So you're a police officer...how has it changed you?

[Unobtanium]

I am curious how officers feel once they have been officers for a while, say, 5 or 10 years or longer.

Why did you become an officer? Do you feel like you have achieved, or are actively hitting those goals, today?

How do you look at "people", in general? Knowing them so much better, do you embrace humanity or do you try to get away from it when you can after you punch out, because "screw that"?

Is being a police officer what you thought it would be?

If you could start over, knowing what you know now, would you choose a different career? What?


If your late teen son or daughter wanted to follow in your footsteps as an officer, what would you say to them when they told you so?

How did you know "if you'd like being an officer"?

I am not in LE, but these are things I am curious about, and things that I think potential officers should also be curious about.

[w provence]

I'm 57 and I've been involved in law enforcement since high school.
That's funny, a lot people in prison can say the same thing, they've been involved with LE since HS or younger.
I started because I wanted to make a difference in people's lives. I still do and try too everyday. Not sure I have and probably won't until I'm before The LORD and he plays back the tape.
My son wanted to be a cop but I talked him into trying out for the fire dept. He's a great fireman. I'm very proud of him.
Yes I would do this again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lwt16]

21 years behind a badge.....

Why did I do this? I needed a better job and was planning on going Federal.......marriage and poverty changed those plans.

How do I look at people? There was a time I tried not to. lol

Most of them are doing the right thing.....most of the criminals we deal with are repeat customers. Not always but a large percentage. Nobody goes to prison for very long...even for serious crimes, and they rotate back and rinse and repeat.

I had times in the past that when off duty, I would do everything I could to avoid people.....mainly for the constant "Oh, you're a cop? I got this ticket once/my brother in law got locked up once" stories. I'm in a better place now and socialize with some church members off duty. Most of that wraps around shooting and practicing........so I've grown in that aspect.

My wife was my biggest critic on that....."let's go somewhere (Six Flags, Disney, etc)" .......where bunches of people were.

Now that she's a RN, she's like I was.....it's flip flopped.

Is it what I thought it'd be? Oh no.....it was once....but now it's nothing like I thought it would be or how it was back in the 90s. I would definitely choose something different.......if I could go back.

My kid is 17....no way I'm letting him do this. He was told he could be anything but a cop or a drug dealer. I truly don't care what he chooses.....I'll be proud of him.

Regards.

[feudist]

I have 27 years in as a ghetto cop. Around 20 of it in Patrol, largest department in the state(@850 sworn).

I became a cop because I wanted action, after a stint in the Infantry.

I look at people as chimpanzees with a thin coating of civilization.

I have become so isolated and leery of people that I seek to have the minimum of interaction with them.

I think very few people can say that police work is what they thought it would be. There is very little way that you could, it has an almost completely fictional portrayal in every media.

I don't think anyone who can do anything else should pursue a job in L.E. No, I would not do it again.

My daughter made an offhand comment once about following me and her mom(also a cop) into the job. When I vehemently objected, she asked me how I could stop her.

I told her I would plant dope on her and call the cops myself. I will not allow her to experience this, period.

I know it sounds bad, but it is what it is.

This job has nothing to do with guns, or expert shooting or even "action". It's a daily grind of documenting and refereeing unbelievably childish, petty behavior ; staring at

hopeless self imposed poverty and degradation; and wondering if the next call will result seeing or hearing something that you really don't want to know.

That's it: police work can be summed up in a Bob Seger song.

I wish I didn't know now, what I didn't know then.:)

[Dr. No]

The underside of humanity is disgusting. Today I arrested a 30 year old heroin junkie who was asleep in his fathers car, swimming in his own liquid feces. His first request was to talk to his mom.

The whole time I had to worry about getting stuck by needles and trying to ignore the scent of hot crap. I then had to allow said person to change clothes and clean up while watching him strip naked so he wouldn't have a chance to hide drugs or access a weapon.

I think I've washed my hands 15 times today. I can't wash my nose out, and I can't wash out my brain.

Sadly, this doesn't even rate close to some of the most disgusting memories I have. Just another Wednesday.



Should have been a fireman. Great pay, everyone loves them, great schedule.

[Unobtanium]

The underside of humanity is disgusting. Today I arrested a 30 year old heroin junkie who was asleep in his fathers car, swimming in his own liquid feces. His first request was to talk to his mom.

The whole time I had to worry about getting stuck by needles and trying to ignore the scent of hot crap. I then had to allow said person to change clothes and clean up while watching him strip naked so he wouldn't have a chance to hide drugs or access a weapon.

I think I've washed my hands 15 times today. I can't wash my nose out, and I can't wash out my brain.

Sadly, this doesn't even rate close to some of the most disgusting memories I have. Just another Wednesday.



Should have been a fireman. Great pay, everyone loves them, great schedule.

Well, at least I can put you at ease. I work closely with firemen, and they see the same shit you do, except they don't let anyone do anything, they have to lift and haul them to people like me (medical/hospital job), themselves, nor do they get body armor or a firearm for defense. Just negotiation skills and so forth. They get woken up at 3am to do this with 500# opioid abuse victims etc that have "trails" through their homes, etc.

So cheer up!

*my attempt at making the grass less green on the other side of your fence*

I can relate to your sentiments as well, but can also honestly say, that my job has not surprised me. I knew who and what people were before I got into healthcare. Most of my classmates didn't, and most took little prima dona office jobs after less than a year doing real work in ERs, etc.

[Dr. No]

Well, at least I can put you at ease. I work closely with firemen, and they see the same shit you do, except they don't let anyone do anything, they have to lift and haul them to people like me (medical/hospital job), themselves, nor do they get body armor or a firearm for defense. Just negotiation skills and so forth. They get woken up at 3am to do this with 500# opioid abuse victims etc that have "trails" through their homes, etc.

So cheer up!

*my attempt at making the grass less green on the other side of your fence*

Yeah but nobody's tried to kill them because of tin on their chest. This week.

Seriously, don't ever become a cop. Ignorance is bliss.

[Unobtanium]

Yeah but nobody's tried to kill them because of tin on their chest. This week.

Seriously, don't ever become a cop. Ignorance is bliss.

Actually, they get shot and shot at often enough, but I agree with you. Police do all the things ems does...and people can't wait to try to kill them for it. All the shit, none of the praise. This is part of why I did not do LE. Benefit did not offset risk for me. It is also part of why I started this thread. I felt that your type of response would dominate it, and I feel like potential officers should see that before sinking considerable time and energy into the obtaining of the career.

If they don't, neither they, nor society, will be done right in my opinion. I know many people in my field who wished they had been told the other side of the coin instead of just the bullshit universities tell them to sell the degree program.

I am not trying to be negative. I am trying to be honest.

An older lady once saw me in scrubs as I came home from school to my apartment. She yelled across the parking lot something like "you should drop out. People don't give a shit and Noone cares about what you do." She went about it all wrong, but I think she was giving me the most honest advice I've ever gotten about the healthcare career I chose....however....hours are good and so is pay, and I've done it for 7 years and will continue. This thread is hopefully a more tactful old lady.

[Dr. No]

Actually, they get shot and shot at often enough, but I agree with you.

I'm trying not to be a jerk here, but I gotta call bullshit on that. I am not saying fire & EMS don't have a dangerous job and don't do things that put them at risk... but there's nobody marching on the national stage encouraging others to randomly murder them.

So please check yourself on that issue.

[Unobtanium]

I'm trying not to be a jerk here, but I gotta call bullshit on that. I am not saying fire & EMS don't have a dangerous job and don't do things that put them at risk... but there's nobody marching on the national stage encouraging others to randomly murder them.

So please check yourself on that issue.

I never said there was, I'm simply saying that they are sometimes lured to scenes and killed as well. I touched on exactly what you said in my last post. The part just following the snippet you took.

