At the beginning of your career, you will likely be rather intimidated and insecure regarding how to handle difficult situations. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The salaries are relatively handsome. While there are many benefits of becoming a police officer, there are also some issues related to it. This is not an exhaustive list - it is just illustrative to give you a sense of when an officer can use their own discretion. When the police perform their official duties, there is a certain level of discretion they must use. Police officers toe the thin blue line, the line between lawfulness and illegal acts. Cons of a Career as a Probation Officer. We would be lost without our firearm and badged clipped to our waistbands. However, I will not take any responsibility for incorrect information and will not be liable for any negative consequences that might occur due to the reliance on this information. While this can be exhausting and you will see many bad things during your career, you will also get significant action and chances are that you will never get bored as a police officer since so many different things will happen throughout your career. An error occurred trying to load this video. Being a police officer also doesnt mean that you have to stay in the field you began your career in. Quite often, police officers are confronted with situations that are pretty unpleasant. Others think police officers are mean, uncaring snitches who simply arrest people and hand out traffic tickets. Why is being professional important? As a police officer, you will also have to rely on the support of your colleagues. These charities bridge community partnerships and sometimes close the gap of societal isolation plaguing officers who disassociate. All rights reserved. We cant sit still nor do we seem to have the mindset at times to settle down at home. 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 people may enjoy the commitment and camaraderie, but others may seek a change in career after a few years. While many people who work in office jobs have to go to the gym to stay in shape, you as a police officer dont have to do this since you will stay in shape in a natural manner and can spend your time in a more enjoyable manner. 2017 shooting of an unarmed youth. An aggravating factor is an aspect of crime that increases an act's severity and culpability. Fraternal relationships in law enforcement are very strong. Gabrielle Nicolet has been writing and editing professionally since 2004. Hence, make sure that you are able and willing to deal with all this negativity before deciding for becoming a police officer. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. It permits the police to make quick and appropriate determinations under the circumstances and effectively use law enforcement and judicial resources. Leana Bouffard does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology, Iowa State University, Director, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice; Co-Director, Nebraska Collaborative for Violence Intervention and Prevention, University of Nebraska Omaha. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you 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. In fact, you will make many mistakes throughout your career and some of these mistakes can even cost lives. 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. There are occasions when our friends or family want us to share our darkest moments, but we usually leave them contained. For instance, since many people really appreciate your work, you will often get meals for free in your favorite restaurants. They also make sure that people who dont play according to the rules get arrested. If you dont like your colleagues or your work environment at all, you can still be transferred to a different department where conditions will hopefully be much better. 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. Being a police officer is more than a profession. 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. To be clear, school resource officers (SROs) are sworn police officers and not security guards. 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. Pro: Youre a hero! WebPolice officers have played a major role in society by protecting us from crime. 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. It means that police in their blue uniforms often act as a line between lawfulness and illegal acts. Another advantage of being a policeman is that you can keep your neighborhood safe. Thus, if you have those ambitions, make sure that you connect to the right people and do your job extraordinarily well. Since police officers enjoy a high reputation among the general public, they often get additional perks. Also, the prosecutor exercises their discretion to decide the severity of charges levied against the offender. The pay and advancement opportunities can be good depending on where you work. Our fuses and energy become shortwith sleep deprivation, long shift hours, societal isolation, and continued exposure to negative human elements. 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. 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. Officers genuinely care about making a positive impact in their community. Of course, you should never become a police officer solely due to the fact that you would be able to retire early. 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. Chances are that it can get much better if you stay ambitious and try to get into different departments. Police officers usually also get more money if they work on weekends, in the nighttime or on holidays. I admit, this can be annoying at the beginning. [Youre smart and curious about the world. You will see many men and women of uniform volunteering within their community to make a difference. 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. Copyright 2023 Police1. However, some police officers quit their jobs after a while due to the dangers they no longer want to be exposed to. In fact, this can get really nasty, especially if your mistakes have led to serious adverse outcomes. Police officers earn above average wages and receive good retirement benefits and pensions at the end of their career. If the police had to consult with other officers or go to a judge every time they needed to make an on-the-job determination, this would result in a drain not only on the economy but also on the overall law enforcement and judicial systems. