There are many instances throughout a police officer's day-to-day work where they can decide how to respond to a situation using their own best judgement and wisdom rather than a strict law. The Disadvantages of Being a Police OfficerDanger Is Everywhere. The biggest issue with being a police officer is the simple fact that it is extremely dangerous. Pay Is Disappointing. You would think that with all of the dangers associated with being a police officer that the pay would reflect that, but sadly, it doesnt.Crazy Hours. Training Is Crazy. Quite often, police officers are confronted with situations that are pretty unpleasant. Discretion in criminal justice is present at all levels of the system and in its bureaucracies. However, it can also be a dangerous, stressful and difficult job. Police officers have a duty to serve and protect their communities, but some officers may be discouraged by the fact that crimes will continue to be committed no matter what. Policemen not only have to work at nighttime, they also have to work on holidays. Specialty assignments hone in on someones individual talents whether they are born or made. You will never know what happens during your shift and every operation could potentially be the last one for you. Denying reality gets you killed. 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. With all these ambitious peers and competitive factors pressuring us, who wants to be at the bottom? However, from these experiences, you can really learn how to handle those situations and you can grow in character. Johan Renck, Directorif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'environmental_conscience_com-box-2','ezslot_7',613,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-box-2-0'); if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'environmental_conscience_com-box-3','ezslot_2',614,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-box-3-0');You want to become a police officer? 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. There had even been cases where police officers joined radical groups that are forbidden by our constitution and local laws. As a police officer, you will surely be both loved and hated. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-leader-2','ezslot_20',190,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-leader-2-0');Since you will often have to deal with difficult people and have to see many unpleasant things, you will soon take things less seriously and your overall frustration tolerance will increase as well. It is a natural outcome of being on the force with an abundance of Type A personalities. As a police officer, you have the power to significantly improve the conditions in your neighborhood since you can send people who behave in a criminal manner to court and many of them will end up in jail and can no longer have a bad influence on your neighborhood. 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. Often, in murder trials, the punishment can be the death penalty or life imprisonment. She has tutored English and History, as well as STEM classes, such as Statics, Calculus, and Thermodynamics. Now that you know all the pros and cons of being a police officer, it is on you to decide whether you still want to become a policeman or if you want to go for an alternative career path instead. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. This is quite sad and I just want to give people a more objective picture of how a fulfilling career could look like. Cops are not immune to the changes in the divisiveness of society and the emotional drama associated with it. After reading this article, you will get more aware of all the chances and dangers of becoming a police officer and you may even change your mind due to that. You will have to pass many different tests and many people fail those tests. 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. 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 work affords theopportunity for giving back both on duty and off. WebPhotos by Chris Roussakis. Thus, especially if you are a rather skeptic person who doesnt like to rely on others for such important things, becoming a police officer may also not be the right way to go for you. ], 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. Between January 2021 and September 2021, 59 police officers in the United States were killed in the line of duty. Everyone and everything is suspicious until proven otherwise. As a police officer, you will also have to deal with many difficult family problems and you will generally see the worst of humanity. Inside our minds are images, voices, screams, visions, smells, and dreams which have been influenced by our career. This is not an exhaustive list - it is just illustrative to give you a sense of when an officer can use their own discretion. 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. Many policemen also develop mental issues in the long run. By far, the residual payoffs outweigh the bad. 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. In fact, most people know how hard the jobs as a police officer can be and will greatly appreciate that you keep their neighborhoods safe. A high fitness level is crucial to maintain a high quality of life and therefore, becoming a police officer can also improve your life in general. Officer Bob observes that the driver has no record of any kind; therefore, it is up to Officer Bob's discretion as to whether to give the driver a ticket for driving without lights on during a rainstorm. As a police officer, you will also become really good friends with your colleagues over time. There are advantages and disadvantages of police discretion, just like there are pros and cons of being a cop. The salaries are relatively handsome. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. 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. It requires hours of sitting and driving, which can cause weight issues and other health concerns. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Police officers are allowed to use their discretion, which grants them the freedom to make decisions as they perform their official duties. Racing through traffic to crime scenes, risking being shot and approaching unsuspecting criminals are just some of the daily activities that make being a police officer dangerous. 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. 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. Research shows that, overall, college-educated officers generate fewer citizen complaints. They must always respond quickly and appropriately. In turn, you will become much more relaxed. 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. Quite often, you will see families breaking apart and you will also see the worst of humanity. Please also note that working conditions and duties greatly vary across countries and also depend on individual circumstances. Learn about the practice of police discretion and how police officers make decisions based on the best possible situational outcome. Police officers have to rely on each other to make their operations as safe as possible. Some regions have pretty demanding hiring processes and you will often also have to prove your abilities as well as a high fitness level before you an become a police officer. Also, the prosecutor exercises their discretion to decide the severity of charges levied against the offender. 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. In fact, there are countless career opportunities out there and you should just choose the one that seems to be right for you. Since police officers enjoy a high reputation among the general public, they often get additional perks. 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. Conversely, the prosecutor can decide whether or not offer a plea bargain so that the defendant does not have to go to trial. To begin, it can result in unnecessary escalation, injury or death. 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. 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17. April 2023