. Through regular meetings with the offenders and sometimes with their families, a probation officer monitors these individuals and makes sure they are Not only do we have individual interests, officers often influence each other and share in the fun. Many policemen stay awake at night and think about the bad things that they have experienced during the day. Another downside of becoming a police officer is that you will also have to work at nighttime. Hence, if you want to become wealthy or even rich, a career as police officer will not be the way to go for you most of the time. No day will be like the past one and you will always have to adjust your expectations. Pro: Youre a hero! These charities bridge community partnerships and sometimes close the gap of societal isolation plaguing officers who disassociate. From there, once the supposed offender has been arrested, the prosecutor can use their discretion to chose to either bring charges against the offender or to dismiss them. 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. Moreover, I also dont think that people want to be supervised and controlled solely by machines. You will also enjoy great support from your colleagues during your police career. 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. Furthermore, the use of discretion helps to foster police and judicial economy. Police officers with at least some college experience are more focused on promotion and expect to retire at a higher rank compared to officers with no college. It resonates at home with spouses and children. Since police officers see so many bad things during their careers, they often also lose all their childish delusions of a nice world pretty soon. It's the most comprehensive and trusted online destination for law enforcement agencies and police departments worldwide. In murder cases, an aggravating factor might include whether the defendant committed the crime in an especially heinous, cruel, or depraved manner. Police officers are given the freedom to use police discretion and make decisions on the job and in the heat of the moment. Hence, make sure that you are able and willing to deal with all this negativity before deciding for becoming a police officer. Under the Fourth Amendment, one has the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. Of the 60,105 assaulted officers, 31% sustained injuries. Research shows that, overall, college-educated officers generate fewer citizen complaints. Inside our minds are images, voices, screams, visions, smells, and dreams which have been influenced by our career. Discretion fosters judicial economy. succeed. 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 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. Consequently, the police officer must decide on their own in the particular moment what to do. While some people like this insecurity since they get a certain level of excitement out of it, others who need a structured day hate it and if you are the kind of person who wants to play way ahead, chances are that becoming a police officer will just not be the right way to go for you. I admit, this can be annoying at the beginning. Most young people have a relatively nave view of how the job as a policeman really looks like and most hopes and wishes will fade soon. Hence, you will have a huge responsibility in this regard and under pressure, chances are that you will also make wrong decisions sooner or later. You may also just not be eligible for a career as a police officer. We are selective of where we dine. I conducted various interviews with employees to give you a good impression of what working in different fields will look like and that you can make the best possible decision regarding your future career choice. There is just that much insecurity involved in this job that you will never know when you are called to the next operation. In case of emergency, it will be on you to decide whether there is the need to take away the lives of people or not. 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. 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. ], Copyright 20102023, The Conversation Media Group Ltd, Presidents Task Force on 21st Century Policing, almost 30% less likely to fire their weapons in the line of duty, lower rate of officers assaulted by civilians, more satisfied with how police serve their community, increases commitment to community policing, moral reasoning and openness to diversity, identifying quality information and scientific evidence, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship, Associate Lecturer, Creative Writing and Literature. The job is difficult and risky because it requires the officer to protect the individuals and property where he works. 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. Higher education, including graduate degrees, can enhance the leadership potential of criminal justice professionals and support their promotion through the ranks. State Law Enforcement Agencies & Roles | What Is State Law Enforcement? In fact, many police officers see things during their career that are that disgusting that they have difficulties to mentally process and to forget them their whole lives. In fact, most police officers are not replaceable with machines in the near future since the job as police officer just involves too much personal judgement to automize it. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2017, police and detectives earn a median annual salary of $62,960 or $30.27 per hour. For instance, one problem with being a police officer is that the job can simply be quite dangerous. Being a police officer also means that you will face a high level of insecurity regarding how your day will really look like. If you are looking for a fast-paced, exciting career that will allow you to make a difference in your community, you may enjoy being a police officer. Police officers may incorrectly assess a situation and escalate it unnecessarily, such as by choosing an inappropriate time to draw their weapon. Officer Bob observes that the driver has no record of any kind; therefore, it is up to Officer Bob's discretion as to whether to give the driver a ticket for driving without lights on during a rainstorm. 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. Many police officers just have a hard time dealing with this fact and try to suppress it. As a police officer, you can also work in many different fields. It is also not that easy to become a police officer. 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