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Though each day is going to be different as a police officer, some people might rather have a more predictable, mundane type of job. We often compete with our peers and families in outdoor games and sporting events. Being a police officer can be incredibly rewarding. As you can see, there are many additional benefits for police officers and this can compensate for the relatively low salary policemen get at the beginning of their careers. Officer Bob decides to intervene. This can be quite problematic since police officers may attack uninvolved residents due to their paranoia. To begin, it can result in unnecessary escalation, injury or death. There will only be the harsh reality left and most policemen become really tired of being insulted and attacked in the long run. Police officers spend a lot of time away from their families. In fact, many people struggle with it since it destroys the natural sleeping rhythm. Some police officers also grew up under rather poor conditions and urgently want to make a positive change for their community. We can no longer look at the world we live in the same way. However, Ive quit pretty soon after that since I havent found true meaning in my job. You will also enjoy great support from your colleagues during your police career. Policing is a very interesting job and the situations officers face change constantly. Denying reality gets you killed. Those who truly love the work will go to extra lengths for others. They are also terminated less frequently for Top 10 Being a Police Officer Pros & Cons Summary List, inner motivation to improve circumstances and to do good for others, Personal Brand vs. Corporate Brand: 24 Key Pros & Cons, 24 Key Pros & Cons Of Investing In (Retro) Video Games, 34 Major Pros & Cons Of Investing In Comic Books, Gold Bars vs. Gold Coins: 23 Precious Pros & Cons, 31 Cool Pros & Cons Of Owning A Classic Car, 24 Key Pros & Cons Of Unemployment Benefits, 32 Key Pros & Cons Of Investing In Trading Cards, 30 Precious Pros & Cons Of Investing In Art, You learn how to deal with difficult people, Police officers have a good fitness level, Being a police officer lets you grow in character, Variety of different fields you can work in, Police officers often suffer from mental issues, You can improve conditions in your community, Police officers have to make difficult decisions, Police officers can retire relatively early, Mistakes of your colleagues can cost your life. However, the majority of the general public is still thankful for the help and security police officers ensure on our streets. In fact, you will spend a significant fraction of your day as a police officer writing reports and documenting how things have happened and if you are not willing to do this kind of paperwork, you may want to search for other job opportunities instead. Consequently, be aware of the fact that people will not respect you that much anymore and that you will have to deal with insults or even attacks sooner or later in your career. The use of discretion allows the police officer the flexibility necessary to perform their job. Many citizens are shielded from the horrors we encounter. Whether youre studying times tables or applying to college, Classroom has the answers. 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. Conversely, the prosecutor can decide whether or not offer a plea bargain so that the defendant does not have to go to trial. All rights reserved. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. 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. Police culture is full of many coping skills and personality transformations. If the judge decides on life imprisonment, they can decide whether or not the convicted party will ever get the chance for parole, and after how many years they will be eligible for parole. 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. Its dreadful, really. 14 chapters | Research shows that, overall, college-educated officers generate fewer citizen complaints. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, If you need further help setting your homepage, check your browsers Help menu. Police enjoy a high status and reputation in society, since policing is a well-respected position. Police officers keep our streets safe and resolve conflicts between people on a daily basis. 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. One important advantage of being a police officer is that cops have a pretty high reputation in society. Next: 13 reasons why you love being a cop. Danger at Work. In fact, there is plenty of hate around on the streets and you will no longer experience the level of respect previous police officer generations got from the general public. Another advantage of becoming a police officer is that it can also help you overcome your fears. 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. Being a police officer assures financial security. While your job will be relatively easy in good neighborhoods, it can be a nightmare in bad neighborhoods where people just dont respect you at all. She has tutored English and History, as well as STEM classes, such as Statics, Calculus, and Thermodynamics. While police officers can make a decent salary in many states, they will simply not make as much money as a doctor or a lawyer. 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. Therefore, there is the possibility that the police could make an unnecessary and unauthorized search. Among other things, they say a college education improves ethical decision-making skills, knowledge and understanding of the law and the courts, openness to diversity, and communication skills. Advantages and disadvantages of police.Police officers often work long hours Also if you think that police officers have a relaxed life, you should think twice. 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. Discretion is applied from the moment someone is arrested, when an officer uses their discretion to make the initial decision to arrest. Because police officers are in constant danger, we are also overly suspicious of everything and everyone. Add to that the ability to help people on a daily basis and this line of work can be very fulfilling. If someone was not competitive as a rookie, they probably will become so in time. Many police officers receive medical, vision and dental insurance. For instance, the officer could misinterpret a statute and make an erroneous arrest. In one study, officers with criminal justice degrees said their education helped them gain managerial skills. It enhances the status of the profession. Professionalism in the police force has several positive impacts that include good service to the public, better pay for the constables, ethical conduct, strong community support as well as respect and a stronger role in a Criminal Justice System. Educated law enforcement professionals will be better equipped to lead much-needed reform efforts. Create your account. Additionally, one study found that police departments that required at least a two-year degree for officers had a lower rate of officers assaulted by civilians compared to departments that did not require college degrees. 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