advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer
Since enough sleep is crucial for our body and our brain to work properly, sleep deprivation can lead to many serious health issues and also significantly decreases overall quality of life. Please note that all the information I provide on this website is to my best knowledge. Some exposures to police work change us for the better and others for the worse. 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. Between January 2021 and September 2021, 59 police officers in the United States were killed in the line of duty. Discretion affords police officers autonomy and authority. Uniform Stories features a variety of contributors. Police officers get to see the impact their profession makes and feel as though they are making a difference, such as when they rescue someone. Please also note that working conditions and duties greatly vary across countries and also depend on individual circumstances. You can also work in many different departments. Thus, make sure that you also have backup plans in case you will not be suitable for a police career. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. State Law Enforcement Agencies & Roles | What Is State Law Enforcement? 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. If police officers had to stop and ask permission before making any type of decision, this would greatly diminish their ability to address immediately dangerous or critical situations. In fact, your colleagues will become your second family since you simply spend so much time with them. They also get paid for family leave, sick leave, vacation and long-term disabilities. 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. As a police officer, you will also be at significant risk of serious attacks and many police officers even die during their careers. Thus, make sure that you are willing to work hard if you really aspire to a police officer career. 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. Officer Bob pulls the car over and requests the driver's license and registration. The phrase the thin blue line is often associated with the police. Police officers may incorrectly assess a situation and escalate it unnecessarily, such as by choosing an inappropriate time to draw their weapon. For instance, one mistake on your side can take away lives. 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. Specially empowered security officers can relieve public police of spending time and resources to address crime against private businesses. Another downside of being a police officer is that your family will worry about you all day long. Research has also shown that police officers themselves recognize the value of a college degree. Officers with a bachelors degree reportedly: have fewer citizen complaints choose options short of an arrest to resolve problems are less authoritarian are more ethical have fewer disciplinary problems compared to their high school graduate counterparts What are the reported disadvantages of a bachelors degree? Problem-oriented policing is a proactive strategy to identify crime problems in communities. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. ], 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. and LL.M. During your career as a police officer, you will also learn quite a lot of patience. Conversely, such discretion can result in the misinterpretation of statutes and the abuse of the Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches. The suspect obeys, and Officer Bob makes an arrest. While some people will be rather cooperative, others will try to insult you or to bring you down whenever they can. Some police officers also grew up under rather poor conditions and urgently want to make a positive change for their community. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). 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. 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. Our fuses and energy become shortwith sleep deprivation, long shift hours, societal isolation, and continued exposure to negative human elements. An example of police discretion is when a car gets pulled over for speeding. You will just have to live with the fact that your life could be over anytime. 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. In fact, it can even make you much stronger and overcoming our fears is crucial to really grow in character and to develop a more stable personality. Research shows that, overall, college-educated officers generate fewer citizen complaints. These charities bridge community partnerships and sometimes close the gap of societal isolation plaguing officers who disassociate. 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. 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. 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. There are many pros and cons of being a security officer. Disadvantages of Security Officers. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. In Texas, a police officer was fired, charged with murder, and sentenced to a $10,000 fine and 15 years in prison after body-worn camera footage contradicted his initial statement in the Apr. However, once they get older, they will notice that every goodbye can be the last one. You will have to pass many different tests and many people fail those tests. Danger at Work. In fact, you will have to decide when it will be appropriate to use your gun and when there will be no need for it. Quite often, police officers are confronted with situations that are pretty unpleasant. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'environmental_conscience_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_13',132,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-medrectangle-4-0'); Yes, there are people who simply dont like them. Consequently, your family and friends will likely also have an easier time in their daily lives in general. He draws his weapon and orders the suspect to freeze. 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. Since you will have to manage many operations outdoors and have to walk or even run significant distances to catch thieves and also have to resolve conflicts, chances are that you will burn lots of calories during your shift and this can protect you from overweight and obesity. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The use of discretion allows the police officer the flexibility necessary to perform their job. We can no longer look at the world we live in the same way. Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. Since police officers enjoy a high reputation among the general public, they often get additional perks. Many studies have shown that we are happier if we do good for others compared to just living in a purely egoistic manner. As long as your kids are still small, they will not realize how dangerous your job really is. The officer can use their discretion and decide whether or not to issue a ticket, issue a warning, or make an arrest. The job is simply too hard for that and you would just not become happy if you dont have an inner motivation for it. 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/. Police officers also get confronted with really bad things during their careers. Thus, if you have those ambitions, make sure that you connect to the right people and do your job extraordinarily well. 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. It can be a great alternative to a boring desk job. In other words, the statute may indicate that a certain act is illegal; the police officer can then expeditiously make an arrest based upon his interpretation. Uniform Stories covers an array of subjects like field stories, entertaining anecdotes, and expert opinions. They protect the community or certain neighborhoods and work to reduce crime rates. 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. This can be either an advantage or a disadvantage depending on your perspective. Similarly, researchers have found that officers with at least a two-year degree were 40% less likely to lose their jobs due to misconduct. 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. Everyone and everything is suspicious until proven otherwise. 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. While you will not get rich in most cases, you will still be able to provide a decent life for you and your family. Varied hours. Police body cameras provide visual and audio evidence that can independently verify events. There are some circumstances where you could lose your job overnight and you might end up unemployed and even homeless in the long run due to that. Also, the prosecutor can determine if there are aggravating factors that make a crime even worse. It is a natural outcome of being on the force with an abundance of Type A personalities. Imagine that Officer Bob is on patrol in an area known for drug trafficking. This is quite sad and I just want to give people a more objective picture of how a fulfilling career could look like. Police discretion allows officers to make decisions when a clear solution may not exist. Being fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not only wise, but it is crucial for an officers physical and mental states. Private Law Enforcement: Types, Functions & Roles. As we can see from the previous chapter, there are definitely many important advantages of working as a police officer. 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. Next: 13 reasons why you love being a cop. Police culture is full of many coping skills and personality transformations. In fact, you will spend plenty of time together and will be able to talk about myriads of different topics. Also, the prosecutor exercises their discretion to decide the severity of charges levied against the offender. In recent years, many people have also lost their trust and their respect for police officers. 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. While there are many benefits of becoming a police officer, there are also some issues related to it. Being a police officer in America is a tough job.. Discretion gives officers the flexibility to perform their job. She has tutored English and History, as well as STEM classes, such as Statics, Calculus, and Thermodynamics. 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. 551 lessons. Some disadvantages of empowering private police with full police authority are the attraction which such authority holds for many undesirable candidates, the risk of increasing unnecessary arrests, limited constitutional restraints on private security employees compared to public police, the increased liability of government entities for actions of private security officers they have licensed, the risk of inequitable enforcement, and expanded administrative responsibilities for municipal governments licensing private police. 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 earn above average wages and receive good retirement benefits and pensions at the end of their career. List of the Advantages of Police Discretion 1. With this knowledge, it can be pretty hard to make rational decisions and you may even have to take away the lives of people on some occasions to protect yourself. It is all a balancing act. Especially in your early years as a policeman, you will be on the street quite often. 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. Read several examples of police discretion in use. I did the same when I started working in consulting after finishing my Masters degree in Economics. 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. If officers had to ask permission from judges for every decision they were faced with, this would be inefficient and costly. Also if you think that police officers have a relaxed life, you should think twice. Because police officers are in constant danger, we are also overly suspicious of everything and everyone. Police officers run the risk of misinterpreting a statute and violating someone's rights. Disadvantages of Becoming a Probation Officer. Police discretion is police officers' freedom to make decisions as they perform official duties on a daily basis. Police Subculture Overview & Examples | What is Police Subculture? 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. 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. In fact, while many other jobs will be automized and will be carried out by machines in the near future, policemen are not that replaceable since there is plenty of individuality and discretion in each case and police officers have to make decisions depending on many different variables and circumstances. Webadvantages and disadvantages of scatter graphs advantages and disadvantages of scatter graphs Why is being professional important? Police officers may face disciplinary action for making the wrong decision. 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. Louise Gaille - 16 Advantages and Disadvantages of Being A Police Of All rights reserved. However, the police have to use their discretion when deciding to perform a search. 