When considering law enforcement careers we may ask: ‘What is a police officer?’ The police are responsible for preserving order in the community by enforcing the law with criminal and traffic offenses as well as come to the aide of people in danger. In the course of a day, a police officer may pull over and write tickets to speeding motorists, arrest a thief, help plan a drug-bust, get help for a stranded motorist after a car breakdown and even deliver a baby.Thankfully, police officers in more of today’s shows are depicted more realistically. Crimes aren’t always solved by show’s end, sometimes the bad guy gets away, or a police officer gets shot or killed in the line of duty, as with real life.
Police officers must be in good physical shape: in the not-so-recent past heart attacks killed more officers each year than bullets did! They have to be able to shoot a handgun accurately, be able to administer first aid in the event of dealing with an injured accident or crime victim and be intelligent and educated enough to understand the laws in their jurisdiction that they are responsible for protecting.
‘What is a police officer’ and what are the basic requirements to enter police work? Most departments require applicants to be at least 20-21 years old, have a clean criminal background record and be a high school graduate or the equivalent. In many modern police departments, college is often necessary to be considered for a police officer job. The usual requirement is 60 semester hours of criminal justice, sociology, psychology or related classes.
Those with a four-year degree may have a better chance for future promotion to sergeant, detective, lieutenant or even a police chief or deputy chief.
Each police department has its own rules for hiring so a having college degree in criminal justice doesn’t necessarily guarantee employment. The applicant’s overall physical condition as well as psychological test will determine if a person is mentally as well as physically fit enough to handle the duties of police officers.
Police officers also need to be to skillfully negotiate, as this is necessary if dealing with hostage or other situations where an understanding of human nature, psychology and persuasion can make the difference whether a bad situation has a positive outcome or becomes a shootout, possibly with innocent loss of life.
When we consider the question ‘what is a police officer?’ we find there are many roles in law enforcement that are related to the work of a police officer. Some of these are detective, evidence technician, community outreach, forensic technician, weapons instructor and more.
A person considering a career in law enforcement, such as police work, should contact the department he or she is interested in working with and learn their rules and requirements before applying. Most departments offer an exam when they’re ready to hire police officers so it’s important to know well ahead of time what their requirements are to be well prepared.
Police officers’ pay used to be very low compared to the danger involved in the job. Over the years, thanks to better public awareness, the pay has improved a lot. The average police officer at patrolman grade earns around $48,000 per year; more if awarded a promotion.
A career in law enforcement as a police officer has dangers but can be rewarding knowing that you are making a real difference for the better in the lives of those you promise to serve and protect. What is a police officer? A trained and dedicated public servant who puts his or her life on line daily so we can all enjoy our lives in safety and peace.