This is a legitimate problem - there are educated people that view the position negatively but also wouldn’t join. So the spots stay open for more uneducated people. Some departments are now requiring degrees and new recruits are put through some degree program before starting but that’s only in some major cities… so yeah people are gonna discourage you but keep your head up and keep that attitude, identify the idiots as early as possible (they will make themselves known quick). That’s what I did - I left my cushy engineering desk job, took a crazy paycut and put on the badge… and I talked a women off the top of a parking garage on my second month (didn’t draw my gun or anything 😲🙄)
I legit lol’d at this. But in all seriousness - where I work, every action/decision requires me to articulate why. So if I do draw my gun I have to be able to articulate in a consistent and reasonable manner. If I don’t draw my gun, I also have to be able to articulate that. For example, if a man with a rifle is running from me toward a school full of children and I decide to not draw my gun I will absolutely need to be able to articulate that. If an 80 year old in a wheel chair steals a KitKat using no weapons and I draw my gun I better have a good reason. I can’t just say I felt threatened I have to articulate it and it needs to be consistent with everyone’s body cams and witness statements and the physical evidence itself. I’m more than aware that not every department is like this though…
This is a legitimate problem - there are educated people that view the position negatively but also wouldn’t join. So the spots stay open for more uneducated people. Some departments are now requiring degrees and new recruits are put through some degree program before starting but that’s only in some major cities… so yeah people are gonna discourage you but keep your head up and keep that attitude, identify the idiots as early as possible (they will make themselves known quick). That’s what I did - I left my cushy engineering desk job, took a crazy paycut and put on the badge… and I talked a women off the top of a parking garage on my second month (didn’t draw my gun or anything 😲🙄)
Pfft. And you call yourself a cop. The shame!
I legit lol’d at this. But in all seriousness - where I work, every action/decision requires me to articulate why. So if I do draw my gun I have to be able to articulate in a consistent and reasonable manner. If I don’t draw my gun, I also have to be able to articulate that. For example, if a man with a rifle is running from me toward a school full of children and I decide to not draw my gun I will absolutely need to be able to articulate that. If an 80 year old in a wheel chair steals a KitKat using no weapons and I draw my gun I better have a good reason. I can’t just say I felt threatened I have to articulate it and it needs to be consistent with everyone’s body cams and witness statements and the physical evidence itself. I’m more than aware that not every department is like this though…
If that 80 year old’s name was Jack Bauer, that would be justified. He can kill you with that KitKat