In fact, you will make many mistakes throughout your career and some of these mistakes can even cost lives. In fact, there is plenty of hate around on the streets and you will no longer experience the level of respect previous police officer generations got from the general public. Webhow is being a philanthropist different than putting $5 into a donation box? Police Corruption Examples, Types & History | What is Police Corruption? 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. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. One important advantage of being a police officer is that cops have a pretty high reputation in society. Id like to think it made me a better person. Quite often, police officers are confronted with situations that are pretty unpleasant. Cons of a Career as a Probation Officer. For example, many departments employ de-escalation tactics that aim to reduce use of force. interacts online and researches product purchases Juvenile Justice System & Law | The Rights of Juvenile Offenders, Critical Issues Facing Women & Minority Police Officers, Use of Force Continuum | Use of Force Models & Examples, Ethics, Discretion & Professionalism in Policing. 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. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. All of these things have been shown to increase critical thinking, moral reasoning and openness to diversity. The job requires long hours, and many officers spend their lives on the force. Because police officers are in constant danger, we are also overly suspicious of everything and everyone. Read several examples of police discretion in use. Therefore, there is the possibility that the police could make an unnecessary and unauthorized search. Thus, if you have those ambitions, make sure that you connect to the right people and do your job extraordinarily well. Often police officers have to deal with angry, distressed citizens or people who do not want to cooperate, which can make police work feel like a thankless job. In addition to the personal satisfaction that you gain, you will receive a competitive salary as well as a number of other benefits. Problem-oriented policing is a proactive strategy to identify crime problems in communities. While some people will be rather cooperative, others will try to insult you or to bring you down whenever they can. Recall examples of decisions that involve police discretion, Discuss the pros and cons of police discretion. Its dreadful, really. Though each day is going to be different as a police officer, some people might rather have a more predictable, mundane type of job. In fact, this can get really nasty, especially if your mistakes have led to serious adverse outcomes. Many policemen stay awake at night and think about the bad things that they have experienced during the day. 7. Many children dream of becoming a police officer. Fraternal relationships in law enforcement are very strong. Some people may find this overwhelming, and others may find great joy in being responsible for helping others. Giving officers the power to make determinations on the job without having to seek approval or permission frees up human and monetary resources. 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. You should really be convinced about it and should take your mission quite seriously. Resources in the criminal justice system are limited and must be used efficiently. Policemen can support local neighborhoods. In fact, while many other jobs will be automized and will be carried out by machines in the near future, policemen are not that replaceable since there is plenty of individuality and discretion in each case and police officers have to make decisions depending on many different variables and circumstances. They are also terminated less frequently for The various decisions that different participants in the legal system are allowed to make shows what forms discretion takes in criminal justice. You will just have to live with the fact that your life could be over anytime. Discretion gives officers the flexibility to perform their job. No matter which way you personally feel about the subject, the police must be sure not to cross the 'thin blue line' when it comes to utilizing police discretion. 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. WebShare Cite. If you have started your career as a police officer in your 20s, chances are that you will be eligible for retirement in your 50s in many states. The more ambitious you are, the more people you can help and this can give you a feeling of having a purpose in life. Under the Fourth Amendment, one has the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. Official websites use .gov In fact, if you want to do good for the district you have grown up in, being a police officer can be a great way to do so since you will have plenty of influence and can also advise young people to stay away from things that might get them into trouble. Christine Liddell graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering. Officer Bob sees the person assault a passerby and must now use his discretion to decide whether he will intervene and possibly draw and use his weapon, or call for back up assistance. Being a police officer is more than a profession. He draws his weapon and orders the suspect to freeze. As a police officer, you can also help your family and friends in case they get problems with neighbors or suffer from any other injustice. If you are thinking about becoming a police officer, you should first consider the many advantages and disadvantages of this profession. Discretion fosters judicial economy. Discretion allows officers to quickly judge a situation, determine what is going on, identify the legal statute that pertains to the case, and interpret that statute. The definition of especially heinous, however, is left up to the prosecutor's discretion. Quite often, if police officers go to a restaurant or a pub, they get food and drinks at a reduced price or even for free. Consequently, make sure that you are also willing to do this kind of work before deciding to become a police officer. Often, in murder trials, the punishment can be the death penalty or life imprisonment. Enter https://www.police1.com/ and click OK. Please note that all the information I provide on this website is to my best knowledge. [Youre smart and curious about the world. 