Police Officer Career Paper

“Police Officers take risks and secure that safety of fellow citizens, and they endure such risks and tolerate such inconveniences on behalf of strangers” (International Association of Chief of Police). In this paper I will be talking about the history, skill set, duties, training, education, job outlook, and more for being a police officer.

First, the career I am researching is a police officer. I am interested in this career because police officers can make an impact on their community, which is something I want to do. I do not want a routine and usually there isn’t a routine. Also when being a police officer new challenges are offered every day. People also get a decent salary, good benefits, and constant opportunities to learn new things. It has been one of my many dreams in

the past about five years. (Encyclopedia Britannica Online)
Secondly, I will be talking about the history of the art of police work in the United States.

Policing in the United States followed after the development of police work in England. In the early colonies the United States had two types of police work informal, and communal. The informal was referred to as “Watch” while the profit police organization was called “The Big Stick.” The “Watch” did not have any real effect because the watchmen usually slept or drank but still the Watch continued well after the American Revolution. The idea of having multiple police departments was first brought up in the 1830s. Boston was the first American Police Force followed by New York City shortly after. By the 1880s all U.S cities had multiple police forces. In the more southern states American policing development was different than the other states. They had “Slave Patrol” instead of the “Watch” or “The Big Stick.” The first “Slave Patrol” was created in 1704 in Carolina. Slave patrols had two main rules (1) Chase down, and return slaves in their owners, and (2) Provide an organized terror to scare slave. This was eliminated after the enforcement of the “Jim Crow” law. (Eastern Kentucky

University)
Third, the pay, job outlook of police work, and sacrifices and rewards. When working as a police officers the national median for pay is about 60,270 dollars. The highest an officer has gotten paid is about 100,560 and the lowest is 34,170. The national pay per hour in 2015 is about 28.97 dollars. The highest 10 percent get paid higher than the other 90 percent. (U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics). Three sacrifices that you give are that the job itself is dangerous and you could die, time is another thing you work full days almost all the time, and lastly death you deal with death at crime scenes. Some rewards are saving lifes, helping enforce the law.
Fourth, a description of being a police officer. As a police officer you are under a general supervision. You are expected to perform a variety of tasks involving law enforcement. You are also supposed to prevent crimes, and make arrests. On the road you must control traffic flow, and enforce regulations of both state and local. You can also participate in various crime investigations. A police officer must also support and assist when in a special crime prevention or law programs. Also a police officer must perform various technical task when supporting law enforcement services.
Fifth, the basic duties, skills and what the workplace looks like. The basic duties of a police officer are knowing the law to help enforce the laws, respond to calls emergency and nonemergency, patrol assigned areas, conduct traffic stops, issue citations, arrest suspects, and obtain warrants, and look for records on vehicles. Some more duties that you do are writing reports, filling out forms, and prepare for cases and testify in court. (Police Detectives) As a police officer you don’t have a routine for your workday. You spend typical hours in the office and out in the field. Skills needed to be a cop is deductive reasoning, oral expression, problem sensitivity, inductive reasoning, and oral comprehension. As a police you have to know how to talk to people, helping people is your main key.
Lastly, education and similar jobs. Education for a police officer isn’t really that much. You need at least your high school diploma, and some federal officers need some college coursework or degree. Three similar jobs are Correctional Officers and Bailiffs, EMTS and Paramedics, and Security Guards. A Correctional Officers and Bailiffs are responsible for overseeing individuals who have been arrested and are waiting for trial. EMTS and Paramedics take care of the sick or injured. Lastly a Security Guard protects property against theft, terrorism, vandalism, and illegal activity.
In conclusion, when I grow up I want to be a police officer. You care for people, sometimes fight crime, and get paid good. In this paper I talked some about the history, education, similar jobs, basic duties, skills, and pay.