[KeeFus]

I wanted to be a cop because it was a noble profession...still is...but the atmosphere is way different than it was in 1995. My goal was to make a difference in peoples lives. I've done that but not always for the better. There are a few people alive because of me and what ive done. One was about 2 years old when her mother was t-boned by a suspects car we were chasing. She was thrown from the car and had stopped breathing. I saved her...but her mom was obviously dead from the wreck impact. Her brother was wrapped up in sheet metal and had to be extricated. Two of my shift mates quit within a year over that incident. Lately Im hitting the goal in a different way. I try to have a positive impact on the people I work with and supervise. Since 2008 I have made it my mission to teach officers how to survive in today's society. What two of my trainees have learned since 2008 was how to survive the aftermath of two seperate OIS's they were involved in. Those two are still policing strong today. One recently gave the same guidance to one of his subordinates...that one is still being investigated but its a clean shoot. The guy who was with me on my OIS now sells insurance. We speak often and he loves his job and family time.

I look at everyone as a threat until they're no longer a threat. I avoid crowded places simply because I don't trust people. There is always enough stupid going on in crowded places that Im always waiting for the hammer to fall. This puts my wife in an alerted state...which leads to us both being uncomfortable. We just avoid it as it generally makes life easier and less stressful. I also dont trust admin types who are in their position because of who they knew...not what they know. The good-ole-boy system is still in full effect here and it has ruined many a career. Three years and they can have my stuff. I will miss some of the people but there is more that can kiss my ass. It is what it is and I make no apologies for feeling that way.

Being a cop is more than I ever suspected it to be...but I tell my kids to choose another profession. They have seen what this job has done to me and my demeanor. They know the sacrifices because they have had to do things without me there. Its hard as fuck to tell your kid that you cant do this or that because of something bad that has happened at work or because you cant get off. Ever tell your family not to watch the news because of some shit you were involved in? Ive done it a few times. Ever told a family member to get the fuck out of your house because of their opinion on something you did? I have. Ever had to tell your kid why daddy had to shoot someone (someone at their school made me out to be a murderer...how the fuck do you respond to that) ? I have. None of that shit is pretty. Ever had to lie to your kids about why you cant sleep? Ever been Mirandized? Did I mention Im on my third marriage?

Im a salty bastard and I know it. This job has changed me and I dont think it has been for the better. However, I have made good impacts in peoples lives...both citizens and LE. The best comments I have ever received were from my people thanking me for getting them through some emotionally rough shit. No one did it for me so it was trial and error at my expense. All that and Im still trying to be an effective cop by doing small projects within the community I serve...but i keep a keen eye for bullshit from citizens and admin types so that I can hopefully avoid it.

If I had to start over Id be a fireman. People are always glad to see them when they pull up to a call. Besides, they get to sleep at work and shit. Whats not to like about that? 🤣

[Lon]

....they see the same shit you do

Kinda, but not really.

Firemen don't have to convince a guy in an interview that you completely understand how he could find a 5 year old attractive and that the 5 year old probably came onto him and wanted him to stick his cock in their mouth. Without pulling out your pistol and shooting the motherfucker in the head. Firemen don't have to interview a dozen different high school students and talk to them about their football coach and ask them if he's ever done anything inappropriate to them. Firemen don't have to listen to a 12 year old girl talk about how she'd been molested by her uncle for years. Firemen don't have to wade through gigabytes of child porn trying to find a clue as to who the motherfucker in the picture is. Firemen don't have to cut a 11 year old girl who hung herself down, try to save her and then investigate why in the world this beautiful little girl killed herself.

Firemen deal with a lot of blood, guts and other horrible things and I don't mean to take that away or minimize what they do. But they don't have to "gaze long into an abyss", as Nietzsche put it.

Why do I do it? One of the Russian special ops units has a motto, "if not me, then who?" Sums it up pretty good. Like Keefus, I think it's a noble profession. I don't do it because I think I can change things for the better for someone. If I can, great. But I don't expect to do it. I do it because I don't have it in me NOT to do it.

How did it change me? I don't trust people. Especially coaches, teachers, and youth pastors. You can't always tell what evil looks like. I don't like crowds. I have a hard time getting worked up about stupid shit that annoys the piss outta my wife. I was raised baptist and went to Christian schools all the way through college. But when I go to church (which isn't as often as I should) I wonder about the people in the congregation and what dirty secrets they hide.

The funny thing is that I was a fireman. I did both for a while and chose cop work over firefighting. No regrets, really. But if I was starting over again today, I'd tell my young self to be a fireman.

My nephew wants to be a cop. I'm gonna try to talk him out of it. He's a good kid. Innocent. I hate to think of him doing the things I've had to do and see the things I've seen. Before he graduates we are gonna have a very frank conversation so he knows what he's getting into if I can't talk him out of it.

[LSP552]

I spent 30 years with Louisiana State Police, primarily in investigations (Narcotics, Criminal Intelligence and Detectives) and SWAT stuff, until promoting to Capt. I also spent 3 years as an Army MP and a year in a city PD. Retired from LSP in 2008.

I wanted to be a trooper since I was a kid. Frankly, I always enjoyed the action and the challenge. Pointing guns at bad guys is a noble profession and I take pride in the fact there are people alive and safer now because of my actions, citizens because of bad guys I put away and troopers I trained who won gunfights.

Much has changed in LE during from when I started, including me. I don’t like crowds, and don’t trust people in general. I know that the vast majority of people are good; I just rarely dealt with them. Cops in general deal with the worse of society and it’s easy to forget that’s the minority when it’s the majority of whom you are interacting with on a regular basis.

Like everyone in this profession, I’ve sacrificed family life for the job. My first wife died of cancer in 2003. I wish I had been less of a workaholic earlier in our marriage.

I carry a gun everywhere I go and see everyone as a potential target, until they prove otherwise. I don’t go to stupid places with stupid people and do stupid things.

I wouldn’t start a LE career today, and feel sorry for my brothers and sisters on the job who have too much time invested and not enough to retire. I don’t do political correctness and I don’t want to work for a public who now believes my life is worth the same as a felon’s. I’ve always been OK knowing my life was worth less than the innocent I was protecting, I just can’t do the worth the same or less than a shitbag.

My advice for anyone wanted to start a LE career today, focus on federal LE.

[Unobtanium]

Lots of interesting posts. Lots of good insight!

[BehindBlueI's]

I'm n the mid-career years, 11 years on and a very even split of patrol and investigations. I work on a 1600-ish officer department that covers a very diverse area and population. I've worked the ghetto, the suburbs, the yacht-club crowd, and the trailer parks as a patrolman. On special services, I've worked huge sporting events, parades, protests, etc. In Investigations, I've only worked Homicide & Robbery.

So, I became a cop because after the military I tried the civilian world and it sucks. I lacked the sense of purpose, the feeling I made a difference, and I missed the comraderie. I had tried the EMT thing, but it pays for shit unless you're also a fireman and I didn't have any desire to be a fireman. I ended up as a security contractor, and that was cool until it was time to settle down and be a daddy and husband. So, I needed a sense of purpose but didn't want to move every few years. I liked to drive fast, shoot guns, and honestly did want to help people. My skill set and personality seemed to mesh with LE pretty well, so I went for it.

I get to drive fast and shoot guns, and every now and then I actually get to help someone so I think I'm hitting my goals. This week I've been instrumental in taking a shooter who's a serious threat to public safety off the street. I've locked up a carjacker who's terrible at his job. I've also had some cases that are complete dead ends for various reasons. When I first became a detective, I had trouble letting those go. Now I punt them like an NFL kicker. I do the best I can with what I've got and don't worry if the prosecutor, witnesses, victims, juries, etc. fuck it up. I do my absolute best to not make any of it personal. Even when I'm interviewing some total shit brick, I have to sometimes remind myself that with a few different choices and a little different background, I could have been that shit brick. That's not to say I never get angry or frustrated, but I think that perspective has helped me become angry and frustrated much less often. It's also let me do better interviews, as even when I'm not actually empathetic I can fake it enough to build a good rapport.

