Some exposures to police work change us for the better and others for the worse. 39 Pros & Cons Of Being A Police Officer. For instance, one problem with being a police officer is that the job can simply be quite dangerous. Upon completion of this lesson, students should be able to: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. A high fitness level is not only crucial to stay healthy in the long run, it can also help you in the dating market and makes your life easier in various other aspects. 60,105 police officers were assaulted while performing their duties in 2020. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Northern Illinois University. 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. An aggravating factor is an aspect of crime that increases an act's severity and culpability. 1. In fact, you will make many mistakes throughout your career and some of these mistakes can even cost lives. Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. Private Law Enforcement: Types, Functions & Roles. Among street-level officers who have the most interaction with the public, having a bachelors degree significantly increases commitment to community policing. In murder cases, an aggravating factor might include whether the defendant committed the crime in an especially heinous, cruel, or depraved manner. Thus, make sure that you also have backup plans in case you will not be suitable for a police career. Protecting the community and being on the front lines takes an emotional toll. These internal perks and lack of humdrum keep officers job satisfaction rates high. Great! Police officers are given the freedom to use police discretion and make decisions on the job and in the heat of the moment. Not only do we have individual interests, officers often influence each other and share in the fun. Here are the top recognized benefits of community policing: Improved officer morale: The national narrative around policing has had a significantly negative impact on - Definition & Laws, How to Press Charges: Definition & Statute of Limitations, Constitutional Law in the U.S.: Help and Review, Criminal Law in the U.S.: Help and Review, The Criminal Trial in the U.S. Justice System: Help and Review, The Sentencing Process in Criminal Justice: Help and Review, Corrections & Correctional Institutions: Help and Review, The Juvenile Justice System: Help and Review, CLEP American Government: Study Guide & Test Prep, UExcel Workplace Communications with Computers: Study Guide & Test Prep, Praxis Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) Prep, Praxis Business Education: Content Knowledge (5101) Prep, CAHSEE English Exam: Test Prep & Study Guide, Geography 101: Human & Cultural Geography, Sociology 103: Foundations of Gerontology, Criminal Justice 101: Intro to Criminal Justice, FTCE General Knowledge Test (GK) (082) Prep, Praxis Chemistry: Content Knowledge (5245) Prep, DSST General Anthropology: Study Guide & Test Prep, DSST Criminal Justice: Study Guide & Test Prep, Prosecutorial Discretion: Definition, Pros & Cons, Reading Consumer Materials: Comprehension Strategies, How to Pass the FTCE General Knowledge Test, Using Measurement to Solve Real-World Problems, The Impact of a Country's Infrastructure on Businesses, Student Organizations & Advisors in Business Education, Staying Active in Teacher Organizations for Business Education, Carl Perkins' Effect on Technical Education Legislation, The Business Educator's Relationship with Schools & Communities, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community, whether to issue a traffic ticket or other violation. In any establishment, we choose the seat with our backs to the wall and a view of the entire place. In fact, many police officers have to spend significant amounts of time on paperwork and other administrative tasks. Police Subculture Overview & Examples | What is Police Subculture? Please note that all the information I provide on this website is to my best knowledge. This can be either an advantage or a disadvantage depending on your perspective. Research has found that when police departments use community-policing strategies, people are more satisfied with how police serve their community and view them as more legitimate. Copyright 2023 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. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, If you need further help setting your homepage, check your browsers Help menu. 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. For both the corporation and the community, there are advantages and disadvantages to empowering private security officers with police 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. Police officers can keep their neighborhoods safe, Police officers get high levels of responsibility, Plenty of different fields you can work in, You learn how to deal with difficult people, Police officers get action on a regular basis, You will become really good friends with your colleagues, Most police officers have a high fitness level, Police officers can retire relatively early, Many people have lost respect for the police, You can lose your job due to one big mistake, Being a police officer is not the safest job, Police officers have to work at nighttime, Many police officers suffer from sleeping problems, Some police officers cant deal with events from the past, Especially problematic if you have to work in bad neighborhoods, Police officers have to deal with plenty of paperwork, Top 10 Being a Policeman Pros & Cons Summary List, salary, prospects, future outlook, educational requirements, duties, responsibilities, work-life balance and job satisfaction of police officers, 10 Smart Things To Do After Failing An Art Degree, 18 Smart Things To Do After Failing An Economics Degree, 18 Things To Do After Failing Your Communication Degree, 18 Smart Things To Do After Failing Your Education Degree, 19 Things To Do After Failing Your Engineering Degree, 19 Smart Things To Do After Failing Your Biology Degree, 18 Smart Things To Do After Failing Your Psychology Degree, 18 Smart Things To Do After Failing Your Business Degree, 33 Key Pros & Cons Of Being A Casino Dealer, 31 Key Pros & Cons Of Being An Underwriter, 30 Noble Pros & Cons Of Working For A Hedge Fund, 32 Nerdy Pros & Cons Of Being A Data Scientist, 31 Key Pros & Cons Of Being A Loan Officer. Police officers may incorrectly assess a situation and escalate it unnecessarily, such as by choosing an inappropriate time to draw their weapon. While you will not get rich in most cases, you will still be able to provide a decent life for you and your family. 