advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer

Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Why is being professional important? While many people dont want to have this high level of responsibility, others love it and if you are the kind of person who really wants to have this power, becoming a police officer might be the right way to go for you. Police officers are called upon to think quickly and handle difficult emergency situations and, in some instances, save lives. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_officer, https://golawenforcement.com/articles/10-tips-for-a-successful-law-enforcement-career/, https://www.criminaljusticedegreeschools.com/resources/best-police-career-advice/. Many policemen stay awake at night and think about the bad things that they have experienced during the day. In turn, you will get to know each other quite well and your colleagues will become your second family. Bringing about meaningful police reform requires transformational leadership. We have come to an age where the public thinks the system and the police have a solution for their every problem. List of the Advantages of Police Discretion 1. There are occasions when our friends or family want us to share our darkest moments, but we usually leave them contained. Many children dream of becoming a police officer. Inside our minds are images, voices, screams, visions, smells, and dreams which have been influenced by our career. 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. This is quite sad and I just want to give people a more objective picture of how a fulfilling career could look like. Imagine that Officer Bob is on patrol when he notices that an automobile is driving in the rain without its lights on, which is against the law in the state. Some people may find this type of job exciting and like doing new tasks every day. However, there are also many downsides related to this career path. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Expectation versus reality probably exists for all of us in different forms and fashions. This is due to the fact that police officers often see pretty bad things that they can hardly process in an emotionally healthy manner. We cant sit still nor do we seem to have the mindset at times to settle down at home. Being fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not only wise, but it is crucial for an officers physical and mental states. The Disadvantages of Being a Police OfficerDanger Is Everywhere. The biggest issue with being a police officer is the simple fact that it is extremely dangerous. Pay Is Disappointing. You would think that with all of the dangers associated with being a police officer that the pay would reflect that, but sadly, it doesnt.Crazy Hours. Training Is Crazy. Being a police officer also implies making difficult decisions. You may also just not be eligible for a career as a police officer. Especially in case your mistakes become publicly known and have something to do with race, gender or other sensitive topics, you will be at great risk of losing your job since the general public wants justice and some scapegoat will be needed in this regard. Police officers spend a lot of time away from their families. Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. In turn, many officers are simply not able to process those experiences in an emotionally healthy manner and will suffer from mental problems like depression later on in their lives. Research shows that, overall, college-educated officers generate fewer citizen complaints. People still want the personal component since they feel safer talking to a police officer instead of just talking to a robot in case of emergency. Since you will never know what you have to deal with next, your body and your brain will always be exposed to some level of tension during your shift. Police work is particularly dynamic and no day is the same. Discretion is important in the criminal justice system because it fosters judicial economy. Please note that all the information I provide on this website is to my best knowledge. 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. Hence, you can make really strong bonds during your career as a police officer and can even make friends for a lifetime. 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. In many states, it is also not easy to become a police officer. In fact, you will spend plenty of time together and will be able to talk about myriads of different topics. 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. Discretion allows officers to quickly judge a situation, determine what is going on, identify the legal statute that pertains to the case, and interpret that statute. 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-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. Environmental Conscience aims to provide unique high-quality content that is helpful to the reader. Webhow is being a philanthropist different than putting $5 into a donation box? Police discretion, however, has been criticized because it may result in the incorrect application of certain statutes and thereby violate someone's rights, such as their right to not be subjected to unlawful search and seizure as defined by the Fourth Amendment. This can be rather unclear in many situations and one mistake in this regard can even cost your life. If you dont get any support from the right influential people, your chances of making it to the top will be almost zero. Thus, before deciding for a career as police officer, make sure that you are mentally stable enough to deal with those pictures in your head that will not look pretty most of the time. One important advantage of being a police officer is that cops have a pretty high reputation in society. 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. However, this fear will go away over time once you get more experience and learning to deal with this kind of fear is quite important. Officers get to work on an individual basis as well as in a team environment. The strategy also calls for officers to analyze the underlying causes of crime, develop appropriate responses, and assess whether those responses are working. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. Most cops have hobbies, outdoor pursuits, or activities to keep our minds active and positive. Policing is a very interesting job and the situations officers face change constantly. While you will not get rich in most cases, you will still be able to provide a decent life for you and your family. In fact, mistakes on your side can lead to horrible outcomes and you should therefore make sure that you act in a responsible manner. This is quite logical since whenever you need the police, something bad has happened to others. No day will be like the past one and you will always have to adjust your expectations. These charities bridge community partnerships and sometimes close the gap of societal isolation plaguing officers who disassociate. Quite often, police officers are confronted with situations that are pretty unpleasant. Another downside of being a police officer is that your family will worry about you all day long. 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. In turn, you will never know how exactly your day will look like and what you will experience the next days. Some advantages of giving full police authority to private police are authority to address a wider range of criminal activity, improved security-officer morale, improved career opportunities for security officers, improved relationship with public police, and increased crime deterrence. In fact, this can get really nasty, especially if your mistakes have led to serious adverse outcomes. Juvenile Justice System & Law | The Rights of Juvenile Offenders, Critical Issues Facing Women & Minority Police Officers, Use of Force Continuum | Use of Force Models & Examples, Ethics, Discretion & Professionalism in Policing. In fact, attacks and insults towards police officers have increased quite a lot over the past years. The officers deter criminal activity such as theft, vandalism and terrorism, protect their employers investments and enforce Hence, make sure that you are able and willing to deal with all this negativity before deciding for becoming a police officer. 60,105 police officers were assaulted while performing their duties in 2020. Most police officers get paid to work overtime, and many receive hefty pensions when they retire. My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people of all ages about our environmental problems and how everyone can make a contribution to mitigate these issues. Discretion affords police officers autonomy and authority. 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. In turn, you can improve the quality of life of many people and can help them out in difficult periods of their lives. The police discretion definition refers to the freedom of police officers to make decisions as they perform their official duties. However, from these experiences, you can really learn how to handle those situations and you can grow in character. Due to the bad things and the difficult decisions they have to make during their shifts, many police officers also suffer from serious sleeping issues. In fact, most people know how hard the jobs as a police officer can be and will greatly appreciate that you keep their neighborhoods safe. You may also have to work quite long shifts as a policeman. 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. Police body cameras provide visual and audio evidence that can independently verify events. Especially in your early years as a policeman, you will be on the street quite often. Among street-level officers who have the most interaction with the public, having a bachelors degree significantly increases commitment to community policing. In fact, you will make many mistakes throughout your career and some of these mistakes can even cost lives. In addition, incidents of police misconduct and discipline will be reduced. New police chief hired at N.C. PD after entire police force resigned, SIG Sauer's ROMEO-M17: The future of the Red Dot revolution is here, Video: Bystander pins down drunk driver fleeing crash that killed a Texas police officer, 'It's a blessing': 24-year-old takes helm as N.C. police chief, 'Hold your heart open': Officers, community members attend funeral for Kansas City cop, K-9, keep officers job satisfaction rates high, Open the tools menu in your browser. However, it can also be a dangerous, stressful and difficult job. In turn, those experiences often follow them in their dreams and their overall quality of sleep will often be pretty poor due to that. He uses his own discretion to make this decision. 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. Police discretion allows officers to make decisions when a clear solution may not exist. However, before you decide for a police officer career due to the salary, make sure to inform yourself about what the salary of a policeman in your area really looks like since it greatly differs across states. Among street-level officers who have the mindset at times to settle down at home emotionally... In this regard can even make friends for a career as a police officer is that cops have,. The top will be reduced influential people, your chances of making to. 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