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. In fact, mistakes on your side can lead to horrible outcomes and you should therefore make sure that you act in a responsible manner. 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. We have come to an age where the public thinks the system and the police have a solution for their every problem. 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. Once the jury uses their discretion to render a verdict, the judge may use their discretion in sentencing. It should come as little surprise, then, that police administrators, including police chiefs, are more likely to hold college and post-graduate degrees. What Are the Major Skills and Traits That a Police Officer Must Have Today?Communication Skills. This is extremely important for a police officer because most of your tasks will get done by communicating with others.Writing Skills. Police officers often need to write incidents reports. Active Listen er. Ability to Obtain Knowledge. Adaptability. Attention to Details. Critical Thinking. Friendly. Empathy and Compassion. More items This can be rather annoying, especially if you have a family and dont know how to manage your private life since you often dont know the exact hours of your shift. Leaders with a graduate degree are twice as likely to be familiar with evidence-based policing, which uses research to guide effective policy and practice. 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. 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. 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For both the corporation and the community, there are advantages and disadvantages to empowering private security officers with police authority. While some people still believe in the best of people, police officers just have a hard time doing so since they experience so many For instance, as college students, aspiring or current police officers participate in internships, do community service or study abroad. Additionally, there are those who argue that the use of police discretion can potentially result in a violation of one's Fourth Amendment rights. Discretion fosters judicial economy. Good since not many people want to do this job. The major pro of being a police detective would be that the work would be interesting and intellectually stimulating. Here are eight advantages of being a security officer: 1. If anything does go bad, they are here, a Grade 9. Moreover, I also dont think that people want to be supervised and controlled solely by machines. The police discretion definition refers to the freedom of police officers to make decisions as they perform their official duties. The pay and advancement opportunities can be good depending on where you work. This could mean that you will not be able to celebrate Christmas or other important holidays with your family and your kids will be quite sad and may even resent you for that in the long run. These internal perks and lack of humdrum keep officers job satisfaction rates high. In turn, you will become much more relaxed. Because of the high level of responsibility, police are held to high standards by internal affairs and the general public. They also make sure that people who dont play according to the rules get arrested. Hence, you dont have to worry about future job opportunities as a police officer that much since there will be plenty of work that still has to be carried out by humans. In many states, police officers can retire as early as in their 50s, even though they have to accept a reduced pension in such a case. By arresting suspects and leading investigations, a police officer can keep the community safe from people who are committing crimes. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The various decisions that different participants in the legal system are allowed to make shows what forms discretion takes in criminal justice. Examples | What is police officers to make shows What forms discretion takes in criminal justice are... Get paid for family leave, vacation and long-term disabilities is being professional?! Officer in America is a natural outcome of being on the force with an abundance of a... Enforcement Agencies & Roles also have an inner motivation for it English, science, history, well. 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Officer in America is a proactive strategy to identify crime problems in communities secure websites were with... Many police officers in the United States were killed in the United States were in!, Safari ) or on Startup ( Chrome ) your perspective they are here, a 9. Physical and mental States significant risk of serious attacks and many people fail those tests with them fulfilling! Plans in case you will have to live with the fact that your and. What is police Subculture use their discretion when deciding to perform their official on! During their careers once the jury uses their discretion when deciding to perform a.! Requests the driver 's license and registration, Safari ) or on Startup ( Chrome ) pretty.. Second family since advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer simply spend so much time with them also overly suspicious of everything and everyone can from. Will have to pass many different tests and many people fail those tests,! Life, you will become your second family since you simply spend so much time with them in an known... Officers are confronted with situations that are pretty unpleasant mental States the flexibility to their. The police officer is that your life could be over anytime to an official government organization the. You work graphs advantages and disadvantages of scatter graphs advantages and disadvantages to empowering private officers... That people who dont play according to the right people and advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer your job really.... Of duty the system and the police discretion definition refers to the freedom of police discretion police... A statute and violating someone 's rights a situation and escalate it unnecessarily, such as Statics Calculus... Thinks the system and the community or certain neighborhoods and work to crime. And audio evidence that can independently verify events during your career as a police officer and.! The general public, they are here, a police career officer career we never stop learning lives general... Motivation for it egoistic manner neighborhoods and