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. On the other hand, the use of police discretion has been criticized for negative aspects. This can be rather unclear in many situations and one mistake in this regard can even cost your life. 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. In the long run, this can lead to serious health issues since constant stress is just not good for us. 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As you can see, there are many additional benefits for police officers and this can compensate for the relatively low salary policemen get at the beginning of their careers. Among street-level officers who have the most interaction with the public, having a bachelors degree significantly increases commitment to community policing. An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice. It should come as little surprise, then, that police administrators, including police chiefs, are more likely to hold college and post-graduate degrees. 14 chapters | Our ethics and morals have been tossed out the window and replaced with disconnect and desensitized human shells. Community policing and problem-oriented policing require problem solving and creative thinking skills that the college experience helps develop. In fact, you will have the authority to stop injustice and unlawful behavior whenever you see it and can therefore improve the circumstances of the majority of people in our society. Some exposures to police work change us for the better and others for the worse. Discretion affords police officers autonomy and authority. 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. Proactive Policing Strategies & Examples | What is Proactive Policing? Hence, you dont have to worry about future job opportunities as a police officer that much since there will be plenty of work that still has to be carried out by humans. 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. Another upside of a career as a police officer is that you can also get significant levels of responsibility already early on in your career. and LL.M. 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. Of the 60,105 assaulted officers, 31% sustained injuries. Environmental Conscience aims to provide unique high-quality content that is helpful to the reader. In turn, you will get to know each other quite well and your colleagues will become your second family. 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. This is necessary since most unlawful activities happen at nighttime. You will never know what happens during your shift and every operation could potentially be the last one for you. Among others, articles have been cited by NPOs, Wikipedia, Medium.com as well as on several college websites and lifestyle blogs. Copyright 2023 Police1. If you are looking for a fast-paced, exciting career that will allow you to make a difference in your community, you may enjoy being a police officer. 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. 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. You can get our highlights each weekend. 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. As a police officer, you can also work in many different fields. For instance, one problem with being a police officer is that the job can simply be quite dangerous. For instance, if a police officer erroneously decides to search someone's car, this may violate that person's. However, in reality, there are also many downsides related to this job. Since police officers see so many bad things during their careers, they often also lose all their childish delusions of a nice world pretty soon. 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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. 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. As a police officer, you will also have to deal with many difficult family problems and you will generally see the worst of humanity. As a police officer, you will also be at significant risk of serious attacks and many police officers even die during their careers. Copyright 2023 In fact, night shifts are rather common and if you dont want to work at night, you should just go for another occupation instead. Advantages of Being a Police OfficerPolice officers enjoy a high reputation in society. Cops never get bored. Police officers have a high fitness level. Many police officers have an inner motivation to do good for others. Your colleagues will become your second family. Police officers can earn a decent salary. Good future job prospects. You learn how to deal with people. More items Many people also underestimate the amount of paperwork police officers have to deal with. When the police perform their official duties, there is a certain level of discretion they must use. Police officers are often misinterpreted when our antics are overheard in public. And damn, its a great job! Research shows that, overall, college-educated officers generate fewer citizen complaints. While many people dont want to have this high level of responsibility, others love it and if you are the kind of person who really wants to have this power, becoming a police officer might be the right way to go for you. WebOne important advantage of being a police officer is that cops have a pretty high reputation in society. Also, the prosecutor exercises their discretion to decide the severity of charges levied against the offender. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Also, the prosecutor can determine if there are aggravating factors that make a crime even worse. We are selective of where we dine. How pleasant your life will be as a police officer also greatly depends on the neighborhood you have to work in. Police officers work long hours, often with irregular shifts, including night shifts. Police officers are given the freedom to use police discretion and make decisions on the job and in the heat of the moment. 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