On being a police officer

Hey all,

This is kind of a doozie but I've gotten good advice on stranger subjects than this here.

So, the local constabulary is soliciting applications for police officers. Town of ~100,000 (small town but not a suburb to anything, so we're the local hub).

I have an engineering degree. I'm a smart guy, and I know it...but I don't have a background in law enforcement type stuff. I'm 6' tall and 200 lbs. I'm soft, but I don't foresee that beign a major issue for long (I could be wrong). The ONLY thing that comes up on a background search is a solitary speeding ticket from 1996...I think I'm good in that respect.

I'm thinking: "Gee...I've always thought I might like to be a police officer." I've never been driven to persue that line of work...but it does appeal to me. It appeals to me because: I like to contribute to the community (I really like my town), I'm detail oriented, and enjoy forensic type stuff (detective type work would be COOL...though I know that's not a probable short term situation).

I'm NOT interested in it because I have some need to assert power. In fact...that might possibly be a shortcoming for me in such a position. I'm not the most assertive when it comes to other people. I'm pretty confident that training can get me on the level that would be necessary to be successful in the position, however.

In my town...violent crime is pretty low. I won't say that I'm not worried about the safety aspects of the job...but I'm not as worried about it here as I would be in a real metropolis.

I know that the job probaby has lots of mundane details that won't be enjoyable. I'm not sure exactly what those are...but they really can't be that much worse than being a project manager engineer, right? (that's a genuine question.)

So...can anyone offer insight on what the job is really like? Will I even be considered for an officer position with no background in law enforcement?

I'm pretty sure the hours will suck for the first few years (third shift...that's likely a given). It could, however, work out well with being a single dad (which I am)...I really don't know.

Am I fooling myself thinking this is worth looking into? Is it something best left to folks who must do this kind of thing based on childhood-dreams-turned-life-goal?

The real reason I'm looking into it is because I'm really pretty much done with my current job. I've been here 5 years (longest job I've ever had), with no raise, and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Frankly...I don't want to go upward in this company...it's just not beneficial to me.

Ultimately, I'd really like to be self employed. That's a few years off though...and in the mean time I need something with benefits and I really would enjoy working for the city or county.

More people like you should be law men. I would think that the worst part of the job will be working with the other officers.

That is a concern of mine, also. One thing about me is that I take pride in being able to "get along with" a variety of personality types.

One thing to note is that I'm a bit of a progressive and definitely way farther to the left end of the political spectrum than the stereotypical police officer. (I'm not speaking to the validity of the stereotype...but it does exist).

Clem

PD's tend to be very bureaucratic, rigidly hierarchical organizations where rank, tenure and procedure matter much more than good ideas. If you're okay with that, and willing to work for mediocre pay, what's stopping you? ;)

As has been said before on here "You only live once". Put in an application and see where it goes, what could it hurt.

I have a friend who "always wanted to be a cop". He was some kind of bio-something-science kinda guy making a good living. He bacame a cop in a small town outside San Francisco and LOVED it. I think you're probaly right about the smaller city thing. My neighbor here in Denver did the same thing and he didn't like it at all. Lots of domestic calls, child abuse- he said it was terrible as a father to see all the stuff that goes on. He quit.

So doing it in the right place is probably key. Sure sounds like you'd be a good one. Go for it.

In reply to ClemSparks:

You should be able to make the force with your background and if you say things like "I've always found police work and forensics fascinating and want to serve my community after living here for xxx years". Once you're a police officer, you can decide if you like it, even sticking it out for a few years, even if it isn't the best thing ever. Having been a police office will be a big boost on your resume, which really can't hurt things down the road.

Also, if you want to be self-employed and find that you like the whole law enforcement thing, after being a police officer for a while you could go the private detective route.

one thing to keep in mind... unless you're "on the take".. your standard of living is going to take a pretty good smack down... Police pay isn't anywhere near what a project project manager engineer ...

In reply to wbjones:

You're wrong.

Not trying to be untactful...but the starting pay listed for the officer position is within about 10% of what I make now. And that's not necessarily where I would have to start.

I hope "project manager engineer" doesn't sound like anything other than "guy with a degree sitting in an office not being paid well enough."

Brett_Murphy wrote: Also, if you want to be self-employed and find that you like the whole law enforcement thing, after being a police officer for a while you could go the private detective route.

I'm not doing the "Magnum P.I." theme song in my head ;).

Yes...that thought had crossed my mind.

thanks! Clem

I think Fast Eddie's onto something. My g/f's dad is a long-time officer in Paulding Co. GA..(just promoted to Detective last year). The environment has a lot to do with it. He is so pleased to be doing something about the Meth epidemic (it's doing to rural whites what cocaine & crack did to urban blacks in the 1980s). He says everything you hear about domestic disputes is true..he's personally been assualted by a battered wife while he was slapping the cuffs on the husband that just inflicted the battering. He also reccommends you get all the training you can-and not just people skills. Most departments have manpower shortages, and you will be patrolling alone a lot (..forget that "Adam 12 TV bull..", he said). He suggests hand-to-hand combat and all the firearms training they'll let you take. He also says repeat courses over time to stay proficient.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

The stereotpyical police officer is usually seen to be a totalitarian type... and as progressives/leftists share the same basic pro-statist illiberal political philosophy (as well as a love for bureaucratic, rigidly hierarchical organizations)... I don't see where you see the ill fit from a political angle? In fact most of the cops I know are leftists.