I still really dig people. I see the worst in humanity, but I see the best as well. Tonight I had two fast food workers help an older woman who was being carjacked and they were instrumental in the apprehension. Two young black males in a rough neighborhood who were part of the solution, not part of the problem. If you hold on to those, it can help you see people in a more positive light. That said, I'm no longer bothered by death or injury as long as it's an adult. Children hurt or in bad spots still sucks and it's waaay tougher to remain objective. An adult with their brains blown out? I can discuss lunch plans over their corpse. Kids? I'll be in a shit mood for weeks if I'm not careful.

It's actually close to what I thought it would be like. Being in major felony is MORE like what I thought it would be like, though. I knew becoming a cop meant lots of paperwork, lots of stupidity, lots of drunks, etc. I just didn't realize how petty so many of the calls are. Neighbors who can't get along, parents who call because they can't control their 7 year old, etc. I miss some things about patrol, but I don't miss dealing with that bullshit. I *really* like dealing with felonies only and mostly adults.

I'd do it all again. It's the best worst job there is. I'd rather my son not become a cop, though. Primarily because it's changing so rapidly. It's not the job today it was when I started, although that pendulum may swing again.

I didn't know if I'd like it, but it's not the Army. I can quit tomorrow if I want to and there's no AWOL charge. But honestly, I've no idea what else I'd want to do.

[lwt16]

Did I mention Im on my third marriage?


��

Here, they'd call you "rookie" as far as marriages are concerned.

I'm in the minority here at my agency as I am still married to my original bride. She's had to put up with a lot being the wife of a cop.

Another reason I don't want junior doing this for a living. His mom has been through enough putting up with me/the job and the last thing she needs as we approach 50 is constant dread and worry about her only child.

Copulate that.

[Nephrology]

Thanks for sharing all this, guys. Definitely helps put a lot of what I am doing in perspective.

I am still in my (medical, non-LE) training but I've also seen a lot of awful things that make me really question both what I am doing and the society I am ostensibly doing it for. Murder, rape, physical abuse, child abuse, elder abuse, addiction, mental illness, all the terrible social shit and then of course lots of people just suffering and dying for whom there is very little that can be done. Etc etc.

I've already sacrificed at least three stable long-term relationships for my career and picked up a terribly poisonous and abusive one somewhere along the way as well. I have a much harder time connecting to other people (I've torpedoed at least one 1st date by talking about the first time I saw someone get their chest cracked in the ER) and have become substantially more introverted than I ever used to be. Have basically resigned myself to dating + a divorcing a nurse at some point down the line. I've also become distinctly less kind to both myself and other people and have issues with anger that I didn't have before, none of which I ever thought would be an issue with my historically positive and outgoing demeanor.

Again, I'm not in LE and don't think that what I am doing has the same associated risks or sacrifices, but some of the themes here definitely ring true with me. Gives me stuff to think about and to look out for in the future. Thanks for sharing all

[blues]

Late to the dance but I'll add a few brief thoughts.

I've always looked upon law enforcement as an honorable, and even noble profession...(those who tarnish the badge notwithstanding).

The times when you can make a positive difference in the lives of the citizens we serve is a source of great pride, for which no amount of money can compare. And, of course, there are times when our best efforts may or may not be enough.

The administrators of law enforcement agencies across the board, federal, state and local are a mixed bag...often infuriating and frustrating but occasionally supportive as well. It depends on the level of competence and the marching orders from layers of government above.

Speaking for myself, I became disenchanted with the way things were done and operated for a period of years before I opted to take retirement but, that said, I'd not have missed the experience for the world.

I don't think the job changed me fundamentally. I believe the talents and cynicism I entered with were relatively unchanged for the most part over the years with some exceptions along the way.

There is nothing like the thrill of the hunt, both in the investigative sense and the actual tracking down of those responsible for the crimes under investigation.

I would not recommend the job to anyone these days without a strong caution regarding the potential pitfalls lying in their path...but I still believe it's possible to have a rewarding career despite the inevitable politics, liabilities and roadblocks one will encounter along the way. Just don't enter the career blindly or with rose colored glasses or you are sure to be blindsided by the real world you hadn't prepared yourself for mentally and emotionally.

[11B10]

Late to the dance but I'll add a few brief thoughts.

I've always looked upon law enforcement as an honorable, and even noble profession...(those who tarnish the badge notwithstanding).

The times when you can make a positive difference in the lives of the citizens we serve is a source of great pride, for which no amount of money can compare. And, of course, there are times when our best efforts may or may not be enough.

The administrators of law enforcement agencies across the board, federal, state and local are a mixed bag...often infuriating and frustrating but occasionally supportive as well. It depends on the level of competence and the marching orders from layers of government above.

Speaking for myself, I became disenchanted with the way things were done and operated for a period of years before I opted to take retirement but, that said, I'd not have missed the experience for the world.

I don't think the job changed me fundamentally. I believe the talents and cynicism I entered with were relatively unchanged for the most part over the years with some exceptions along the way.

There is nothing like the thrill of the hunt, both in the investigative sense and the actual tracking down of those responsible for the crimes under investigation.

I would not recommend the job to anyone these days without a strong caution regarding the potential pitfalls lying in their path...but I still believe it's possible to have a rewarding career despite the inevitable politics, liabilities and roadblocks one will encounter along the way. Just don't enter the career blindly or with rose colored glasses or you are sure to be blindsided by the real world you hadn't prepared yourself for mentally and emotionally.



blues, you continue to share your thoughts, experiences, dreams, and your sense of humor in words that are always interesting, but more importantly, are needed here. It's a very old cliche, but there really ISN'T any substitute for experience. When reading your posts, I get the feeling that I've known you for a long time - a true gift, Sir. Thank you for sharing it and everything else - with us. Last and certainly not least, thanks for your years of sacrifice and service.

[Larry Sellers]

Kinda, but not really.

Firemen don't have to convince a guy in an interview that you completely understand how he could find a 5 year old attractive and that the 5 year old probably came onto him and wanted him to stick his cock in their mouth. Without pulling out your pistol and shooting the motherfucker in the head. Firemen don't have to interview a dozen different high school students and talk to them about their football coach and ask them if he's ever done anything inappropriate to them. Firemen don't have to listen to a 12 year old girl talk about how she'd been molested by her uncle for years. Firemen don't have to wade through gigabytes of child porn trying to find a clue as to who the motherfucker in the picture is. Firemen don't have to cut a 11 year old girl who hung herself down, try to save her and then investigate why in the world this beautiful little girl killed herself.

Firemen deal with a lot of blood, guts and other horrible things and I don't mean to take that away or minimize what they do. But they don't have to "gaze long into an abyss", as Nietzsche put it.

Why do I do it? One of the Russian special ops units has a motto, "if not me, then who?" Sums it up pretty good. Like Keefus, I think it's a noble profession. I don't do it because I think I can change things for the better for someone. If I can, great. But I don't expect to do it. I do it because I don't have it in me NOT to do it.

How did it change me? I don't trust people. Especially coaches, teachers, and youth pastors. You can't always tell what evil looks like. I don't like crowds. I have a hard time getting worked up about stupid shit that annoys the piss outta my wife. I was raised baptist and went to Christian schools all the way through college. But when I go to church (which isn't as often as I should) I wonder about the people in the congregation and what dirty secrets they hide.

