Official websites use .gov Police officers are called upon to think quickly and handle difficult emergency situations and, in some instances, save lives. Our ethics and morals have been tossed out the window and replaced with disconnect and desensitized human shells. This can be either an advantage or a disadvantage depending on your perspective. Consequently, be aware of the fact that people will not respect you that much anymore and that you will have to deal with insults or even attacks sooner or later in your career. 1. In many states, police officers can retire as early as in their 50s, even though they have to accept a reduced pension in such a case. Many people hail police officers as being heroes and consider them to be brave and helpful people they can count on to come to their rescue in a time of need. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). In Texas, a police officer was fired, charged with murder, and sentenced to a $10,000 fine and 15 years in prison after body-worn camera footage contradicted his initial statement in the Apr. This is not an exhaustive list - it is just illustrative to give you a sense of when an officer can use their own discretion. 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 This is necessary since most unlawful activities happen at nighttime. It becomes a part of us we share in small circles. Research shows that, overall, college-educated officers generate fewer citizen complaints. Policemen not only have to work at nighttime, they also have to work on holidays. WebPhotos by Chris Roussakis. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. It should come as little surprise, then, that police administrators, including police chiefs, are more likely to hold college and post-graduate degrees. However, once they get older, they will notice that every goodbye can be the last one. 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. However, I will not take any responsibility for incorrect information and will not be liable for any negative consequences that might occur due to the reliance on this information. There are some circumstances where you could lose your job overnight and you might end up unemployed and even homeless in the long run due to that. Consequently, make sure that you are also willing to do this kind of work before deciding to become a police officer. They protect the community or certain neighborhoods and work to reduce crime rates. 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. You still want to become a police officer? This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. During your career as a police officer, you will also learn quite a lot of patience. 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. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Northern Illinois University. Often, in murder trials, the punishment can be the death penalty or life imprisonment. Of course, you should never become a police officer solely due to the fact that you would be able to retire early. Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology, Iowa State University, Director, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice; Co-Director, Nebraska Collaborative for Violence Intervention and Prevention, University of Nebraska Omaha. 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. These changes often come with company benefits. Discretion affords police officers autonomy and authority. 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. Especially in case your mistakes become publicly known and have something to do with race, gender or other sensitive topics, you will be at great risk of losing your job since the general public wants justice and some scapegoat will be needed in this regard. 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. The police discretion definition refers to the freedom of police officers to make decisions as they perform their official duties. Policemen can also retire earlier than people in most other jobs. Police officers toe the thin blue line, the line between lawfulness and illegal acts. Lexipol. Special District Police Agencies: Types & Roles, What Is a Guardian ad Litem? 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. Its the nature of the beast. 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. However, the police have to use their discretion when deciding to perform a search. Gaylene Armstrong receives funding from various state and federal granting agencies in support of criminal justice research. It is also not that easy to become a police officer. ], 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. We constantly scan our surroundings, look for exits, and keep alert. If discretion in law enforcement is used in a wrongful manner, it has great potential for being abused out of the field. There are many pros and cons of being a security officer. Police culture is full of many coping skills and personality transformations. He notices that the person is carrying a gun. It is a curse and a blessing. Thus, becoming a police officer can also be a great career path for you if you love excitement and action on a regular basis. 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. Policing is a very interesting job and the situations officers face change constantly. Many police officers just have a hard time dealing with this fact and try to suppress it. Probation officers play a significant role in society and in the law enforcement process. Many people also underestimate the amount of paperwork police officers have to deal with. Another downside of becoming a police officer is that you will also have to work at nighttime. For example, many departments employ de-escalation tactics that aim to reduce use of force. As long as your kids are still small, they will not realize how dangerous your job really is. We can no longer look at the world we live in the same way. Once the jury uses their discretion to render a verdict, the judge may use their discretion in sentencing. It is awkward at times, but we think we are funny. Among other things, they say a college education improves ethical decision-making skills, knowledge and understanding of the law and the courts, openness to diversity, and communication skills. There are advantages to police discretion, such as allowing officers the flexibility to perform their job, allowing officers to make quick determinations when Following several deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order on June 16 that calls for increased training and credentialing to reduce the use of excessive force by police. WebPolice discretion presents a clear danger to society because the average officer can make a poor decision and affect the life of a person or persons. I admit, this can be annoying at the beginning. Some exposures to police work change us for the better and others for the worse. For instance, as college students, aspiring or current police officers participate in internships, do community service or study abroad. and manufacturers. The principle of police Expectation versus reality probably exists for all of us in different forms and fashions. Police officers are often misinterpreted when our antics are overheard in public. There are occasions when our friends or family want us to share our darkest moments, but we usually leave them contained. Law enforcement is ever-evolving, and so is the person occupying the uniform. These charities bridge community partnerships and sometimes close the gap of societal isolation plaguing officers who disassociate. Intro to Criminal Justice: Help and Review, The Role of the Police Department: Help and Review, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Introduction to Crime & Criminology: Help and Review, The Criminal Justice Field: Help and Review, Criminal Justice Agencies in the U.S.: Help and Review, Law Enforcement in the U.S.: Help and Review, Watchman, Legalistic & Service Policing Styles, Police Management & Police Department Organization, Police Intelligence, Interrogations & Miranda Warnings, Police Corruption: Definition, Types & Improvement Methods, Police Use of Force & Excessive Force: Situations & Guidelines, Racial Profiling & Biased Policing: Definition & Impact, Legal Issues Facing Police: Civil Liabilities & Lawsuits, Custodial Interrogation: Definition & Cases, Deterrence in Criminology: Definition & Theory, Differential Response: Definition & Model, Excessive Force: Definition, Cases & Statistics, Inevitable Discovery: Rule, Doctrine & Exception, Interrogation: Definition, Techniques & Types, Latent Fingerprint: Analysis, Development & Techniques, Police Discretion: Definition, Examples, Pros & Cons, Police Patrol: Operations, Procedures & Techniques, Preliminary Investigation: Definition, Steps, Analysis & Example, Preventive Patrol: Definition, Study & Experiment, Problem-Oriented Policing: Definition & Examples, What Is a Police Welfare Check? This is due to the fact that police officers often see pretty bad things that they can hardly process in an emotionally healthy manner. Discretion gives officers the flexibility to perform their job. Police Corruption Examples, Types & History | What is Police Corruption? Specialty assignments hone in on someones individual talents whether they are born or made. The more ambitious you are, the more people you can help and this can give you a feeling of having a purpose in life. This knowledge alone can be mentally challenging and if you need to develop a certain mindset to be able to deal with those sad facts. Police discretion is used while officers are performing their official day-to-day duties. This will also be quite hard for yourself since you will never know whether you will see your kids again or not. Some people may find this overwhelming, and others may find great joy in being responsible for helping others. 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. 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. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. They are also terminated less frequently for misconduct and less likely to use force. However, I will not take any responsibility for incorrect information and will not be liable for any negative consequences that might occur due to the reliance on this information. Please also note that working conditions and duties greatly vary across countries and also depend on individual circumstances. The use of discretion allows the police officer the flexibility necessary to perform their job. All rights reserved. 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. However, some police officers quit their jobs after a while due to the dangers they no longer want to be exposed to. For instance, since many people really appreciate your work, you will often get meals for free in your favorite restaurants. So are The Conversations authors and editors. Chances are that there would be many more robberies and other unpleasant things. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice. Principle of police Expectation versus reality probably exists for all of us we share in small circles emotionally manner! Guardian ad Litem enforcement process many pros and cons of being a security officer allows the police is! | What is police Corruption times, but we think we are funny & History What... 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