Officers genuinely care about making a positive impact in their community. Discretion is important in the criminal justice system because it fosters judicial economy. $55,000 per year on average, ranging from $45,000 to $75,000 per year. If your colleagues make mistakes, you could potentially lose your life. The phrase the thin blue line is often associated with the police. They are also terminated less frequently for misconduct and less likely to use force. 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. In turn, you will have pretty good job prospects and dont have to fear losing your job due to automatization in the near future. Police officers are often misinterpreted when our antics are overheard in public. Officers get to work on an individual basis as well as in a team environment. Thus, every goodbye will sound strange and will have a sad implication of what might happen sooner or later. There will also be the possibility that you have to work at nighttime as a police officer. 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. interacts online and researches product purchases It also gives them the chance to get to know the communities they will police. Nicolet is also a certified nutrition, wellness and weight-management consultant with American Fitness Professionals and Associates. Officer Bob then sees a person matching the description and follows him on foot. A college education helps officers become better at identifying quality information and scientific evidence. As a police officer, you will surely be both loved and hated. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS It requires hours of sitting and driving, which can cause weight issues and other health concerns. Another problem with being a police officer is that you can also lose your job due to only one big mistake. 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. In recent years, many people have also lost their trust and their respect for police officers. In fact, many people struggle with it since it destroys the natural sleeping rhythm. If you dont like your colleagues or your work environment at all, you can still be transferred to a different department where conditions will hopefully be much better. Another disadvantage of being a police officer is that you will have to put your life in the hands of your colleagues. Specially empowered security officers can relieve public police of spending time and resources to address crime against private businesses. Being fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not only wise, but it is crucial for an officers physical and mental states. So daily we are exposed to human misery and conflict which gives us a very narrow version of society. 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. However, from these experiences, you can really learn how to handle those situations and you can grow in character. The pay and advancement opportunities can be good depending on where you work. There are allowances and plenty of financial coverage taking care of various Police work is particularly dynamic and no day is the same. Discretion affords police officers autonomy and authority. We constantly scan our surroundings, look for exits, and keep alert. In murder cases, an aggravating factor might include whether the defendant committed the crime in an especially heinous, cruel, or depraved manner. While some people like this insecurity since they get a certain level of excitement out of it, others who need a structured day hate it and if you are the kind of person who wants to play way ahead, chances are that becoming a police officer will just not be the right way to go for you. 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. While this can be exhausting and you will see many bad things during your career, you will also get significant action and chances are that you will never get bored as a police officer since so many different things will happen throughout your career. See disclaimer. In turn, you will never know how exactly your day will look like and what you will experience the next days. finds relevant news, identifies important training information, However, there are also many downsides related to this career path. Please note that all the information I provide on this website is to my best knowledge. 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. It permits the police to make quick and appropriate determinations under the circumstances and effectively use law enforcement and judicial resources. For instance, if a police officer erroneously decides to search someone's car, this may violate that person's. 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. 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? I admit, this can be annoying at the beginning. 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. Policemen can support local neighborhoods. Another downside of being a police officer is that your family will worry about you all day long. Special District Police Agencies: Types & Roles, What Is a Guardian ad Litem? WebWorking for the Met as a Police constable is a rewarding career where you are able to see the impact that your hard work has in making London safer for everybody. While some people still believe in the best of people, police officers just have a hard time doing so since they experience so many bad things every day. In turn, you can improve the quality of life of many people and can help them out in difficult periods of their lives. In general, police officers face quite irregular shifts and often dont know how the next weeks will look like for them. Many policemen also develop mental issues in the long run. 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. 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. Resources in the criminal justice system are limited and must be used efficiently. Bringing about meaningful police reform requires transformational leadership. This can be rather unclear in many situations and one mistake in this regard can even cost your life. Gaylene Armstrong receives funding from various state and federal granting agencies in support of criminal justice research. For instance, one problem with being a police officer is that the job can simply be quite dangerous. Thus, make sure that you have a stable personality before deciding to become a police officer. WebAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Police Officers Working Without Uniform Intellectual stimulation One benefit of the detective career is the intellectual stimulation and Chances are that it can get much better if you stay ambitious and try to get into different departments. Police work affords theopportunity for giving back both on duty and off. However, it can also be a dangerous, stressful and difficult job. 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. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_officer, https://golawenforcement.com/articles/10-tips-for-a-successful-law-enforcement-career/, https://www.criminaljusticedegreeschools.com/resources/best-police-career-advice/. Especially if you cant forgive yourself for mistakes you made in the past, you will have a really hard time with being a police officer. These internal perks and lack of humdrum keep officers job satisfaction rates high. Bureau of Labor Statistics: OOH: Police and Detectives, Police One: The Pros and Cons of Being a Police Officer. Officer Bob decides to intervene. Free gym memberships are also sometimes a perk of the job. 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. Webhow is being a philanthropist different than putting $5 into a donation box? ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. I conducted various interviews with employees to give you a good impression of what working in different fields will look like and that you can make the best possible decision regarding your future career choice. As a police officer, you have the power to significantly improve the conditions in your neighborhood since you can send people who behave in a criminal manner to court and many of them will end up in jail and can no longer have a bad influence on your neighborhood. 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. For instance, as college students, aspiring or current police officers participate in internships, do community service or study abroad. Police discretion is used while officers are performing their official day-to-day duties. The use of police discretion helps to foster the best use of police resources. Similarly, researchers have found that officers with at least a two-year degree were 40% less likely to lose their jobs due to misconduct. These officers tend to work more proactively with community members to resolve issues and prevent problems rather than only reacting to incidents when called. 