The funny thing is that I was a fireman. I did both for a while and chose cop work over firefighting. No regrets, really. But if I was starting over again today, I'd tell my young self to be a fireman.

My nephew wants to be a cop. I'm gonna try to talk him out of it. He's a good kid. Innocent. I hate to think of him doing the things I've had to do and see the things I've seen. Before he graduates we are gonna have a very frank conversation so he knows what he's getting into if I can't talk him out of it.


It's unique to hear what other PD's do in other parts of the country. Here in my little world of CT the PD does zero.zero ems related responses unless it's on one of their own. We have an understaffed police department and overzealous dispatchers who send us to domestics, hangings and brawls without giving us any other information. Unfortunately I've had my ass handed to me by an unruly group of folks who weren't happy to see any authority on scene, all of which culminated with being OC sprayed. I've been involved in FD shit for 15 or so years and getting paid to do it for 6 and honestly I wouldn't want my kids involved with this career field either, too many political agendas and the inability to remove folks that have no business being here. Ironically I wanted to be a police officer as a kid and even to this day (at 31) I wonder how/where I can go and get employed at and work for an agency guys want to be at and stay working for.

I don't mean to detract from the thread so please let me know if I am: I have a much, much, much lower opinion of society as a whole after spending a short time working where I do. As you had mentioned you're not a fan of crowds, neither am I as well as overly loud places for lengths of time. Sundays at church I sit in the back with my wife near the doors and I quietly think as you do what some of these folks are hiding...I have the utmost respect for the job that you all do, I know everyone says they appreciate what you do but not many truly understand the work it takes.

I am in NO WAY comparing apples to apples, I just wanted to share a bit of how it can be slightly different depending on your zip code.

[Lon]

It's unique to hear what other PD's do in other parts of the country. Here in my little world of CT the PD does zero.zero ems related responses unless it's on one of their own. We have an understaffed police department and overzealous dispatchers who send us to domestics, hangings and brawls without giving us any other information. Unfortunately I've had my ass handed to me by an unruly group of folks who weren't happy to see any authority on scene, all of which culminated with being OC sprayed. I've been involved in FD shit for 15 or so years and getting paid to do it for 6 and honestly I wouldn't want my kids involved with this career field either, too many political agendas and the inability to remove folks that have no business being here. Ironically I wanted to be a police officer as a kid and even to this day (at 31) I wonder how/where I can go and get employed at and work for an agency guys want to be at and stay working for.

I don't mean to detract from the thread so please let me know if I am: I have a much, much, much lower opinion of society as a whole after spending a short time working where I do. As you had mentioned you're not a fan of crowds, neither am I as well as overly loud places for lengths of time. Sundays at church I sit in the back with my wife near the doors and I quietly think as you do what some of these folks are hiding...I have the utmost respect for the job that you all do, I know everyone says they appreciate what you do but not many truly understand the work it takes.

I am in NO WAY comparing apples to apples, I just wanted to share a bit of how it can be slightly different depending on your zip code.

In my AO, we are routinely sent on serious injury or serious medical (heart attack, person down w/ unknown reason) squad calls. Our AEDs get a lot of use. Our squads won't go into hazardous scenes or potentially hazardous scenes before we arrive. Nor should they. They are on board with the rescue task force concept and have body armor and helmets on the squads.

[Larry Sellers]

In my AO, we are routinely sent on serious injury or serious medical (heart attack, person down w/ unknown reason) squad calls. Our AEDs get a lot of use. Our squads won't go into hazardous scenes or potentially hazardous scenes before we arrive. Nor should they. They are on board with the rescue task force concept and have body armor and helmets on the squads.

I wish we operated like that here, we were supposed to have excited delirium, active shooter and tac med classes here years go. As we all know that costs money so we've had to go without.

[Hambo]

I can't wash out my brain.

There you have it. My shit was bad enough, but I knew a female officer who became a detective. Since she was junior, and probably because she was female, they put her in sex crimes. I didn't want to hear anything about what she was working on.

As for people hating cops/loving firemen, it's all relative. Number one in civilian complaints was the PD, but the FD was a very close second, followed by every other city employee. It was like people lived to bitch about anybody that got a city paycheck.

[Nephrology]

too many political agendas and the inability to remove folks that have no business being here.

Medicine too.


In my AO, we are routinely sent on serious injury or serious medical (heart attack, person down w/ unknown reason) squad calls. Our AEDs get a lot of use. Our squads won't go into hazardous scenes or potentially hazardous scenes before we arrive. Nor should they. They are on board with the rescue task force concept and have body armor and helmets on the squads.

Denver Paramedics ride with Level II vests on at all times and Level IIIA vests in the bus for hot calls.


...they put her in sex crimes. I didn't want to hear anything about what she was working on.

Little kid stuff is fucked up and historically something I've had a hard time with. I ruled out pediatrics in my first year as a result

[tanner]

I'd do it all again. It's the best worst job there is. I'd rather my son not become a cop, though. Primarily because it's changing so rapidly. It's not the job today it was when I started, although that pendulum may swing again.



I was going to write something along the lines of this, but probably not as well. I can only add that it was a front row seat to the greatest show on earth. Good cops are among the best people I have ever had the fortune to spend time with. Proud to be a part of the police family.

[Larry Sellers]

There you have it. My shit was bad enough, but I knew a female officer who became a detective. Since she was junior, and probably because she was female, they put her in sex crimes. I didn't want to hear anything about what she was working on.

As for people hating cops/loving firemen, it's all relative. Number one in civilian complaints was the PD, but the FD was a very close second, followed by every other city employee. It was like people lived to bitch about anybody that got a city paycheck.


100% agreed there. I think once in a 24 hour tour someone walks by the firehouse or on an ems run I hear "must be great to sit around all day, eat chili and play cards" Usually gets the "I'm sure it is, where can I get that gig?" response

[blues]

blues, you continue to share your thoughts, experiences, dreams, and your sense of humor in words that are always interesting, but more importantly, are needed here. It's a very old cliche, but there really ISN'T any substitute for experience. When reading your posts, I get the feeling that I've known you for a long time - a true gift, Sir. Thank you for sharing it and everything else - with us. Last and certainly not least, thanks for your years of sacrifice and service.

You are much too kind but I certainly appreciate the words and the friendship.

[Gray222]

Lets see...

Love the job, dislike the majority of the people I work with, especially the cowardly paper-pusher types. The ones studying for their next promotional test rather than answering the radio or doing the job. The backstabbing and office-politics type of bullshit is something I did not know of before going into LE, and having a good bit of experience with it now, I generally dislike dealing with most LEOs outside the job, unless they are the type of people I know won't do that type of crap.

LE changes everyone, anyone who says it hasn't changed them is lying or ignorant to that fact. The first time some drunk or crazy guy tries to kill you, the first time you see a dead kid, the first fatal collision you handle, the first crazy robbery/shooting/homicide/etc scene you have, the first domestic where one of the parties can't talk because their mouth is broken and face is swollen and the other parties tells you "I ain't goin to jail!" Things like that will totally change someone, they should, its natural. I've seen coworkers drink their issues away into an early grave and have unhealthy psychological issues stemming from their on-duty trauma which isn't talked about in any way, and is not expected to be talked about in any tangible way.

The long hours suck, missing family stuff really sucks. Taking care of your family is #1 priority, that also means taking care of yourself in the process. Take that day off every two or three weeks to spend with the family and recharge. That beach trip your wife has been talking about in the summer will only happen if you make it happen, better have the good memories of good days rather than empty holes where memories should have been, you being on duty and your family being home without you. The money will be there, OT will be there, that investigation and those victims will all be there tomorrow. No reason to give up your family for that. Hell, nearly every single person I work with is on their second or third marriage, the job is poison to relationships with a non-service spouse, and if the normal stuff doesn't get you, then the fact women (and men, we don't judge) fawn over you like your penis is made out of solid gold, so that kills marriages. I've seen it all with my coworkers, for such an "ethical" field, there sure are some shitty moral standards for sex. Maybe it's the education? Who knows, I don't care either way, free will and all that jazz.