If you meant that you are more of a classical liberal/libertarian type (at the other end of the spectrum from progressive/leftist/facist) then you might indeed be a poorer fit politically and have difficulty with the police mindset.

Where I do see more of the "ill fit" is that engineers tend to think more logically/rigidly and are often less likely to nuance the shades of grey judgement and often illogical understanding of human nature that the best cops have.

I have a similar engineering mindset and education... and worked for a few years (during college) with a private detective. The science/investigative part of the job was great; but I was generally frustrated by dealing with other aspects of the job. Others who were more empathetic than I was were better off there...

There are a number of high paying fields where a hard science background can be a huge asset... technical sales, etc... and people are less likely to shoot at you. ;-)

Bill

ClemSparks wrote: In reply to wbjones: You're wrong. Not trying to be untactful...but the starting pay listed for the officer position is within about 10% of what I make now. And that's not necessarily where I would have to start. I hope "project manager engineer" doesn't sound like anything other than "guy with a degree sitting in an office not being paid well enough."

my bad... the project manager engineers at my plant take in some serious jack... at least compared to us peons

get a big stick

Quick question for OP:

If you see me sideways in my father's 97 R package full lock bouncing off the rev limiter in second gear right past your favorite stereotypical donut joint.

Do you:

a) give me a big thumbs up as I pass

b) flash your lights/siren to scare me and then laugh at my freshly stained boxers

c) chase me, and when i kindly pull over, taze me while I yell "DONT TAZE ME BRO"

d) call in for backup and then use five cruisers to issue one ticket

e) pull me over and ask "Can I try??"

Taiden wrote: c) chase me, and when i kindly pull over, taze me while I yell "DONT TAZE ME BRO"

Anyone who ends a sentence with "Bro" when addressing a municiple employee, at work supervisor, elected official or military member (active or retired) they don't know on a personal basis deserves to tazed...often

I cannot speak to LEO work, but 19 years I begrudgingly joined the military out of dissatisfaction with my work. I was certian the rigid structure would be the end of me. For a few years I struggled against it until I looked at the system and changed my goals. It has been the best thing I have ever done.

To devote yourself to an organization that serves something bigger than you is a fulfilling accomplishment and worthy of pride even if it is not ultimately your career. If you have an inkling, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot while you can, but once you are too old, the "I wonder ifs..." will needle you

In reply to Taiden:

Like so many others here, you now owe me a keyboard.

I'm just going to walk around for the rest of the day yelling at people, "DONT TAZE ME BRO!"

In reply to Mental:

Looks like I'm in for an interesting day.

Matt B wrote: In reply to Taiden: Like so many others here, you now owe me a keyboard. I'm just going to walk around for the rest of the day yelling at people, "DONT TAZE ME BRO!"

That's a year old pop culture reference, you might want to youtube it.

In reply to jamscal:

YOU LIE!

One of the local frat houses had a huge sign on their house during rush week that said "DONT HAZE ME BRO!!"

it was priceless

they got fined for hazing by the school later that year

The Good: steady work, reasonable play and benefits, early retirement,

The Bad: politics, dealing with people who have issues that cant be solved; some of whom want to kill you

My brother worked for New Orleans Police Department. They had to have a degree. But what degree didn't seem to matter as he was a history major. That had absolutely nothing to do with police work. So it really doesn't matter what you degree was in. They are just looking to see if you managed to stick something out. More than 60% of people who have college degrees are not working in the field they majored in.

Find out your state's physical requirements. Start working on them now in case you do get in. That will make the training a little easier. Third shift isn't a given. Many WANT it. But if it works for you, that's great. Good luck.

Go for it. I have considered going for the IPD, but I live out-of-county.

They do have interesting squad cars...

And "Stealth" Chargers in black with dark gray markings...

I sort of stumbled into this career, but now I feel like this is the career that I was meant to do. As far as preparation for the job before I put in my application at the academy I had no background in law enforcement or military. Also I had spent most of my high school and college career getting baked. Among many assignments I have been assigned to a regular beat, in a tac unit, and I am now a detective. If you have anything specific you want to know just let me know.

But most importantly if you arent running (notice I didnt say walk/jogging) three miles a day start doing something to get to that point NOW. Don't worry about studying or any of that mess now, the academy will give you plenty of time to do that. Oh and pick the department you work for NOT out of emotional attachment to a place or person, but rather by the benefits and the Ethos or character of the department.