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. They do not find comic relief in a tragedy. In the long run, this can lead to serious health issues since constant stress is just not good for us. He notices that the person is carrying a gun. Gaylene Armstrong receives funding from various state and federal granting agencies in support of criminal justice research. There will only be the harsh reality left and most policemen become really tired of being insulted and attacked in the long run. 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. An example of police discretion is when a car gets pulled over for speeding. Police Corruption Examples, Types & History | What is Police Corruption? 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? It's not a lame assignment or a job for a cop looking for a cushy job 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. 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. Police officers may face disciplinary action for making the wrong decision. The use of police discretion helps to foster the best use of police resources. Many police officers receive medical, vision and dental insurance. You should really be convinced about it and should take your mission quite seriously. We are selective of where we dine. As a policeman, you will also have the power to do good for others. This can be quite problematic since police officers may attack uninvolved residents due to their paranoia. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_18',188,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');While many other jobs can be automized in the near future and many people will lose their jobs due to that, this will not be true for police officers. During your career, you will often have the chance to support people who urgently need it. The officers deter criminal activity such as theft, vandalism and terrorism, protect their employers investments and enforce 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 I conducted various interviews with employees to give you a good impression of what working in different fields will look like and that you can make the best possible decision regarding your future career choice. State Law Enforcement Agencies & Roles | What Is State Law Enforcement? Many officers would say humor buffers the shroud of reality we face in societal problems. These sources are experts and educators within their profession. 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. For instance, as college students, aspiring or current police officers participate in internships, do community service or study abroad. Studies have found that a small proportion of police officers about 5% produce most citizen complaints, and officers with a two-year degree are about half as likely to be in the high-rate complaint group. Between January 2021 and September 2021, 59 police officers in the United States were killed in the line of duty. 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. Through regular meetings with the offenders and sometimes with their families, a probation officer monitors these individuals and makes sure they are Police officers may incorrectly assess a situation and escalate it unnecessarily, such as by choosing an inappropriate time to draw their weapon. In fact, not all police officers have good intentions and you should be quite careful in case your boss tries to push you in such a direction. As an associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon or other programs. Variety of duties*. You will also enjoy great support from your colleagues during your police career. Police officers toe the thin blue line between lawfulness and illegal acts, due to their unique position in society. Good since not many people want to do this job. 39 Pros & Cons Of Being A Police Officer. These are held in a tiny little space inside our heads often referred to as Pandoras box which complicates our moods and influences. There is just that much insecurity involved in this job that you will never know when you are called to the next operation. 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. Make sure to also get detailed information on the salary, prospects, future outlook, educational requirements, duties, responsibilities, work-life balance and job satisfaction of police officers. Please note that all the information I provide on this website is to my best knowledge. 551 lessons. There are many pros and cons of being a security officer. For instance, since many people really appreciate your work, you will often get meals for free in your favorite restaurants. A college education helps officers become better at identifying quality information and scientific evidence. Uniform Stories covers an array of subjects like field stories, entertaining anecdotes, and expert opinions. All rights reserved. Iowa State University and University of Nebraska Omaha provide funding as members of The Conversation US. You still want to become a police officer? Wanna make a contribution to save our environment? 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. As researchers who specialize in crime and punishment, we see five reasons why police officers should be encouraged to pursue a college degree. Create your account. Since their job can be quite dangerous, many police officers also develop significant paranoia over time. It also allows the police officer to quickly interpret the applicable statutory law and then act upon the determination. There are advantages and disadvantages of police discretion, just like there are pros and cons of being a cop. 7. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Pro: Youre a hero! The various decisions that different participants in the legal system are allowed to make shows what forms discretion takes in criminal justice. They must always respond quickly and appropriately. Police officers also get confronted with really bad things during their careers. While some people dont like this high level of insecurity, others live for it since it gives them a certain level of thrill and excitement. The use of discretion allows the police officer the flexibility necessary to perform their job. It is also not that easy to become a police officer. Copyright 2023 Police1. Protecting the community and being on the front lines takes an emotional toll. In fact, attacks and insults towards police officers have increased quite a lot over the past years. Also, the prosecutor exercises their discretion to decide the severity of charges levied against the offender. 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. Always remember that one wrong decision in this regard can also take away your own life. 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. Upon completion of this lesson, students should be able to: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. For instance, the officer could misinterpret a statute and make an erroneous arrest. As a police officer, you will also enjoy many additional perks. Being a police officer can be incredibly rewarding. Expectation versus reality probably exists for all of us in different forms and fashions. Another advantage of becoming a police officer is that it can also help you overcome your fears. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Hence, if you are not able to process those issues in an emotionally healthy manner, chances are that you will be quite unhappy as a policeman. 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. and LL.M. Recall examples of decisions that involve police discretion, Discuss the pros and cons of police discretion. Law enforcement officers exercise police discretion when deciding whether or not to draw their weapon, make an arrest, shoot someone, search someone, render assistance to someone, or issue a ticket to someone. 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