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. Chances are that it can get much better if you stay ambitious and try to get into different departments. 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. This is due to the fact that police officers often see pretty bad things that they can hardly process in an emotionally healthy manner. You will not only put your own life on the line, also the quality of life of your family will suffer quite a lot since your kids and your spouse will always worry about you. 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? Additionally, there are those who argue that the use of police discretion can potentially result in a violation of one's Fourth Amendment rights. 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. Similarly, community-oriented policing emphasizes building relationships with citizens to identify and respond to community crime problems. Copyright 2023 Police1. If you dont get any support from the right influential people, your chances of making it to the top will be almost zero. As researchers who specialize in crime and punishment, we see five reasons why police officers should be encouraged to pursue a college degree. Similarly, researchers have found that officers with at least a two-year degree were 40% less likely to lose their jobs due to misconduct. Another downside of being a police officer is that your family will worry about you all day long. Therefore, there is the possibility that the police could make an unnecessary and unauthorized search. 551 lessons. 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. You will also have to make difficult decisions within minutes or even seconds and your life will not be as easy as you might think now. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. It means that police in their blue uniforms often act as a line between lawfulness and illegal acts. 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. It is also not that easy to become a police officer. During your career, you will often have the chance to support people who urgently need it. Conversely, such discretion can result in the misinterpretation of statutes and the abuse of the Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches. In case of emergency, it will be on you to decide whether there is the need to take away the lives of people or not. 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. Police officers are called upon to think quickly and handle difficult emergency situations and, in some instances, save lives. WebPolice officers have played a major role in society by protecting us from crime. Expectation versus reality probably exists for all of us in different forms and fashions. Environmental Conscience aims to provide unique high-quality content that is helpful to the reader. Lexipol. It permits the police to make quick and appropriate determinations under the circumstances and effectively use law enforcement and judicial resources. Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. Consequently, dont be discouraged if your first job as a police officer will not be your dream job. We can no longer look at the world we live in the same way. 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. Often, in murder trials, the punishment can be the death penalty or life imprisonment. Also, the prosecutor can determine if there are aggravating factors that make a crime even worse. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-leader-3','ezslot_21',193,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-leader-3-0'); Networks are crucial for promotions, not only as a police officer but also in the corporate world. Discretion affords police officers autonomy and authority. Of the 60,105 assaulted officers, 31% sustained injuries. 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. Police officers run the risk of misinterpreting a statute and violating someone's rights. Crime Measurement Programs: History & Nature, The History of Women & Minority Members in the Police Profession, Recruitment of Women & Minorities in Policing. Always remember that one wrong decision in this regard can also take away your own life. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 84,000 Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). Many people will also secretly admire you for what you are doing for them. This could mean that you will not be able to celebrate Christmas or other important holidays with your family and your kids will be quite sad and may even resent you for that in the long run. Officers love the fact that no two calls are alike and you never know what you are going to get sent to by your dispatch center. Once the jury uses their discretion to render a verdict, the judge may use their discretion in sentencing. These are held in a tiny little space inside our heads often referred to as Pandoras box which complicates our moods and influences. As a police officer, you will also become really good friends with your colleagues over time. Being a police officer is inherently dangerous, and each day they go to work, police officers are risking their lives. In fact, you will spend plenty of time together and will be able to talk about myriads of different topics. Taken together, all of these skills are essential for successful policework. Our ethics and morals have been tossed out the window and replaced with disconnect and desensitized human shells. 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