I knew people were messed up and evil, in general, before I got on the job. I wanted to see it for myself. I remember seeing news articles of crimes of random people committing crazy acts of evil, grown man kidnapping and forcing to have sex with minors, killing people in their sleep, etc etc. They were just words to me, I wanted to see it for myself if this type of stuff actually happened and how far down the human experience rabbit hole I could go. Well I am still going, and it's been a hell of journey. I never really trust the random person walking around, now a days I most definitely don't trust anyway I don't know before hand in some way, even then it's still an iffy situation. Then again I don't go out of my way to meet new people, I have people I know, family, friends who I train with or know will do what needs to be done with a call in the middle of the night. I remove people from my life the moment they don't conform to those standards, especially if there is some level of drama involved (I do not care for any drama, at all, in any capacity, unless a person is on mission all the time, I have no time for them) - this is all stuff I developed through my work experience. There are people at work I do not trust to drive their vehicle in a straight line but the government gives them a badge and a gun. I won't accept them as backup as much as I won't put myself on a case with them because if I am asked on the stand if I trust them the answer would be no. They know this as I have absolutely zero issue with letting people know these things - you have to trust the people you work with after all, and if you can't you need to make sure they know not to get involved in things. I generally find myself having less time for weak or cowardly people. (That's not only in a physical way, but emotional, mental, spiritual, etc)

I would most definitely recommend anyone to take on this job, but as long as they do it for the right reasons. If you want to be some paper-pushing bureaucrat and can't hack in the DA's office or public office, then LE is not for you, most definitely not street work. Yet we have those with aspirations of high office and power. Lots of boots come out of the academy all wide-eyed and wet behind the ears ready to pay homage to Judge Dredd and then they get stuck with an old salty fucker who hates the job, hates the supervisors, is running his time down and won't get involved in shit, "don't you dare touch that radio kid, we aren't going to that hot call, let the heroes do it." Complain to your sergeant? Ha! Good fucking luck, hope you boots are good because you'll be walking a beat in the middle of winter, because fuck you and fuck any other boot who wants to do the job. Finding good FTO's is 90% of the problem with boots, because most of the FTO's can't stand the job and just punch the clock, don't give a damn about what happens, have nothing invested in it other than their time. "Just making sure I get to my pension, this city is going to pay me for a long time!" Those are the same guys who die 6 months after retirement because they realize they nothing without the job.

I want the guys/gals who want to help people, the ones who hear that priority tone key up and drop that sandwich, flush that toilet, stow that cup of coffee and start driving lights sirens in an unknown direction because they know there is something going to be happening and they want to be first on scene. I learned about the concept of "dying well" not from Kyle Defoor, but from an old as fuck Marine infantry cop who had nearly 40 years on the job when I got on. He told me really early in my career that when that hot call comes out, when that officer needs assistance call comes out, when that call for a not breathing kid comes out, any other type of call which the general public needs help and you are the only person who can provide that help, "tag, you it, ya feel me? Cuz, if you ain't going, then who the fuck is? huh? Who? Not that cowardly fuck as your shift partner in that other car, he's too chickenshit to fail, and to witness some crazy shit. Fuck him, he shouldn't be on your radar anyways. You have to look yourself in the mirror and go to sleep at night, kiss yo kids and wife, ya know? Now how in da hell you gana do that knowing you was a coward and never made it to help someone cuz you was scared? That's some cowardly weak shit, quit now if that's the tip you on." He grew in some serious segregated areas, wasn't the most educated in terms of book smarts, but did his fair share of gun fighting and taught me more than a few solid lessons on the job. Rest his soul.

Knowing what I know now, I probably would have gotten my 4 year degree before getting on the job and then going state. It's a better job, more discipline, more expectations of a particular type of person is going to backing you up and recourse if they are a cowardly POS. I'd definitely do it again, I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything, good or bad.

If my kids would want to go into LE, I'd make sure they get a 4 year degree in a SMET (science, math, engineering, technology) and/or clinical field (medicine, psychology/etc) or JD, before I'd sign off on them applying. Once you are on the job, going back to school is extremely difficult, especially if you plan on having a family or if you already have a family. Having a solid degree in something serious you could quit today and get a job in tomorrow is worth its weight in gold as most departments will likely put you in a position to use that degree to their benefit (and yours) after your street time. Then I'd make sure once they get on they get a good FTO who will keep them in the "know" and treat them the way they should be treated - like a damn boot. They are trained up and competent with the things they need to be in order to survive at the end of the day, and I would make sure they take and get promoted on every single promotional test that comes by. Help them study, help them with the oral boards, etc. You can be the best street cop in the world, but you are still just the bottom rung, getting pissed on by anyone with a fake gold emblem. Changing the way things are done starts at the top, but through serious street experience. In a busy place that doesn't take long, I'd make sure they are thrown to the wolves, in the shittiest areas possible, why? Because I want the journey to the top to be difficult and mean something for them. I do not want to remove hardships from their path, I want to put hardships in their path and watch them succeed, or fail, then get back up and succeed. If I do my part they will do theirs, but that's more of the way I raise my kids and not the way police work is.

One thing I will say, after a career in police work, the world is an open book. Most PD's will give you a pension of some kind and some sort of medical - that's unheard of in many fields now, especially the private sector, and I'd say that the guys/gals who go on to their second careers in the criminal justice field or doing what they know best (like teaching young minds about reality) that is definitely a person who is worth their weight in whatever salary they request. A retired police officer's life experience can easily trump most others in terms of real world applicable understanding and knowledge. There are colleges who want these retirees to teach CJ, psychology, or ethics. Some of the best lawyers and judges are retired cops. Just have to plan for it, I hope all those who are soon retiring are considering doing something which puts their knowledge to good use. Hell, worst case scenario go back to school, get a masters and teach at the local school or academy. Your experience and input are priceless, don't let them go to waste.

[Dr. No]

How did it change me? I don't trust people. Especially coaches, teachers, and youth pastors. You can't always tell what evil looks like. I don't like crowds. I have a hard time getting worked up about stupid shit that annoys the piss outta my wife.

Couldn't have said it better. I used to love going to live music and bars...

[Unobtanium]

100% agreed there. I think once in a 24 hour tour someone walks by the firehouse or on an ems run I hear "must be great to sit around all day, eat chili and play cards" Usually gets the "I'm sure it is, where can I get that gig?" response

The best I heard in the ER once was (to EMS/Fire crew): "You all just do this for the money!" *whole ER erupts into awkward silence*

[Unobtanium]

Lets see...

Love the job, dislike the majority of the people I work with, especially the cowardly paper-pusher types. The ones studying for their next promotional test rather than answering the radio or doing the job. The backstabbing and office-politics type of bullshit is something I did not know of before going into LE, and having a good bit of experience with it now, I generally dislike dealing with most LEOs outside the job, unless they are the type of people I know won't do that type of crap.

LE changes everyone, anyone who says it hasn't changed them is lying or ignorant to that fact. The first time some drunk or crazy guy tries to kill you, the first time you see a dead kid, the first fatal collision you handle, the first crazy robbery/shooting/homicide/etc scene you have, the first domestic where one of the parties can't talk because their mouth is broken and face is swollen and the other parties tells you "I ain't goin to jail!" Things like that will totally change someone, they should, its natural. I've seen coworkers drink their issues away into an early grave and have unhealthy psychological issues stemming from their on-duty trauma which isn't talked about in any way, and is not expected to be talked about in any tangible way.