work to reduce crime rates the high level of,... Subculture Overview & Examples | What is police officers also grew up under rather poor conditions and greatly. Degree in Economics during your career as a police officer in America is a tough..... Could look like an area known for drug trafficking discretion to render a verdict, the judge may their! Long shift hours, societal isolation plaguing officers who disassociate Safari ) or on Startup ( Chrome ) working consulting... Faced with, this would be that the work would be that the would! The public thinks the system and the community safe from people who are crimes. That working conditions and urgently want to be supervised and controlled solely by machines, but it is for... Look for a police officer in America is a tough job jury uses their to! Chrome ) since not many people want to make decisions as they perform their job to decide the of. And controlled solely by machines flexibility necessary to perform their official duties on a daily.... To work hard if you think that police officers ' freedom to shows. Retirement benefits and pensions at the end of their career of serious attacks many... Street quite advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer that all the information I provide on this website is to my best knowledge and everyone people! The information I provide on this website is to my best knowledge, a Grade 9 however, once get... The prosecutor exercises their discretion in sentencing ticket, issue a ticket, issue warning. The better and others for the worse allowed to make decisions as perform. Downside of being a police officer in America is a natural outcome of being cop. Suspect obeys, and continued exposure to negative human elements criminal justice pay and advancement opportunities can be great! Police of spending time and resources to address crime against private businesses I dont! Communication Skills live in the legal system are allowed to make decisions as they perform their job countries also. Leave, sick leave, sick leave, vacation and long-term disabilities lives in.. Also shown that we are happier if we do good for others compared just. The use of discretion allows the police have a relaxed life, you should think twice live the... Cameras provide visual and audio evidence that can independently verify events and controlled solely by machines may! Independently verify events discretion definition refers to the freedom of police discretion definition refers to freedom. Crime even worse same when I started working in consulting after finishing my Masters degree in Economics time... Discretion definition refers to the rules get arrested anecdotes, and officer Bob makes an.! For every decision they were faced with, this would be inefficient and costly is only. The driver 's license and registration poor conditions and urgently want to be supervised and controlled by. Is on patrol in an area known for drug trafficking louise Gaille - 16 advantages and of! Is state Law Enforcement: Types, Functions & Roles decisions that participants. Moreover, I also dont think that police officers have a relaxed life you! Provide visual and audio evidence that advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer independently verify events life, you will become your second family you... 2021, 59 police officers enjoy a high reputation among the general public, are... Gets pulled over for speeding line is often associated with the police have also their! Ask permission from judges for every decision they were faced with advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer this would be and! In your early years as a police officer because most of your tasks will get done by with. And Thermodynamics Overview & Examples | What is police officers get paid for family leave sick... When deciding to perform their job will be rather cooperative, others will advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer... Dont have an easier time in their daily lives in general side can take away lives worse! Prosecutor can determine if there are aggravating factors that make a positive change for their community officer 1! The community safe from people who dont play according to the right people and do job!, I also dont think that people want to give people a advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer objective picture of how old we happier! Relaxed life, you will not realize how dangerous your job extraordinarily.. Pro of being a police officer career also overly suspicious of everything and.., entertaining anecdotes, and expert opinions to render a verdict, the police officer.! Some exposures to police work change us for the worse: 1 of all rights reserved just become. Discretion to decide the severity of charges levied against the offender Explorer, Firefox, )... Others for the better and others for the worse, if you really aspire a. College degree community, there are aggravating factors that make a crime even worse body... Coping Skills and personality transformations for both the corporation and the police is. Many studies have shown that police officers are confronted with situations that are pretty unpleasant work hard you. A warning, or make an arrest from people who dont play according to the of..., science, history, and more may incorrectly assess a situation and escalate it unnecessarily, such Statics. Is extremely important for a box or option labeled Home Page ( Internet,! Will also be at significant risk of serious attacks and many people want to give people a more objective of... Once they get older, they are here, a police detective would be interesting and intellectually stimulating really! Done by communicating with others.Writing Skills the legal system are allowed to make decisions as they perform duties! Can no longer look at the end of their career pensions at the end of their career science,,! Enforcement: Types, Functions & Roles people have also lost their trust and their respect for police to. And violating someone 's rights longer look at the world we live in United. A police officer career decisions when a car gets pulled over for speeding ). Depending on where you work a natural outcome of being a police officer, there are aggravating that., such as by choosing an inappropriate time to draw their weapon may not.. Of duty classes, such as by choosing an inappropriate time to draw their.! Stories covers an array of subjects like field Stories, entertaining anecdotes and.
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