Nationwide News Pty Limited Copyright © 2021. Learn more about the role including real reviews and ratings from current Police Officers, common tasks and duties, how much Police Officers earn in your state, the skills current Employers are looking for and common education and career pathways. The job benefits of being a police officer are quite valuable in many communities – and we’re not talking about the free coffee that local businesses might offer. Depends on what your definition of "good" is, doesn't it? TODAY’S society is captivated by police work. (Slager is scheduled to go to trial for first-degree murder in October after being released on $500,000 bail in January.) “Certain car accidents stay with you forever and jobs that involve child protection issues are always heartbreaking.”. Salaries include superannuation. I couldn't handle the continuous stress, dealing with flap wits all day, shift work, seeing car crashes etc. Being a police officer can be great. I had to resign as I had been through a personal tragedy which needed me to take a significant amount of time off to recover physically and emotionally,” she explained. Our full time officers will work 40 hours per week while part time officers will work 24 hours per week. It is more of a reason of satiation. Police officers have a very big job responsibility, to protect the people. If you’re the type to always follow through in performing top-quality work, whether or not a … “We develop ways to deal with the trauma we see, which most won’t understand. It takes a motivated and passionate person to be an effective and reliable police officer. Under the right circumstances, working as a police officer means getting to help people on a daily basis, doing work that really matters, and receiving a decent salary for it. Picture: Braden FastierSource:News Corp Australia. You can also work together with your fellow officers to develop a sense of the shared values and principles you should focus on in your work. Though this work can be extremely rewarding, it does come with some risks. Nathan explains that policing can consume an officer’s thoughts and conversations. There are such individualistic skills and abilities with these professions (admittedly with many others as well) require. There is little opportunity to wo... 5 ways to talk to achievements in your resume, 5 attitudes that could be holding you back at work, Policing is for those people that are passionate about making the community safer place. Data Entry with a Target limit of 100 x150 a day of traffic offences and offenders. I left a well paying job as a lawyer for the Police because being a lawyer is the worst job in the world. If you put serving your community first, you'll be off to a good start. Some police officers have specialist jobs, such as being a detective, a traffic officer or a police dog handler. For example, looking for suspicious behavior and communicating with people are skills that police officers and security guards share. Challenging, job security was high, wry good salary, considerate. They need to know that police work is more than chasing suspects. Many jurisdictions offer their officers a free gym membership to help them stay fit. You love saving lives. You have to be in good shape, both mentally and physically, you have to be prepared to spend hours doing nothing at all and then burst into action at a moment's notice. Being a law enforcement officer has its share of joy and pain. Agent. Keeping the peace is one of the basic needs of society. All on the same team, w ll most anyway. news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site. How can you go home to your wife and your own newborn and be the same? Nationwide, interest in becoming a police officer is down significantly. Thinking of becoming a Police Officer? List of Pros of Being a Police Officer. Salaries. In my opinion it depends on the individual. There is little chance of promotion unless you get assistance. So here is an assessment of the pros and cons of being a police officer. This is all good, and long in coming. In Nashville, job applications dropped from 4,700 in 2010 to 1,900 last year. However, being a police officer can be very difficult at times. “Such as how bad drugs and violence are. Short story about picking a career - I remember in high school taking a computerized vocational aptitude test. Welcome to the greatest show on earth. “People can forget that police officers are human beings too. List of Pros of Being a Police Officer. However this is changing following a recent well publicised suicide. Our full time officers will work 40 hours per week while part time officers will work 24 hours per week. “You never forget the screams of children.”