BecomingaPoliceOfficer
\ProtectandserveThesetwowordsmaybesimpletoanyregularcitizenHowever,theyare everythingtoanypoliceofficer.Thehonorablecareeroflawenforcementisnotalwaysaneasyone toenter.Therearerequirementsinordertoberecruitedandemployedbyanypolicingagency.In additiontothehighlycompetitiveandrigorousapplicationprocesstobecomeselectedasanofficer ofthelaw,therearetrainingprograms,continuededucationprograms,andotherrequirements necessarytoremaininthecareer
Thefirstprocessofbecominganofficerisnotasteptotakelightly.Initially,theapplicantmust determinewhetherheorsheismentally,emotionallyandphysicallypreparedfortherigorous...show morecontent
Citizenship(athireorinsomestateswithintwoyearsofhire).
Background:Nofelonyormisdemeanorconvictions(otherthantrafficviolations)thatwouldmake itillegaltocarryagunorthatinvolveperjury,falsestatement,moralturpitude,ordomestic violence.Nohistoryofcriminalorimproperconduct.Nopooremployment,military,ordriving recordthatwouldaffectlawenforcementworkValiddriver'slicenseResponsiblefinancialhistory Goodmoralcharacter.
Health:Goodhealthwithnoconditionsthatwouldrestrictabilitytoperformallaspectsofpolice work.Visionandhearingmustbetestedandsuccessfullycorrected,ifnecessary;colorblindness canbedisqualifying.Weightmustbeproportionaltoheight.Thereisnoheightrequirement.
Tests:Writtencivilserviceexamination,medicalexamination,psychologicalexamination,testsof physicalfitnessoragility,voicestressanalysisorpolygraphtest,drugtests.Backgroundand characterinvestigation.Interview.Employmentoftenisconditionalonfurthertestingduringthe periodsoforientation,training,andprobationasapolicerecruit
Residency:Becomingaresidentinthejurisdictionofhireisarequirement.(Therangeofresidency boundariescanvarysignificantlybyjurisdiction.)
Onceapolicecandidatehaspassedtheselectionprocess,heorsheisplacedonprobation,atrial periodofoneortwoyearsduringwhichtheofficerisevaluated.Thisprobationaryperiod
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TheRoleofPolice.Peopledependonpoliceofficersanddetectivestoprotecttheirlivesand property.Lawenforcementofficers,someofwhomareStateorFederalspecialagentsorinspectors, performthesedutiesinavarietyofways,dependingonthesizeandtypeoftheirorganization.In mostjurisdictions,theyareexpectedtoexerciseauthoritywhennecessary,whetheronoroffduty. Policeofficershavegenerallawenforcementduties,includingmaintainingregularpatrolsand respondingtocallsforservice.Theymaydirecttrafficatthesceneofanaccident,investigatea burglary,orgivefirstaidtoanaccidentvictim.Inlargepolicedepartments,officersusuallyare assignedtoaspecifictypeofdutyManyurbanshowmorecontent
Thatofficerisstillupholdingthelawandenforcingitbywarningthedriverandlettinghimknow whathedidwaswrong.However,thetypicalday–to–dayexecutionoflawtendstorunmore towardscontrollingsituationswherethepubliccomesintodisagreement.Whetherbreakingupa domesticdisturbance,aloudparty,oratrafficjam,theroleofPolicedoesnotgenerallyhavemuch todowithenforcingthelawasmuchastosmoothoutanyissuesandhavethembedealtwithin court.Becauseofthis,itcanbesaidthattheactual,practicalroleofPoliceinsocietyistoactas expedientmediators.Notonlyshouldanofficerenforcesthelawsheshouldalsobeafollowerof them.Itisnotwithintheroleofapoliceofficertobeacriminal.Everyonemakesmistakessure,but anofficerthatbreaksmoreseriouslawsuchasdoingdrugs,stealing,orassaultingsomeone becomesahypocriteandgivesabadnametootherofficersAlso,partofenforcingthelawis leadingbyexampleandbeingagoodmodelforotherstolookatandcopy.Approximatelyonly10 to20percentofcallsmadetothepoliceinvolveasituationthatneedsimmediateenforcingoflaws. Thesearetheburglariesinprogress,thefights,andotherthingsthatusuallyleadtotheofficer havingtomakeanarrest.(Schmalleger,110)Policearesometimeslimitedintheirresourcesanddo nothave
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Sinceaveryyoungagewehavebeentaughttoputourtrustintopoliceofficers.Ifweareindistress, theyarealwaystheretohelpsinceitistheirjobtoprotectandservethecommoncitizen.Sowhat happenswhentheindividualswearesupposedtotrusttobringjusticearetheonescausingthe injusticeweseeinthenews?Recently,severalpoliceofficershavebeenunderfirefortheir excessiveuseofforceThenumberofcasualtiescausedbypoliceofficersintherecentyearshave citizensdemandingareforminthesystemthatofficersworkunder.Policebrutalityisnotanew subject.Ithasbeenaroundfornumerousyears,andlikemostissues,hasresurfacedtothepublic's eyesTherecenteventsbroughtupthequestion:Doesthereneedtobeareforminthesysteminthe policesystem?Inthisyearalone,therehavebeencountlesscasesofindividualsbeingharmedor evenkilledbypoliceofficersforreasonsthatcontinuouslyarenotexplained.Whathaspeoplemore attentivetothisinjusticearestatisticsshowingthatmostvictimsinthesepoliceattackshappentobe AfricanAmericansandotherminorities.