The long hours suck, missing family stuff really sucks. Taking care of your family is #1 priority, that also means taking care of yourself in the process. Take that day off every two or three weeks to spend with the family and recharge. That beach trip your wife has been talking about in the summer will only happen if you make it happen, better have the good memories of good days rather than empty holes where memories should have been, you being on duty and your family being home without you. The money will be there, OT will be there, that investigation and those victims will all be there tomorrow. No reason to give up your family for that. Hell, nearly every single person I work with is on their second or third marriage, the job is poison to relationships with a non-service spouse, and if the normal stuff doesn't get you, then the fact women (and men, we don't judge) fawn over you like your penis is made out of solid gold, so that kills marriages. I've seen it all with my coworkers, for such an "ethical" field, there sure are some shitty moral standards for sex. Maybe it's the education? Who knows, I don't care either way, free will and all that jazz.

I knew people were messed up and evil, in general, before I got on the job. I wanted to see it for myself. I remember seeing news articles of crimes of random people committing crazy acts of evil, grown man kidnapping and forcing to have sex with minors, killing people in their sleep, etc etc. They were just words to me, I wanted to see it for myself if this type of stuff actually happened and how far down the human experience rabbit hole I could go. Well I am still going, and it's been a hell of journey. I never really trust the random person walking around, now a days I most definitely don't trust anyway I don't know before hand in some way, even then it's still an iffy situation. Then again I don't go out of my way to meet new people, I have people I know, family, friends who I train with or know will do what needs to be done with a call in the middle of the night. I remove people from my life the moment they don't conform to those standards, especially if there is some level of drama involved (I do not care for any drama, at all, in any capacity, unless a person is on mission all the time, I have no time for them) - this is all stuff I developed through my work experience. There are people at work I do not trust to drive their vehicle in a straight line but the government gives them a badge and a gun. I won't accept them as backup as much as I won't put myself on a case with them because if I am asked on the stand if I trust them the answer would be no. They know this as I have absolutely zero issue with letting people know these things - you have to trust the people you work with after all, and if you can't you need to make sure they know not to get involved in things. I generally find myself having less time for weak or cowardly people. (That's not only in a physical way, but emotional, mental, spiritual, etc)

I would most definitely recommend anyone to take on this job, but as long as they do it for the right reasons. If you want to be some paper-pushing bureaucrat and can't hack in the DA's office or public office, then LE is not for you, most definitely not street work. Yet we have those with aspirations of high office and power. Lots of boots come out of the academy all wide-eyed and wet behind the ears ready to pay homage to Judge Dredd and then they get stuck with an old salty fucker who hates the job, hates the supervisors, is running his time down and won't get involved in shit, "don't you dare touch that radio kid, we aren't going to that hot call, let the heroes do it." Complain to your sergeant? Ha! Good fucking luck, hope you boots are good because you'll be walking a beat in the middle of winter, because fuck you and fuck any other boot who wants to do the job. Finding good FTO's is 90% of the problem with boots, because most of the FTO's can't stand the job and just punch the clock, don't give a damn about what happens, have nothing invested in it other than their time. "Just making sure I get to my pension, this city is going to pay me for a long time!" Those are the same guys who die 6 months after retirement because they realize they nothing without the job.

I want the guys/gals who want to help people, the ones who hear that priority tone key up and drop that sandwich, flush that toilet, stow that cup of coffee and start driving lights sirens in an unknown direction because they know there is something going to be happening and they want to be first on scene. I learned about the concept of "dying well" not from Kyle Defoor, but from an old as fuck Marine infantry cop who had nearly 40 years on the job when I got on. He told me really early in my career that when that hot call comes out, when that officer needs assistance call comes out, when that call for a not breathing kid comes out, any other type of call which the general public needs help and you are the only person who can provide that help, "tag, you it, ya feel me? Cuz, if you ain't going, then who the fuck is? huh? Who? Not that cowardly fuck as your shift partner in that other car, he's too chickenshit to fail, and to witness some crazy shit. Fuck him, he shouldn't be on your radar anyways. You have to look yourself in the mirror and go to sleep at night, kiss yo kids and wife, ya know? Now how in da hell you gana do that knowing you was a coward and never made it to help someone cuz you was scared? That's some cowardly weak shit, quit now if that's the tip you on." He grew in some serious segregated areas, wasn't the most educated in terms of book smarts, but did his fair share of gun fighting and taught me more than a few solid lessons on the job. Rest his soul.

Knowing what I know now, I probably would have gotten my 4 year degree before getting on the job and then going state. It's a better job, more discipline, more expectations of a particular type of person is going to backing you up and recourse if they are a cowardly POS. I'd definitely do it again, I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything, good or bad.

If my kids would want to go into LE, I'd make sure they get a 4 year degree in a SMET (science, math, engineering, technology) and/or clinical field (medicine, psychology/etc) or JD, before I'd sign off on them applying. Once you are on the job, going back to school is extremely difficult, especially if you plan on having a family or if you already have a family. Having a solid degree in something serious you could quit today and get a job in tomorrow is worth its weight in gold as most departments will likely put you in a position to use that degree to their benefit (and yours) after your street time. Then I'd make sure once they get on they get a good FTO who will keep them in the "know" and treat them the way they should be treated - like a damn boot. They are trained up and competent with the things they need to be in order to survive at the end of the day, and I would make sure they take and get promoted on every single promotional test that comes by. Help them study, help them with the oral boards, etc. You can be the best street cop in the world, but you are still just the bottom rung, getting pissed on by anyone with a fake gold emblem. Changing the way things are done starts at the top, but through serious street experience. In a busy place that doesn't take long, I'd make sure they are thrown to the wolves, in the shittiest areas possible, why? Because I want the journey to the top to be difficult and mean something for them. I do not want to remove hardships from their path, I want to put hardships in their path and watch them succeed, or fail, then get back up and succeed. If I do my part they will do theirs, but that's more of the way I raise my kids and not the way police work is.

One thing I will say, after a career in police work, the world is an open book. Most PD's will give you a pension of some kind and some sort of medical - that's unheard of in many fields now, especially the private sector, and I'd say that the guys/gals who go on to their second careers in the criminal justice field or doing what they know best (like teaching young minds about reality) that is definitely a person who is worth their weight in whatever salary they request. A retired police officer's life experience can easily trump most others in terms of real world applicable understanding and knowledge. There are colleges who want these retirees to teach CJ, psychology, or ethics. Some of the best lawyers and judges are retired cops. Just have to plan for it, I hope all those who are soon retiring are considering doing something which puts their knowledge to good use. Hell, worst case scenario go back to school, get a masters and teach at the local school or academy. Your experience and input are priceless, don't let them go to waste.

My most interesting class in college was the one I didn't even need to take. CJ107. We had some flake of a teacher, and then she got replaced by a Shreveport PD officer who ran Queens area (Shreveport), night shift. White guy. He simply looked "switched on". 24 years in the dept. White. Queens. I had to ask "Dude, what did you do..." "I ran my mouth", was basically the answer. That guy had a ton of knowledge and experience to impart, and I feel like he was "wasted" on a CJ107 class, but I enjoyed that class immensely because of him!

Since I have been dealing with the public (my whole life, first in sales, now in medical), I have come to the same conclusions you have in many respects. Dealing direct with the public, on the worst days of their lives only, watching them watch their kids die when you can do nothing. Seeing babies drowned and unable to be resussitated, dealing with the violent criminal cuffed to your bed paralized from a GSW from the waist down still cursing and trying to fight with you while you start that PIV and get the suction and chest-tube setup ready and have the Ranger and all that shit...you gain perspectives that you simply cannot gain any other way, and skill-sets much the same, and quite frankly, it's made me very jaded and quite apathetic to the "I had a bad day at work, the copier jammed, and then they yelled at me..." types. Well did you watch a child die while their parents beat on their hands and chest screaming and wailing about "DON'T STOP!!!!! *INSERT NAME* WAKE UP, SON!!!!" Well then screw your boss and your copier, I'm going to bed.