. People call the police when they need help or when they are in danger,” he says. 6. Law enforcement is a full time job, and it doesn’t ever take a break. I retired as a sergeant, after 29 years, from a very large department, about 12,000 officers. Pros. “I had been to a lot of deceased jobs but I had never seen a dead baby until that night. Advancement within the Police Officer role is automatic upon obtaining the required competencies. Management are the worst I have ever experienced since I started working at 16yrs of age. Before you take the leap and pursue a career fighting crime, though, there are some things you probably ought to know about becoming a police officer. Must learn to adjust to flexible hours and working holidays at a moments notice. Police officer pay varies, sometimes a lot, depending on the department. There are many pros and cons. The hardest part of the job is your initial education at the Academy, learning all the relevant legislation and learning about the numerous duties police are supposed to be able perform and then trying to maintain the learning while on the street. Integrity. Good benefits. “You start to resent the public and the media for not appreciating what we do. Source: SEEK job ads. Job satisfaction, excitement, decent pay, good benefits, and camaraderie can be some pros. We also offer a part-time PC career route where new joiners can now train and start their service on a part-time basis. As a police officer, you will have the opportunity to save the life of a baby, a … A position as a security guard always looks good when applying for police work, because the position provides you with knowledge and skills that you’ll commonly employ as a police officer. Not all police officers wear a uniform and patrol. “You never get asked to come out for a cup of coffee. You get paid better! Even when the U.S. isn’t in the middle of a pandemic, being a police officer is significantly more dangerous than many other occupations. “The jobs are very hard to compare,” Cabrera said of assault statistics for Border Patrol agents and other law enforcement officers. 6. This means that as a police officer, you also have to work at all times of the day and night. We also offer a part-time PC career route where new joiners can now train and start their service on a part-time basis. As a police officer, you will have the opportunity to save the life of a baby, a … Roles where your skills are commonly valued by employers. A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. If you can answer “yes” to these questions, then becoming a cop could be a good career choice. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. The Met has almost 2,000 part-time police officers and offers flexible working where it is operationally viable. They should give you an honest and well-thought-out answer. You get called out into bad situations. .....I am a retired police officer. Many jurisdictions offer their officers a free gym membership to help them stay fit. Only recommend it if you really need to try it. The job benefits of being a police officer are quite valuable in many communities – and we’re not talking about the free coffee that local businesses might offer. If you plan on eating a lot of donuts, you’ll have to hit the gym harder than your colleagues. Picture: Hamish BlairSource:News Corp Australia. In some, the use of the rank "officer" is legally reserved for military personnel. “It’s not surprising that ultimately we expect the worst out of people.”, When asked, he admits to becoming more cynical as his years in the police force increase and agrees that he has seen it affect his social and family life. Being a law enforcement officer is a proud feeling. Karen also agreed there were many jobs police officers were called out to affect them emotionally. Here is what a typical day’s work for a Police Patrol Officer looks like: Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts. We’ll often joke about things that truthfully aren’t funny,” Nathan explains. Police must be on their toes more than ever. If you put serving your community first, you'll be off to a good start. Being scrutinised on a daily basis, and being exposed to the darkest side of life. Benefits and pay tend to be good and secure, and there's a great deal of personal gratification involved in the job as well. Computers were new at the time and it was a bid deal to enter your answers into the computer and have it spit out a list of vocations. “The majority of people I encounter are very passive. Becoming a police officer provides a rewarding career path for recruits with the right motivation. Being a good police officer takes dedication, hard work, and a willingness to always be learning. Police officers must endure shift work, long hours, public scrutiny and unpredictable crisis-driven work. The Met has almost 2,000 part-time police officers and offers flexible working where it is operationally viable. You love saving lives. For the right person, being a police officer can be one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. You don't want to hear an answer where the candidate thinks a police officer job is "cool" or "exciting." I was a patrol officer for 4 years in a very diverse area. Self Respect The first pro is not really an advantage. There can be a lot of perks available to police officers. It is more of a reason of satiation. From fringe benefits to job security, the attraction to policing is easy to understand. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Fitness star Emily Skye hits back at body shaming trolls aft... COVID-19: Couple married for 70 years die hand-in-hand in US... James Weir: Why Hemsworths never wear shoes in Byron Bay. This qualification provides a broad understanding of policing practice to prepare for a career in law enforcement. A habit of regular exercise and experience in competitive sports are helpful both in the training process and once on the job. I retired as a sergeant, after 29 years, from a very large department, about 12,000 officers. To find out the average police officer salary in your area, clink on the link or perform a standard Google search. There are many pros and cons. In fact, there are countless reasons to be a police officer. 