As researchers who specialize in crime and punishment, we see five reasons why police officers should be encouraged to pursue a college degree. Not only do we have individual interests, officers often influence each other and share in the fun. Among students who participated in a criminal justice service-learning course working with young people in the community, 80% reported a change from stereotypical assumptions that all of them would be criminals to a better understanding of them as individuals with goals and potential - some not so different from the students own dreams. This can be rather unclear in many situations and one mistake in this regard can even cost your life. They also make sure that people who dont play according to the rules get arrested. As I went to university and got my Masters degree in Economics, I did plenty of research in the field of Development Economics. 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. 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. It is a curse and a blessing. 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. During your career, you will often have the chance to support people who urgently need it. Request a quote for the most accurate & reliable non-lethal training, DragonEye Tech: Leaders in LIDAR Speed Measurement, Get Curious Before Getting Furious: How Cynicism Impacts Behavior On Scene, Despite the negative impacts of law enforcement, the love for the job is abundant. For example, in murder cases, the prosecutor can decide whether or not they want to pursue a first-degree or second-degree murder charge, with first-degree murder being more serious and imposing a harsher penalty. 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. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. It is often very exciting and spotted with adrenaline dumps. The officer can use their discretion and decide whether or not to issue a ticket, issue a warning, or make an arrest. These internal perks and lack of humdrum keep officers job satisfaction rates high. Consequently, dont be discouraged if your first job as a police officer will not be your dream job. Varied hours. Conversely, such discretion can result in the misinterpretation of statutes and the abuse of the Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches. See disclaimer. finds relevant news, identifies important training information, Consequently, those wrong decisions can really break you in the long run since you will know that a better choice of you could have saved lives and many police officers simply cant deal with those things in an emotionally proper manner. What are five negative and five positive personality adaptations cops undergo after experience on the job? 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. Since police officers enjoy a high reputation among the general public, they often get additional perks. Many organizations allow workouts on duty and participate in dietetic and nutritional training for their employees. Leana Bouffard does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Once the jury uses their discretion to render a verdict, the judge may use their discretion in sentencing. There are occasions when our friends or family want us to share our darkest moments, but we usually leave them contained. In order to perform their duties, police must make quick determinations and use their best judgment in situations like whether to draw/fire a weapon, issue a traffic ticket, make an arrest, search someone, or stop or assist a person. Resources in the criminal justice system are limited and must be used efficiently. Many of these are advantages for wellness and creativity. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_16',146,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');In fact, many police officers have an inner motivation to improve circumstances and to do good for others. He uses his own discretion to make this decision. Thus, make sure that you are willing to work hard if you really aspire to a police officer career. Moreover, I also dont think that people want to be supervised and controlled solely by machines. Of course, to succeed in this regard, you also have to build a strong network over time. While your job will be relatively easy in good neighborhoods, it can be a nightmare in bad neighborhoods where people just dont respect you at all. 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. Create your account. He notices that the person is carrying a gun. Police officers run the risk of misinterpreting a statute and violating someone's rights. While this can be quite annoying and emotionally challenging, you will also learn how to keep your emotions under control and how to react to difficult situations. In fact, teamwork is key during your operations and if you have colleagues that dont have your back, you may even lose your life due to that. It is all a balancing act. The strategy also calls for officers to analyze the underlying causes of crime, develop appropriate responses, and assess whether those responses are working. This could mean that they think that somebody follows them to their house when there will actually nobody be there. 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. Police discretion is police officers' freedom to make decisions as they perform official duties on a daily basis. However, before you sign your contract, make sure you read this article since I show you all the pros and cons of being a police officer. 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. I did the same when I started working in consulting after finishing my Masters degree in Economics. It requires hours of sitting and driving, which can cause weight issues and other health concerns. It's not a lame assignment or a job for a cop looking for a cushy job A 'thin blue line' also exists with police discretion. Police officers also get confronted with really bad things during their careers. Learn about the practice of police discretion and how police officers make decisions based on the best possible situational outcome. ], 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. 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. The Police Association notes that if officers are required to have a college degree, then the professions status will be enhanced through increasing educational standards. It can be a great alternative to a boring desk job. Law enforcement is ever-evolving, and so is the person occupying the uniform. Due to the bad things and the difficult decisions they have to make during their shifts, many police officers also suffer from serious sleeping issues. Free gym memberships are also sometimes a perk of the job. 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. All rights reserved. 60,105 police officers were assaulted while performing their duties in 2020. Many officers would say humor buffers the shroud of reality we face in societal problems. succeed. 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. 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. Some people may find this type of job exciting and like doing new tasks every day. 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. 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. Add to that the ability to help people on a daily basis and this line of work can be very fulfilling. If officers had to ask permission from judges for every decision they were faced with, this would be inefficient and costly. I show you all the pros and cons of being a police officer so you can make a profound decision of whether you still want to become a police officer or not. This will not only make your life as a police officer easier, but you can also profit from it in your private life since the skill to make rational decisions under difficult circumstances is crucial to succeed in various parts of life in general. State Law Enforcement Agencies & Roles | What Is State Law Enforcement? However, from these experiences, you can really learn how to handle those situations and you can grow in character. 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. Disadvantages of Security Officers. Though each day is going to be different as a police officer, some people might rather have a more predictable, mundane type of job. It resonates at home with spouses and children. Some employers From there, once the supposed offender has been arrested, the prosecutor can use their discretion to chose to either bring charges against the offender or to dismiss them. This is not only quite sad, it also makes the job of police officers much more difficult since people often just no longer comply with the commands of policemen. Police1 is revolutionizing the way the law enforcement community Police officers may face disciplinary action for making the wrong decision. [Youre smart and curious about the world. Officers genuinely care about making a positive impact in their community. In fact, attacks and insults towards police officers have increased quite a lot over the past years. For example, internships and service-learning opportunities in college provide future police officers a chance to develop civic engagement skills. Thus, make sure that you also have backup plans in case you will not be suitable for a police career. On the other hand, the use of police discretion has been criticized for negative aspects. Use of force is defined as actions that range from verbal threats to use force to actually using force that could cause physical harm. This is due to the fact that police officers often see pretty bad things that they can hardly process in an emotionally healthy manner. Care about making a positive impact in their community to use force to using. On duty and participate in dietetic and nutritional training for their employees that. Perk of the job strong network over time possible situational outcome may use their discretion in sentencing dangerous... Things during their careers possible situational outcome the chance to develop civic engagement.. 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