? to the LEO's

The Body Bagger · January 17, 2005, 06:51 PM

What made you decide to become a police officer and what part of your charachter made you the best candidate to become one?

Rojoe67 · January 17, 2005, 07:20 PM

In my case - I entered the Delayed Entry Program of the USAF. That meant I had my job slot secured when I started my 12th grade year. It also meant I had to mind my manners my last year in high school. I did and I entered the Air Force. I guess tradition in my family was part of service to country so that was part. My great uncle was a great person, he was an MP in WWII and served in both theater's. So I guess he inspired me too. I know he was real proud of me when I finished 6 months of training in Texas. I always liked helping those in peril or those who couldn't for what ever reason help themself. So that was what drew me into both military and police work.

Like any profession the person wanting to enter it should research all the good and all the bad that go with it. Sure, Hollywood shows one hour of non stop action. It isn't that way in the LE that I know and knew.... hours of inactive - lethargic calm........... interrupted by total crazy, unthinkable, stress filled madness. It is not for many.......and those whom pick this job often ask themself..... what in the h*** was I thinking..... BUT.... a rewarding and interesting job it is.....

I am no longer in law enforcement but my sister is...

JSandi · January 17, 2005, 08:20 PM

It’s a calling, just like joining the military, becoming a firefighter or paramedic or even a preacher. It’s not for everyone, just as any job, which requires a large part of your life, be sacrificed to further your career and yourself.

In the Academy the very first thing the Academy director did when he welcomed us was to ask us to look at each person sitting next you, then he stated that in less than two years one of them won’t be in LE.

LE has very high rate of divorce and substance abuse as well as a high rate of stress related illnesses and injuries.

I’ve been in LE for a combined total of 5 years, I took a 7 year sabbatical to pursue other interests before my return, during my first tenure I pulled my back really bad sidelining me for several months, then upon my return to LE within a year of going back on patrol I was out with a blow out ham string.

It’s very demanding physically and emotionally, criminals are becoming more and more audacious and displaying less and less respect for everyone, much less LEO.

In the early 90’s during my first go around folks still had a bit of respect for the law, people would tend to obey it and when the law showed up they would give you lip but it was more or less rare that you would actually have to come to blows with someone. On occasion we’d pepper spray an idiot or two but never had to do more than spray them or tussle with them to get the cuffs on them.

But in the past year I’ve put three people in the hospital with multiple broke bones due to encounters with my ASP, I’ve pepper sprayed many more, I’ve been on the threshold of pulling the trigger twice, I’ve been shot at once and involved in two incidents where others cops shot at suspects, one was a pair of GA State Troopers who killed a 19 year old B/M for pulling an unloaded gun on the during a traffic stop, the other a total flake case who just started shooting up his neighborhood from his front porch.

Crimes are becoming more and more violent, dope is more or less the accepted norm of the day, inner city it’s crack, rural it’s meth and everybody, I mean everybody smokes weed. Try to convince a guy who just took a hit off a crack rock the size of a golf ball he’s under arrest and take him to jail w/o either beating the holy hog snot out of him or having it beat out of you, meth is even worse, folks on meth are as unpredictable as a Grizzly Bear spaced out on LSD. There is not a single Hispanic in this country who can speak English once the cops show up even if they are the ones who called them, young black males will fight you for no apparent reason other than the fantastic idea that you are somehow disrespecting them by simply talking to them, no one carries ID anymore including drivers, everyone is everybody else’s cousin, no one is wearing their pants they all belong to their cousin, it’s always their cousins car, no one knows their social security number or (believe it or not) even their date of birth, no one “lives” anywhere but they all “stay” somewhere (it’s usually, “I stays over there”)and you have to phrase it that way or you get the blankest stare you can imagine, no one knows anyone else’s real name everyone is either “Ro-Ro, Nig, (yes that is a popular nickname among African American males) Pookie, Swint, Swint-Dog, Dog, Peaches”, or you get the idea…

When someone tells me something the first though that runs thru my head is, is this a lie and why would this person lie to me, what would he or she gain from lying to me, why do I do it, because of the number of times you catch people lying to you in the course of your job, it becomes an automatic reflex.

I apologize for this little rant but LE is a career that can and will make you cynical against your fellow man really fast. Sad to say but I don’t trust [hardly] anyone anymore who I don’t have a lengthy relationship with and I am skeptical of people I encounter on a daily basis.

