My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people about the different career paths that are possible in our current state of the world. If anything does go bad, they are here, a Grade 9. WebPros of a Career as a Probation Officer. Many people also greatly underestimate the stress that comes along with being a police officer. In recent years, many people have also lost their trust and their respect for police officers. Police discretion is used while officers are performing their official day-to-day duties. Hence, if you want to have this high social standing and the admiration of others, becoming a police officer or nurse practitioner can be the right way to go for you in this regard. 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. Because of the high level of responsibility, police are held to high standards by internal affairs and the general public. 7. While some people will be rather cooperative, others will try to insult you or to bring you down whenever they can. 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. 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. Chances are that there would be many more robberies and other unpleasant things. Some employers Thus, if you have those ambitions, make sure that you connect to the right people and do your job extraordinarily well. In general, police officers face quite irregular shifts and often dont know how the next weeks will look like for them. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Police officers work long hours, often with irregular shifts, including night shifts. Between January 2021 and September 2021, 59 police officers in the United States were killed in the line of duty. Create your account. However, it can also be a dangerous, stressful and difficult job. 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. Officers who have an understanding of scientific methods, as taught in college, are better positioned to adjust their departments policies. Another advantage of becoming a police officer is that you will also stay quite fit during your active career. 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. As a police officer, you will also enjoy many additional perks. Because police officers are in constant danger, we are also overly suspicious of everything and everyone. Share it! However, there are also many downsides related to this career path. If you have made bad decisions in the past and have an extensive criminal record, your chances of becoming accepted as a police officer will be almost zero in most states. Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. Police officers toe the thin blue line between lawfulness and illegal acts, due to their unique position in society. As researchers who specialize in crime and punishment, we see five reasons why police officers should be encouraged to pursue a college degree. 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. It is a curse and a blessing. We are selective of where we dine. Cops are not immune to the changes in the divisiveness of society and the emotional drama associated with it. 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. Now that you got all the advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer, it is on you to evaluate all the arguments carefully to decide whether you want to become a cop or not. Here are eight advantages of being a security officer: 1. ], 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. Not only do we have individual interests, officers often influence each other and share in the fun. However, the She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Northern Illinois University. Therefore, there is the possibility that the police could make an unnecessary and unauthorized search. For instance, one mistake on your side can take away lives. Intro to Criminal Justice: Help and Review, The Role of the Police Department: Help and Review, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Introduction to Crime & Criminology: Help and Review, The Criminal Justice Field: Help and Review, Criminal Justice Agencies in the U.S.: Help and Review, Law Enforcement in the U.S.: Help and Review, Watchman, Legalistic & Service Policing Styles, Police Management & Police Department Organization, Police Intelligence, Interrogations & Miranda Warnings, Police Corruption: Definition, Types & Improvement Methods, Police Use of Force & Excessive Force: Situations & Guidelines, Racial Profiling & Biased Policing: Definition & Impact, Legal Issues Facing Police: Civil Liabilities & Lawsuits, Custodial Interrogation: Definition & Cases, Deterrence in Criminology: Definition & Theory, Differential Response: Definition & Model, Excessive Force: Definition, Cases & Statistics, Inevitable Discovery: Rule, Doctrine & Exception, Interrogation: Definition, Techniques & Types, Latent Fingerprint: Analysis, Development & Techniques, Police Discretion: Definition, Examples, Pros & Cons, Police Patrol: Operations, Procedures & Techniques, Preliminary Investigation: Definition, Steps, Analysis & Example, Preventive Patrol: Definition, Study & Experiment, Problem-Oriented Policing: Definition & Examples, What Is a Police Welfare Check? And damn, its a great job! Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). In one study, officers with criminal justice degrees said their education helped them gain managerial skills. 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. Furthermore, the use of discretion helps to foster police and judicial economy. Hence, as a police officer, you will have the power to improve the lives of many people who will be thankful for what you do for them forever. Comraderies among peers also deflect negative work thoughts. 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 The job requires long hours, and many officers spend their lives on the force. Add to that the ability to help people on a daily basis and this line of work can be very fulfilling. A police officer can also impact the area they serve as a whole. WebThe advantages of being a probation officer. There are allowances and plenty of financial coverage taking care of various Less likely to use violence. Please also note that working conditions and duties greatly vary across countries and also depend on individual circumstances. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 84,000 Next: 13 reasons why you love being a cop. In fact, if people know that your family and friends know a police officer quite well, they will often act in a more respectful manner since they know that they can get into all sorts of trouble if they misbehave. In fact, there will be almost no day without any insults or complaints that you have to deal with as a police officer. Police officers usually also get more money if they work on weekends, in the nighttime or on holidays. You always feel secure.. 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. Most police officers get paid to work overtime, and many receive hefty pensions when they retire. Police enjoy a high status and reputation in society, since policing is a well-respected position. Denying reality gets you killed. If you do your job well and if you are really ambitious and do what it takes, you can pursue a demanding career and many doors will open to you. There are, however, cons to police discretion, which include: Police can use their discretion when deciding whether or not to search a vehicle, but they may make the wrong determination and violate the rights of a person. Id like to think it made me a better person. 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. 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. You may also just not be eligible for a career as a police officer. There are various reasons why the use of police discretion is a positive aspect of a police officer's position. It can be a great alternative to a boring desk job. finds relevant news, identifies important training information, There had even been cases where police officers joined radical groups that are forbidden by our constitution and local laws. Similarly, community-oriented policing emphasizes building relationships with citizens to identify and respond to community crime problems. How pleasant your life will be as a police officer also greatly depends on the neighborhood you have to work in. In turn, you will become much more relaxed. Officer Bob receives a dispatch alert that there is a suspect on foot in the area who just held up a bank. By far, the residual payoffs outweigh the bad. Our ethics and morals have been tossed out the window and replaced with disconnect and desensitized human shells. 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. All rights reserved. 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