I'm entertaining the idea of becoming a law enforcement officer or joining the military but I guess this thread could be mainly about LE. To my understanding, most LE guys here on PF are pretty squared away so I was wondering in your opinon, what are some skillsets that seperate a good officer from a subpar one that doesn't really care about their "job"? I know for a fact that interfacing with people, writing, firearm proficiency and medical are very important but anything else?
Aside from your list is finding a good FTO or senior officer and keeping your mouth and your eyes open.
You will learn the skillsets through experience and by listening to experienced officers.
Once you get your base officer safety skills down you need to branch out and find training which will expand them a develop them.
Articulation is another absolutely required skillset, this is developed through experience and through education.
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I started with a simple template given to our class by John Bowman, Dave Wittrock and Hershel Davis; 1) out think them. 2) out talk them. 3) out fight them. I back filled from there. One thing I see missing from your list is driving. I've taken a number of driving courses over the years, mostly focused on racing in the last 10 years but when I started I took EVOC classes as well as regular old defensive driving courses. This has helped in a number of ways off the job such as lower insurance rates, and I've been able to pick up protection gigs simply because I can drive.Originally Posted by Olim9
Last edited by Paul Sharp; 01-21-2017 at 09:03 AM.
"There is magic in misery. You need to constantly fail. Always bite off more than you can chew, put yourself in situations where you don't succeed then really analyze why you didn't succeed." - Dean Karnazes www.sbgillinois.com
The best thing you can have is a skill set that can get you a productive job outside of law enforcement.
The next best thing you can do is learn to manage a budget and save money. Cops are notorious for making a nickel and spending a dime, and ruining their careers and lives with OT and extra jobs.
The thing that often separates the best of officers, and the guy that doesn't care about his "job" anymore is time. I'm not saying that if you stick around long enough you'll become disgruntled and lazy. A lot of the guys that don't care anymore, started off as dedicated hard working officers, make huge emotional investments into the job, and eventually the constant beating of politics and bureaucracy wears them down. Unfortunately a lot of these guys are one trick ponies, they are great police officers, and even though they young enough to get out and start a new career, they don't have many transferable job skills.
Whether you think you can or you can't, you're probably right.
FWIW, as a non LE outside observer, seems a critical skill would be the ability to NOT take stuff personally when it shouldn't be taken personally.
Have buttons that are hard to push.
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." - Thomas Jefferson, Virginia Constitution, Draft 1, 1776
Patience.
Leave the stresses of the job on the job, and don't use alcohol as an emotional crutch. Lots of guys get jammed up or fired for DV issues and booze.
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A lot of good answers here. Obviously mental and physical fitness and preparation are essential as are communication skills...both for dealing with the brass and the public.
In light of today's litigious times and the omnipresent cell phone video I'd emphatically stress not only an intimate familiarity with your agency / department's own regulations but knowing the law you are charged with enforcing and the continuum of force.
You may not only have to articulate and justify your actions to your superiors...you may have to articulate them in court. And depending on circumstances and the vagaries of fate, you may be sitting at the defendant's table rather than the prosecution's.
Keep a cool head and your wits about you. Anticipate what you may be dealing with and once you have decided upon a course of action, see it through.
There's nothing civil about this war.
What Blues said.
It might have been someone on this Board who not long ago quoted Don Corleone: "I spent my whole life trying not to be careless. Women and children can afford to be careless, but not men."
Don Corleone's caution is applicable not only to Mafia Dons, but also to Officer Friendly. Maybe especially to Officer Friendly because, if things go sideways, he has fewer remaining options than your typical neighborhood Mafia Don.
Learn how to write. Good reports means less court.
Learn how to communicate well. That means listening and speaking.
Policing is a people job and the more you can deescalate stuff the better.
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