The Body Bagger · January 17, 2005, 11:41 PM

Thank you both. I've decided to submit my application for future consideration with a PD. I'd rather not say which one at this current moment sometimes online personas are not the same as real world level headedness as I'm sure you can both understand. I am prior military but not in the LE field though I have had on occasion spent time as an auxillary (yeah I know just a body) in the desert twice and yugoslavia. Thanks again to the both of you.

FrankDrebin · January 18, 2005, 05:59 AM

It's a job, like many other jobs. You generally don't have to lift heavy things, the pay is pretty good, and the best part is the pension. You don't need a degree to be the police, the hours can be good or bad, like many other jobs, and you get to deal with all kinds of people in different situations instead of bolting on bumpers all day on the assembly line.

Blue Heeler · January 18, 2005, 07:50 AM

I can't give you an understandable answer to your question. Why does someone become a postal clerk? Why does someone become a car salesman?
Why does someone become a Cop?
There are a thousand reasons for each decision.
I could go on, but sometimes things just happen, and it is a waste of life looking for reasons. Dude - Just accept that things are as they are. Often there are no reasons.

Sir William · January 18, 2005, 06:09 PM

Simple. I was in a family of cops. I wanted to be a outside worker. I don't mind inside work but, I enjoy walking and talking. Police work allowed me to get out there. My social work university education was helpful. I enjoyed working with a wide variety of people, situations and I did develop "radar" for hinky stuff. It really does depend on where you are.

yorec · January 19, 2005, 12:54 AM

What got me in - a sincere desire to serve my fellow man... Really.

12 years later I realized my family was more important and I had to make enough money to support them.

But I still believe in the original for some reason and continue working as a reserve.

What got me the job in the first place was an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice and the fact that I had applied for the several local PDs as well as the SO and had over sixty other application around the country. My grades were good and I was physically capable - the guys knew me and that I was a trustworthy capable sort. So I had proven by my own actions that I really wanted the job and was going to find a way into the feild somewhere. It was just a matter of time before one of them picked me up. Luckily it was my howetown SO - I didn't want to leave and they didn't want to miss me.

January 17, 2005, 06:51 PM	#1
The Body Bagger Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2004 Posts: 818	? to the LEO's What made you decide to become a police officer and what part of your charachter made you the best candidate to become one? __________________ Rock Out With Your Glock Out

January 17, 2005, 07:20 PM	#2
Rojoe67 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2005 Location: Wolverine State Posts: 767	Great question.... In my case - I entered the Delayed Entry Program of the USAF. That meant I had my job slot secured when I started my 12th grade year. It also meant I had to mind my manners my last year in high school. I did and I entered the Air Force. I guess tradition in my family was part of service to country so that was part. My great uncle was a great person, he was an MP in WWII and served in both theater's. So I guess he inspired me too. I know he was real proud of me when I finished 6 months of training in Texas. I always liked helping those in peril or those who couldn't for what ever reason help themself. So that was what drew me into both military and police work. Like any profession the person wanting to enter it should research all the good and all the bad that go with it. Sure, Hollywood shows one hour of non stop action. It isn't that way in the LE that I know and knew.... hours of inactive - lethargic calm........... interrupted by total crazy, unthinkable, stress filled madness. It is not for many.......and those whom pick this job often ask themself..... what in the h*** was I thinking..... BUT.... a rewarding and interesting job it is..... I am no longer in law enforcement but my sister is...

January 17, 2005, 11:41 PM	#4
The Body Bagger Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2004 Posts: 818	Thank you both. I've decided to submit my application for future consideration with a PD. I'd rather not say which one at this current moment sometimes online personas are not the same as real world level headedness as I'm sure you can both understand. I am prior military but not in the LE field though I have had on occasion spent time as an auxillary (yeah I know just a body) in the desert twice and yugoslavia. Thanks again to the both of you. __________________ Rock Out With Your Glock Out

January 19, 2005, 12:54 AM	#8
yorec Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2000 Location: Wyoming Posts: 2,328	What got me in - a sincere desire to serve my fellow man... Really. 12 years later I realized my family was more important and I had to make enough money to support them. But I still believe in the original for some reason and continue working as a reserve. What got me the job in the first place was an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice and the fact that I had applied for the several local PDs as well as the SO and had over sixty other application around the country. My grades were good and I was physically capable - the guys knew me and that I was a trustworthy capable sort. So I had proven by my own actions that I really wanted the job and was going to find a way into the feild somewhere. It was just a matter of time before one of them picked me up. Luckily it was my howetown SO - I didn't want to leave and they didn't want to miss me. __________________ What part of "... shall not be infringed..." don't you understand?

