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. 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. However, there are also many downsides related to this career path. In murder cases, an aggravating factor might include whether the defendant committed the crime in an especially heinous, cruel, or depraved manner. 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Problem-oriented policing is a proactive strategy to identify crime problems in communities. Officers genuinely care about making a positive impact in their community. Officer discretion is a useful and necessary part of an officer's ability to do their job, as police officers must often make quick, in-the-moment decisions that cannot wait for specific laws to be consulted or reviewed. Inside our minds are images, voices, screams, visions, smells, and dreams which have been influenced by our career. Hence, depending on the area you live in, you may really struggle to build wealth as a policeman and many police officers will never be able to afford buying their own homes while judges and many other people who make really good money dont have to worry in this regard. Their responsibilities include not only preserving the peace, preventing criminal acts, enforcing the law, investigating crimes, and arresting those who violate the law but also directing traffic, community relations work, and controlling crowds at public events. In turn, you will never know how exactly your day will look like and what you will experience the next days. Learn about the practice of police discretion and how police officers make decisions based on the best possible situational outcome. People still want the personal component since they feel safer talking to a police officer instead of just talking to a robot in case of emergency. WebAdvantages of Being a Police Officer You have a high reputation in society Police officers can keep their neighborhoods safe You can help out your family and friends Advantages and disadvantages of police.Police officers often work long hours Also if you think that police officers have a relaxed life, you should think twice. A 'thin blue line' also exists with police discretion. Leaders with a graduate degree are twice as likely to be familiar with evidence-based policing, which uses research to guide effective policy and practice. Thus, becoming a police officer can also be a great career path for you if you love excitement and action on a regular basis. Uniform Stories covers an array of subjects like field stories, entertaining anecdotes, and expert opinions. Probation officers supervise criminal offenders who have been sentenced to a period of probation rather than incarceration. Thus, before deciding for a career as police officer, make sure that you are mentally stable enough to deal with those pictures in your head that will not look pretty most of the time. In turn, you will also become more patient in case things dont work out the way you want them to be. If you do your job well and if you are really ambitious and do what it takes, you can pursue a demanding career and many doors will open to you. Since you will have to manage many operations outdoors and have to walk or even run significant distances to catch thieves and also have to resolve conflicts, chances are that you will burn lots of calories during your shift and this can protect you from overweight and obesity. One Grade 9 student said that the presence of police officers made the high school feel safer than other schools. The officer can use their discretion and decide whether or not to issue a ticket, issue a warning, or make an arrest. However, from these experiences, you can really learn how to handle those situations and you can grow in character. Consequently, make sure that you are also willing to do this kind of work before deciding to become a police officer. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. 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. Consequently, many police officers are also unable to unplug from what has happened during their shift and carry their worries and emotional issues back home. Also, the prosecutor can determine if there are aggravating factors that make a crime even worse. Also if you think that police officers have a relaxed life, you should think twice. Officer Bob pulls the car over and requests the driver's license and registration. With all these ambitious peers and competitive factors pressuring us, who wants to be at the bottom? Now I can do what I really love to do and I want to enable as many other people as well to go this exciting path towards happiness instead of money. Since their job can be quite dangerous, many police officers also develop significant paranoia over time. WebPros of a Career as a Probation Officer. Opportunity to help offenders follow the law*. Police work affords theopportunity for giving back both on duty and off. In turn, many officers are simply not able to process those experiences in an emotionally healthy manner and will suffer from mental problems like depression later on in their lives. If you make mistakes, you may also get fired. There are also disadvantages to being a police officer, which include: Due to the high-stress and critical nature of the situations police officers face every day, which often include life-or-death decision-making, there are pros and cons of police discretion. Our ethics and morals have been tossed out the window and replaced with disconnect and desensitized human shells. 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. Its the nature of the beast. They protect the community or certain neighborhoods and work to reduce crime rates. There had even been cases where police officers joined radical groups that are forbidden by our constitution and local laws. College-educated officers are also less likely to shoot their guns. Many police officers are also just not happy with their jobs. Imagine a world without police. 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. 39 Pros & Cons Of Being A Police Officer. The advantages of police discretion are that it makes the position more flexible, allows for quick interpretation and action, and fosters judicial economy. You can make a huge difference in many peoples lives over the span of a careerand in To be clear, school resource officers (SROs) are sworn police officers and not security guards. Many police officers receive medical, vision and dental insurance. What are five negative and five positive personality adaptations cops undergo after experience on the job? In fact, shifts of police officers can be quite long and depending on what happens in your district, you will have to work long hours and will come home exhausted. Hence, as a policeman, you will have a significant level of freedom regarding where and on what topics you want to work on. Educated law enforcement professionals will be better equipped to lead much-needed reform efforts. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Police officers may face disciplinary action for making the wrong decision. 14 chapters | interacts online and researches product purchases Whether it is a call to action in the line of duty or a personal crisis, the blue family will be there for one another come hell or high water. Higher education has been shown to enhance the technical training that police get in the academy or on the job. If discretion in law enforcement is used in a wrongful manner, it has great potential for being abused out of the field. Bureau of Labor Statistics: OOH: Police and Detectives, Police One: The Pros and Cons of Being a Police Officer. Nicolet is also a certified nutrition, wellness and weight-management consultant with American Fitness Professionals and Associates. In turn, you will become much more relaxed. Consequently, the police officer must decide on their own in the particular moment what to do. Probation officers play a significant role in society and in the law enforcement process. Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. We are selective of where we dine. Police officers also have to make really difficult decisions. Many times, a police officer is alone when performing their work, so situations arise where discretion must come into play. Lexipol. Hence, as a police officer, you will have the power to improve the lives of many people who will be thankful for what you do for them forever. Police discretion, however, has been criticized because it may result in the incorrect application of certain statutes and thereby violate someone's rights, such as their right to not be subjected to unlawful search and seizure as defined by the Fourth Amendment. Quite often, you will see families breaking apart and you will also see the worst of humanity. and LL.M. In fact, many police officers have to spend significant amounts of time on paperwork and other administrative tasks. Police work is particularly dynamic and no day is the same. Next: 13 reasons why you love being a cop. The police discretion definition refers to the freedom of police officers to make decisions as they perform their official duties. Now let's look at another example. In fact, night shifts are rather common and if you dont want to work at night, you should just go for another occupation instead. Hence, if you want to have this high social standing and the admiration of others, becoming a police officer or nurse practitioner can be the right way to go for you in this regard. Depending on the state you live in and your educational level, you can also earn pretty decent money from being a police officer. Moreover, you will also learn how to read people and this is crucial to succeeding not only as police officer, but also in various other parts of your life. In turn, you can improve the quality of life of many people and can help them out in difficult periods of their lives. 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.