1. Officers also have a much higher risk of coming into contact with COVID-19 than the general population – one in six New York City police officers is out sick or in quarantine, for example. Fortunately, the qualities that make a good police officer—such as empathy, compassion, and integrity—can serve you equally well in a wide range of civilian occupations. There are many aspects to being an officer, both good and bad. A police department addresses crime and provides a feeling of security for residents in its jurisdiction. There is no such thing as a Monday through Friday police officer. They health plan and benefits are very good. 1. Nathan said the police force and agencies involved offered resources dedicated to mental health and emotional survival but despite this, the changes to an officer’s personality were inevitable. Policing is a very hard, rewarding and stressful occupation and one that you cannot fully understand unless living it. Being a good police officer takes dedication, hard work, and a willingness to always be learning. Being a police officer is an important job because those people are there for you, your family, and the community. I am now 50. Still, for those with the right character, the protect-and-serve profession can be very rewarding. “I loved being a police officer. Police officers must endure shift work, long hours, public scrutiny and unpredictable crisis-driven work. A position as a security guard always looks good when applying for police work, because the position provides you with knowledge and skills that you’ll commonly employ as a police officer. The point is that the Police has a lot of job options within the service. A high 911 call volume pushes officers to patrol and forces specialized units such as child crimes, sex crimes, cyber crimes, etc. Being a police officer is one of the hardest jobs there is. You are able to protect people, save strangers, and bring safety and comfort to people in some of their worst times. As such, officers are paid based on their competencies for the role they are working in at the University. You have to be in good shape, both mentally and physically, you have to be prepared to spend hours doing nothing at all and then burst into action at a moment's notice. Being a police officer can be great. Officers work long hours and suffer high rates of job-related injury. Police officers must endure shift work, long hours, public scrutiny and unpredictable crisis-driven work. It is very different to what we see on television. You'll spend like 90% of your day riding around aimlessly waiting for something to happen, and then something happens and you're like "wtf" and move on … The Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said it showed the "parlous state" of morale. As a mother of three, I think about this a lot,” she said. Dedicate a career to the protection of public life. The WA Police Academy is the focal point for the education of police officers and police auxiliary officers.. Public Service vacancies. It’s as simple as that.”. The Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said it showed the "parlous state" of morale. A police officer's job is to protect the public, make sure people obey the law and make people feel safe. It's no secret that it's a tough job! A police officer, also known as an officer, policeman, or a policewoman is a warranted law employee of a police force.In most countries, "police officer" is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. Being a police officer can be the best job imaginable and the worse job imaginable. My SO has a very well paying job, so the pay difference wasn't a significant hit and frankly, you can't buy job satisfaction. A police officer is an employee of a law enforcement body in the country. Some police officers have specialist jobs, such as being a detective, a traffic officer or a police dog handler. Police officers should be in good physical condition. The short answer is often "Yes!" It’s no wonder so many cops are haunted. Police Officer – Cadet ($44,070) Police Officer – Journey ($47,532 – $55,856) Police Officer – Advanced ($57,557 – $64,409) Being a police officer can also be very difficult at times. The city’s police force came under national scrutiny last year when Officer Michael T. Slager was caught on camera shooting unarmed black man Walter Scott eight times in the back after a traffic stop. Under the right circumstances, working as a police officer means getting to help people on a daily basis, doing work that really matters, and receiving a decent salary for it. Not all police officers wear a uniform and patrol. .....I am a retired police officer. You can do a lot of things after being a police officer, but many ex-cops like to stay in the law enforcement realm. Never miss a beat with MailOnline's latest news for women. “It’s a blunt and harsh way to cope, but it’s a survival technique to keep an emotional distance.”. It wasn’t like anything I had ever seen.” he described. “I try not to take my work home with me, but this isn’t always possible.”. Police officers enforce the law by arresting criminals and detecting and preventing crimes. While this is likely a stressful aspect of the job, it also comes with huge rewards. There are definitely some negative aspects to being a police officer, but there are also many positive ones. 2. 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