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January 17, 2005, 08:20 PM	#3
JSandi Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Nashijuana, TN Posts: 71	It’s a calling, just like joining the military, becoming a firefighter or paramedic or even a preacher. It’s not for everyone, just as any job, which requires a large part of your life, be sacrificed to further your career and yourself. In the Academy the very first thing the Academy director did when he welcomed us was to ask us to look at each person sitting next you, then he stated that in less than two years one of them won’t be in LE. LE has very high rate of divorce and substance abuse as well as a high rate of stress related illnesses and injuries. I’ve been in LE for a combined total of 5 years, I took a 7 year sabbatical to pursue other interests before my return, during my first tenure I pulled my back really bad sidelining me for several months, then upon my return to LE within a year of going back on patrol I was out with a blow out ham string. It’s very demanding physically and emotionally, criminals are becoming more and more audacious and displaying less and less respect for everyone, much less LEO. In the early 90’s during my first go around folks still had a bit of respect for the law, people would tend to obey it and when the law showed up they would give you lip but it was more or less rare that you would actually have to come to blows with someone. On occasion we’d pepper spray an idiot or two but never had to do more than spray them or tussle with them to get the cuffs on them. But in the past year I’ve put three people in the hospital with multiple broke bones due to encounters with my ASP, I’ve pepper sprayed many more, I’ve been on the threshold of pulling the trigger twice, I’ve been shot at once and involved in two incidents where others cops shot at suspects, one was a pair of GA State Troopers who killed a 19 year old B/M for pulling an unloaded gun on the during a traffic stop, the other a total flake case who just started shooting up his neighborhood from his front porch. Crimes are becoming more and more violent, dope is more or less the accepted norm of the day, inner city it’s crack, rural it’s meth and everybody, I mean everybody smokes weed. Try to convince a guy who just took a hit off a crack rock the size of a golf ball he’s under arrest and take him to jail w/o either beating the holy hog snot out of him or having it beat out of you, meth is even worse, folks on meth are as unpredictable as a Grizzly Bear spaced out on LSD. There is not a single Hispanic in this country who can speak English once the cops show up even if they are the ones who called them, young black males will fight you for no apparent reason other than the fantastic idea that you are somehow disrespecting them by simply talking to them, no one carries ID anymore including drivers, everyone is everybody else’s cousin, no one is wearing their pants they all belong to their cousin, it’s always their cousins car, no one knows their social security number or (believe it or not) even their date of birth, no one “lives” anywhere but they all “stay” somewhere (it’s usually, “I stays over there”)and you have to phrase it that way or you get the blankest stare you can imagine, no one knows anyone else’s real name everyone is either “Ro-Ro, Nig, (yes that is a popular nickname among African American males) Pookie, Swint, Swint-Dog, Dog, Peaches”, or you get the idea… When someone tells me something the first though that runs thru my head is, is this a lie and why would this person lie to me, what would he or she gain from lying to me, why do I do it, because of the number of times you catch people lying to you in the course of your job, it becomes an automatic reflex. I apologize for this little rant but LE is a career that can and will make you cynical against your fellow man really fast. Sad to say but I don’t trust [hardly] anyone anymore who I don’t have a lengthy relationship with and I am skeptical of people I encounter on a daily basis.

January 18, 2005, 05:59 AM	#5
FrankDrebin Junior member Join Date: May 21, 2004 Posts: 1,101	It's a job, like many other jobs. You generally don't have to lift heavy things, the pay is pretty good, and the best part is the pension. You don't need a degree to be the police, the hours can be good or bad, like many other jobs, and you get to deal with all kinds of people in different situations instead of bolting on bumpers all day on the assembly line.

January 18, 2005, 07:50 AM	#6
Blue Heeler Junior member Join Date: October 4, 1999 Location: Queensland Posts: 1,043	I can't give you an understandable answer to your question. Why does someone become a postal clerk? Why does someone become a car salesman? Why does someone become a Cop? There are a thousand reasons for each decision. I could go on, but sometimes things just happen, and it is a waste of life looking for reasons. Dude - Just accept that things are as they are. Often there are no reasons.

January 18, 2005, 06:09 PM	#7
Sir William Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2004 Posts: 3,261	Simple. I was in a family of cops. I wanted to be a outside worker. I don't mind inside work but, I enjoy walking and talking. Police work allowed me to get out there. My social work university education was helpful. I enjoyed working with a wide variety of people, situations and I did develop "radar" for hinky stuff. It really does depend on where you are.