Goingbacktotheshowmorecontent
Ifinddiscomfortinthefactthatthosewhohavelosttheirlivestopoliceofficerswillnotbegiven thesamefightingchanceastheirwhitecounterpartsfortheirfreedomfromwhateverwrongdoing theymighthavedone.Iknownotallpoliceofficersarethesameastheonesportrayedonthenews, butstillapartofmefearsformybrothersandmyselfbecomingapartoftheextendedlistof individualswhohavelosttheirlivestopolicebrutalityLivinginastatewithahistoryofhighracial tensiondoesn'tmakethefearanybettertodealwith.Thisisaseriousissuethatneedsreformingand thatwillnothappenuntilweallbindtogethertodo
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Police–CommunityRelations KaplanUniversity
Didyouknowthat42%ofAmericansfindtheirlocallawenforcementuntrustworthy?Thisisduein largeparttothenumberofpolicerelatedincidentsthathavebeeninthenewsoflate.Thenegative publicitythatlawenforcementisgettinghasanadverseeffectonallpolicedepartments,nationwide Inturnthisishavinganeffectonpolice–communityrelations.Tobettertherelationsbetweenthe Ringgoldpolicedepartmentandthecommunitythereneedstobemoreoutreachprograms. AtthistimeIbelievethatthecommunityrelationsareinagoodsolidplaceWehaveareasthatwe canimproveon.(R.Kinsley,personalcommunication,February1,2015).Ourchiefofpolicehasa bettershowmorecontent
Havingtrustmakesonefellsafeandfreeoffearenoughsothattheycanfocusonotherthings. Thereisaperceptionofdistrustbetweenlawenforcementandthecommunity.Thisdistruststems directlyfromthedangerouswordspoliceusewhencommunicatingwiththecommunity(Willis, 2015,p.)Simplychoosingbetterwordscanhelpbuildrelationshipsbetweenlawenforcementand thecommunity.Itisnecessaryforlawenforcementtohavetrustwiththeircommunity.Thereare manythingsthathingeonthepolice–communityrelationships,theabilityoflawenforcementto performtheirduties,arethemostimportant.Lawenforcementmustbewillingtorelyonthepublic toobservethelawTheymustalwaysdemonstrateabsoluteimpartialitytothelaw
Overthelastfivedecades,oursocietyhasundergonehugedemographicshiftswithregardstothe family.(FaithandFamily,2005)Sixtyfiveyearsagoseventy–eightpercentoffamilieslivedina householdwheretheheadofhouseholdwasmarriedOnlyfifteenyearsagonearlyhalfofall Americanlivedwithinahomewheretheheadofhouseholdisunmarried.Thisshiftinauthority withinthehomehashadaneffectofthewaythatthepublicviewstheauthorityoflawenforcement personal.
InanationalInstituteofJusticestudyitwasfoundthatinteractionswithpolicearethefactorsthat mostinfluencepublicopinion(FactorsThatInfluence,2007)Interactionsweredefinesas"person toperson"
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