Is my attitude correct? Is it positive? Well, I don't drink, I stay fit, I am on no anti-depressants nor do I feel "down" or have suicidal moments, nor do I try to harm people vindictively even when I have the chance (I am not the ER nurse who chooses a 14 gauge when an 18 will do). So maybe my attitude toward some things is pretty damn minor. I'll let my peers judge.


*Perspective of a 7 year critical care nurse, for comparison, and how I relate to the posts I am reading/a little about me.

What did healthcare teach me?

-People lie. A lot. All the time. It's what they do.
-People are extremely ignorant about even the most important things. Things that can and will kill them dead. Willfully ignorant. "How long have you taken these meds?" "5, 6 years." What meds are they, and the doses?" "Oh, my wife has all that, she here yet?"
-People will behave as badly as you let them. I'm not a huge guy, but at 190# and 12% and under 6', I am not totally small, either, and I have taken over for plenty of other nurses when violent patients (we can do nothing about that, just get hit, it's your job) typically will not mess with me. Maybe they sense that I'm "not the one".
-People are also wonderful. I have taken care of plenty of people who I wish I could have met on a good day, because even on the worst day of their lives, it almost makes you cry how gracefully they handle things. From the terminal cancer patient who you over-hear getting a phone-call and answering "Oh, not much, just up here at the hospital kicking the bucket." to the now widow of a 50+ year marriage who walks out of the room after spending only 2-3 minutes with her husband's body, and when you offer her the privacy to stay longer, she sweetly says "That's not my husband, that's just his body, and we had a wonderful life. I'm going home, thank-you so much for making him comfortable."

You see the best, you see the worst, and as another poster said...it's the greatest show on earth.

[nwhpfan]

I've been on for 20 years, almost half my life. I always wanted to be in LE, I always wanted to "help people." I spent 4 years in the Marines, got out, got a job in a small little "sleepy" town with a very happy name. Here's what I thought:

1: Most people liked the cops
2: I'd probably spend a lot of time doing stuff like getting fixing little kids bicycles and waving at people.
3: I had never heard of the term "crank" and never heard the term "tweaker."

Que the skidding sound now...

The town I went to work for turned out to be the "Meth Capital" of my state. My first shift I arrested some guy on a warrant who tried to swallow his "crank" so my FTO and I had "get it out." I had this tweaked out homeless pair get into a fight in the middle of the highway and while booking them in the girl dropped her pants and shit right on the floor. I remember driving down the road and seeing some kid pumping both arms with middle fingers yelling "Fuck You Pig" as I drove by. I learned there really wasn't a lot of people that wanted my help but catching bad guys was fun. I got in car chases, took guns off people, found big wads of meth arrested a couple different people for stabbing people (Attempted Murder), made some real good friends and had a whole lot of fun doing it.

So after a couple years I went to work for a much bigger agency in a community of a couple hundred thousand people and it was like bigger fish in a bigger pond. I did the same thing, same stuff except now I had more opportunities to find turds. And even better, unlike the first place, we had Detectives that took all that lame office works stuff, like child abuse cases, that got in the way of something exciting like finding a baggy of meth or getting somebody in a stolen car.

But after 8 years of working all night and going to court all day I decided I might want to get promoted and to do that (at that time) you had to have Detective experience. So I took the test and was fortunate enough a whole bunch of Detectives got promoted to Sgt. which made some vacancies for me. So I ended up working major crimes for a couple years. Rape, Murder, OIS. Worked 4/5/9 with every other Friday off. And for the first time I was actually helping people. I was getting cases and meeting people's family and friends. I was talking to them on a regular basis. I realized a lot of the things I did in the previous 10 years, except for all the DUII's really didn't matter. Property crimes like stolen vehicle and dope cases went "diversion" or "drug court" and/or probation and really didn't matter. In fact now in my state marijuana is legal and possession of cocaine, meth, heroin is a misdemeanor until a fairly significant amount. I really like this work, I was in my 30's and felt I was really making a difference for some really good people. I provided "justice." Women that were raped, a guy that got his eye gouged out, multiple women that were sexually abused. But something else was starting to happen...I was starting to see how messed up things were around me. I saw how this supervisor or that made poor decisions, or treated people poorly; citizens and/or other cops. I felt it was up to somebody like me to "get in there" and do my part to make the agency a better plce. So I put in and got promoted. I went went back to patrol, then back to detectives, then back to patrol.

Here's where I have changed.

I am much more a "of the community for the community" kind of person than ever before. This is "their" community, their neighborhood and I'm charged with keeping the peace, preventing crime, and holding offenders accountable. Ie, the person that actually stops the bad guys, or finds the ones that stole, assaulted, etc.

It is not who I am. It is what I do.

Courage and bravery are easy to come by, and that is good. Sadly, integrity is not.

Too many around me fail to recognize we police at the consent of the people.

But at the end of the day your first loyalty is to the people you serve, then to the profession, then the agency.

[rojocorsa]

What can I say? This is a timely thread for me... thank y'all for starting it and participating in it.

[andre3k]

I can't complain. This job has been pretty good to me despite all the bullshit it brings. I make more than most of my non- LE friends, I can take off 2+ months a year and have a decent pension, when I get burned out I can go to a new division and have an entirely different career path. My department paid for both of my degrees and I've been blessed to work enough good paying extra jobs to allow my wife to stay at home and not have us struggle.

I could bitch and complain about the fucked up things I've seen but I knew what I was getting into 6 months into this job. Nobody is forcing me to stay in this career and if my kids wanted to do it then there isn't much I would do to stop them other than to make sure they have a bachelors degree beforehand. I try to focus more on the positives to this job than the negatives.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[Hideeho]

33 years, mostly NY. Some other places. Started in 78. Stopped in 12. A list of changes:

Don't watch cop shows or movies anymore. If Malloy and Reed showed me how F'd up I would feel working midnights I would never taken the job.

Don't eat out anymore. Been in too many restaurant kitchens.

Don't eat donuts. Been in too many donut shop kitchens.

Don't eat anything other than cereal after 9pm. Grease will kill you at 3am.

Learned to use White Castle as a laxative.

Don't ride in elevators. Been stuck in urine filled elevators waiting for FD to rescue me. Also took a 1 story drop. I stick to stairs.

Always back car into parking spaces. Old-time drinkers taught me that trick.

Expect an LE discount on any firearm I buy, otherwise won't buy. S&W taught me that in '78.

Learned not to burn the candle at both ends after working midnights. Ages you beyond years.

Learned not to drink after working midnights. I was 21, my first FTO asked me to breakfast after a midnight. Crawled home at 2 pm. Still lived at home. Mom questioned my career decision.

I look up often. Otherwise a garbage can or a brick might land on my head.

Learned you had to walk before you could run.

Pretty good at controling adrenaline.

I try control situations.

Learned command presence.

Became a listener and not a talker. I think about what people are saying. Not what I want to say next.

Became a big believer in "There But For the Grace of God Go I."

I don't take things personally. You can MF me and say anything mean to me. Your words mean nothing. The person speaking has to mean something to me before the words to have meaning.

There are no fair fights. There are no street rules.

Learned to believe nothing i heard and only half of what I saw.

[w provence]

33 years, mostly NY. Some other places. Started in 78. Stopped in 12. A list of changes:

Don't watch cop shows or movies anymore. If Malloy and Reed showed me how F'd up I would feel working midnights I would never taken the job.

Don't eat out anymore. Been in too many restaurant kitchens.

Don't eat donuts. Been in too many donut shop kitchens.