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. For instance, one mistake on your side can take away lives. Police officers run the risk of misinterpreting a statute and violating someone's rights. 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. In turn, you will become much more relaxed. You may also just not be eligible for a career as a police officer. 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. Danger at Work. In turn, you will also become more patient in case things dont work out the way you want them to be. Police officers are called upon to think quickly and handle difficult emergency situations and, in some instances, save lives. He uses his own discretion to make this decision. In fact, this can get really nasty, especially if your mistakes have led to serious adverse outcomes. In fact, mistakes on your side can lead to horrible outcomes and you should therefore make sure that you act in a responsible manner. She has tutored English and History, as well as STEM classes, such as Statics, Calculus, and Thermodynamics. For example, many departments employ de-escalation tactics that aim to reduce use of force. Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. 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. 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. It is often very exciting and spotted with adrenaline dumps. By arresting suspects and leading investigations, a police officer can keep the community safe from people who are committing crimes. Among others, articles have been cited by NPOs, Wikipedia, Medium.com as well as on several college websites and lifestyle blogs. 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. Create your account. Sometimes, you will also not be able to choose the neighborhood you have to work in and you might get unlucky and have to work in a rather bad one. In fact, attacks and insults towards police officers have increased quite a lot over the past years. An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice. An error occurred trying to load this video. There is just that much insecurity involved in this job that you will never know when you are called to the next operation. 2017 shooting of an unarmed youth. 7. 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. Specialty assignments hone in on someones individual talents whether they are born or made. These changes often come with company benefits. Under the Fourth Amendment, one has the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. You will also enjoy great support from your colleagues during your police career. It's not a lame assignment or a job for a cop looking for a cushy job You may start your career as normal patrolman, but you can get promoted pretty soon if you are ambitious enough and are willing to put in the work. List of the Advantages of Police Discretion 1. Now that you know all the pros and cons of being a police officer, it is on you to decide whether you still want to become a policeman or if you want to go for an alternative career path instead. Police enjoy a high status and reputation in society, since policing is a well-respected position. It is all a balancing act. Consequently, if you are not willing to take this risk, you should definitely go for a different career path instead. 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. Discretion in criminal justice is present at all levels of the system and in its bureaucracies. In fact, especially if you have children, it can be quite hard to go to work as a police officer since you know that you might never come back and so do your children and your wife. As a police officer, you will also become really good friends with your colleagues over time. The officers deter criminal activity such as theft, vandalism and terrorism, protect their employers investments and enforce It resonates at home with spouses and children. Why is being professional important? This is quite natural since we all have a strong emotional connection to the places we grew up in and want to keep those places as nice as possible. - 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. Officers get to work on an individual basis as well as in a team environment. Protecting the community and being on the front lines takes an emotional toll. Police work is rife with circumstantial stressors. Varied hours. You should really be convinced about it and should take your mission quite seriously. Departments thrive on performance standards, physical fitness levels, and various talents. Police officers keep our streets safe and resolve conflicts between people on a daily basis. 1. With all these ambitious peers and competitive factors pressuring us, who wants to be at the bottom? Once the jury uses their discretion to render a verdict, the judge may use their discretion in sentencing. 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. Its the nature of the beast. A police officer can also impact the area they serve as a whole. Police Corruption Examples, Types & History | What is Police Corruption? Official websites use .gov Another advantage of becoming a police officer is that it can also help you overcome your fears. There are many instances throughout a police officer's day-to-day work where they can decide how to respond to a situation using their own best judgement and wisdom rather than a strict law. You may also be quite scared since you know that you will have to deal with armed people sooner or later. As researchers who specialize in crime and punishment, we see five reasons why police officers should be encouraged to pursue a college degree. Thus, no job is the same and job descriptions may not completely fit your individual experiences. Gabrielle Nicolet has been writing and editing professionally since 2004. 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. On the other hand, the use of police discretion has been criticized for negative aspects. There are advantages to police discretion, such as allowing officers the flexibility to perform their job, allowing officers to make quick determinations when If officers had to ask permission from judges for every decision they were faced with, this would be inefficient and costly. Consequently, dont be discouraged if your first job as a police officer will not be your dream job. In fact, most police officers dont earn more than 70,000 dollars a year and especially in big metropolitan areas, this will imply a rather simple lifestyle since rents will eat up a significant fraction of the income. For instance, one disadvantage of being a police officer is that you will not get rich. 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. WebSome 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 You will never know what happens during your shift and every operation could potentially be the last one for you. Now that you got all the advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer, it is on you to evaluate all the arguments carefully to decide whether you want to become a cop or not. 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. What makes us this way? 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. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-banner-1','ezslot_15',144,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-banner-1-0');Another benefit of being a police officer is that you will also stay fit. 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. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, If you need further help setting your homepage, check your browsers Help menu. Officer Bob pulls the car over and requests the driver's license and registration. Cons of a Career as a Probation Officer. and LL.M. In fact, many police officers have to spend significant amounts of time on paperwork and other administrative tasks. You can get our highlights each weekend. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Since you will never know what you have to deal with next, your body and your brain will always be exposed to some level of tension during your shift. 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. Thus, especially if you are a rather skeptic person who doesnt like to rely on others for such important things, becoming a police officer may also not be the right way to go for you. Others think police officers are mean, uncaring snitches who simply arrest people and hand out traffic tickets. 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