Don't eat anything other than cereal after 9pm. Grease will kill you at 3am.

Learned to use White Castle as a laxative.

Don't ride in elevators. Been stuck in urine filled elevators waiting for FD to rescue me. Also took a 1 story drop. I stick to stairs.

Always back car into parking spaces. Old-time drinkers taught me that trick.

Expect an LE discount on any firearm I buy, otherwise won't buy. S&W taught me that in '78.

Learned not to burn the candle at both ends after working midnights. Ages you beyond years.

Learned not to drink after working midnights. I was 21, my first FTO asked me to breakfast after a midnight. Crawled home at 2 pm. Still lived at home. Mom questioned my career decision.

I look up often. Otherwise a garbage can or a brick might land on my head.

Learned you had to walk before you could run.

Pretty good at controling adrenaline.

I try control situations.

Learned command presence.

Became a listener and not a talker. I think about what people are saying. Not what I want to say next.

Became a big believer in "There But For the Grace of God Go I."

I don't take things personally. You can MF me and say anything mean to me. Your words mean nothing. The person speaking has to mean something to me before the words to have meaning.

There are no fair fights. There are no street rules.

Learned to believe nothing i heard and only half of what I saw.

Amen


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Magsz]

Ive been on since 4/20/2016 (Yep, that's actually my hire date) and the biggest thing that I've noticed is that I exercise super human levels of patience at work but the second I get off I'm short with people when it comes to having to deal with their bullshit. I have absolutely zero patience for deceit and the normal rigamarole of life. I guess one could say I come across as an asshole but I always try and soften the "blow" after the exchange is done. My latest car buying experience probably gave the salesman and manager PTSD.

One thing I learned almost immediately was to avoid the toxic old timers. I really don't care how much you think this job sucks, the industry sucks, how useless we are and how the department has fucked you over. Law enforcement has changed, EVERY industry changes for good and for bad but you either roll with it and adapt or you get the fuck out and stop whining.

[Jesting Devil]

Thank you all for what you do and sharing your insights.

[KevH]

I became a police cadet in high school, a non-sworn employee at eighteen to pay my way through college, and got hired on as a sworn peace officer at 21. I look back on it and am completely shocked just how young I was and the types of horrific things my younger self was exposed to.

I work in the San Francisco Bay Area in a fairly active area. I feel very fortunate I was able to work in this profession around the 9/11 timeframe before police were reviled. January 1, 2009 with the Grant/Mehserle incident everything changed and dawned a new era for police. I feel bad for the folks that didn't get to experience what it was like before that.

Has this job changed me? I know it has, but because I didn't have much of an adult life without it I don't think I feel/see the changes the way some folks do. I hate crowds and am very guarded. I generally don't feel very comfortable with non-LE folks, especially those without a similar level of experience to me. I've been fortunate to be a patrol officer, a K9 handler, a major crimes detective, and to work on a street team. I've seen the absolute worst that human beings can do to one another and have had more experience in my career than most.

What I can absolutely say is that I do not hate people and I continue to love my job. I love interacting with the public and being able to help people. As much as I complain about it sometimes, I also love the department and city that I work for which seems to be rare these days.

The way I can break down this career is that if you're psyche can handle it you tend to perform like this:

- <1 year: You're lost and trying to figure out what the hell is going on
- Year 1-4: You're learning the trade
- Year 5-9: You've figured it out and are the most productive you will likely be
- Year 10-15: You've experienced a lot and are now trying to figure out what you are going to do with the rest of your career and where your place is in the organization
- Year 16-20: You're either jaded and hate the place, you're trying to climb a ladder, or you're just happy to be where you're at and aren't gonna go out there and light the world on fire
- Year 21+: You're coasting to retirement and hopefully willing to pass on all that you've learned to others

Even with the current tone created by the media, I still love this job and can't see myself wanting to do anything else. It has come at a great cost to my personal life and sometimes my own mental health, but the fact of the matter is it is still the greatest show on earth. If I'm ever lucky enough to have kids would I want them to do it? Probably not, but if they wanted to and I thought they were wired the right way I would support them.

[Unobtanium]

Ive been on since 4/20/2016 (Yep, that's actually my hire date) and the biggest thing that I've noticed is that I exercise super human levels of patience at work but the second I get off I'm short with people when it comes to having to deal with their bullshit. I have absolutely zero patience for deceit and the normal rigamarole of life. I guess one could say I come across as an asshole but I always try and soften the "blow" after the exchange is done. My latest car buying experience probably gave the salesman and manager PTSD.

One thing I learned almost immediately was to avoid the toxic old timers. I really don't care how much you think this job sucks, the industry sucks, how useless we are and how the department has fucked you over. Law enforcement has changed, EVERY industry changes for good and for bad but you either roll with it and adapt or you get the fuck out and stop whining.

Yes. This is also me sometimes. I burn all of my patience and longsuffering at work. When I'm off, I hold people on their jobs to the same standards I perform at on mine. When or if they fail, I am not the person I should be sometimes.

[Kyle Reese]

Yes. This is also me sometimes. I burn all of my patience and longsuffering at work. When I'm off, I hold people on their jobs to the same standards I perform at on mine. When or if they fail, I am not the person I should be sometimes.I'm the same way, and have found that I have even less of a tolerance for BS, shenanigans and incompetence than I did prior. It is what it is, I guess.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[blues]

I'm the same way, and have found that I have even less of a tolerance for BS, shenanigans and incompetence than I did prior. It is what it is, I guess.

Just wait until you get a bit older more seasoned. (Don't ask me how I know.)

[fwrun]

I used to be nice. Not as much anymore, except with family. They are everything.

Unlike most of the officers I work with, I will not stand around and listen to the nonsense BS stories from complainants/suspects. I have no problem telling liars and exaggerators that they are liars and that I don't have time for their BS within moments of them starting that shit. I go through loops of motivation and dreading my department, but I love the work and the occasional thrill.

I used to support body cameras before becoming an officer. Now I despise them. They are never used to help my case, and have only been used in attempts to discredit my work. Prosecutors rarely watch the footage if you have it, and if for some reason the camera was non-functional, case is tossed. I want to ask them every week, how did the criminal justice system work before BWC's?

[gskip]

2 and a half years on in a 50 man department in a city of 80,000-120,000.

I've had plenty of bad calls and seen some messed up stuff....but honestly? It doesn't bother me. I mean it sucks and I've cried on scene before when I was doing CPR on a baby that looked just like my boy, but I cried and then I got over it. That's the second baby I've done CPR on. Both died. The first at least I was able to bring back long enough for the family to say good bye but the poor lil dude was brain dead. I'd like to think I at least helped them remember him better than this most recent one. There was no saving him.

I have no idea but I really am not bothered by the job. I think it's fun and lets me see the real world. Not that BS on TV. I'd rather do this than sit in an office and complain about how they aren't stocking the organic juice anymore and its only that off brand shite. But computer tech companies are weird.


I got into the career cause I wanted to help people. I always have. And I can say honestly that I have helped countless people in just these past two years. Plus I get to chase bad guys and shoot guns and drive fast.

If you wanna be a cop, go for it. Have fun and be safe. It is either your time or it's not, so relax and try to enjoy life. That doesn't mean don't carry a gun or TQ, but just try to breathe.

[NMPOPS]

Hello, first post on this forum. Looks like a good place to be. I have a total of 28 years in LE ( 6 yrs Military Police, 5 yrs State Police and 18 years City Police). About half my time was spent as a Detective investigating child abuse and sex crimes. I became a cop because I had an idea that I could change things. Don't know how much anything changed. I've been retired for 11 years ans have very few friends who aren't cops or firefighters, I carry a gun at least in part because I feel lost without it and I look at all people with at least some suspicion and over the years have become somewhat of a curmudgeon.