Heading to the Police Academy

Greetings Gents, I’m heading to the police academy real soon. I want to first be clear, I don’t intend on making Law Enforcement a career. I’m merely doing it pay my way through school until I graduate. Anyways I’ll be working in a very busy department. I just wanted some input from some of you older heads on what my approach should be. Should I take the job serious and write every single person that jay walks (not literally but you get the idea) or should I not take the job too seriously but when serious incidents occur (Rape/Assault) put it into high gear. I just don’t want the next three years to mentally scar me for the rest of my life. I understand some cops get too into their jobs which can cause unnecessary metal anguish. Another thing, I"m bulking up because I don’t want to be the guy that gets tested every time there’s a Use of Force incident.

Well, since the interview process didn’t weed you out, perhaps rookie school or your FTO will.

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Well I doubt that’ll happen. Almost all of the cops that I rode along with told me not to take the job too seriously. For instance if a guy is running away from you there’s no need to chase him. Just set up a perimeter and let K9 do its job. I’m not sitting here saying I won’t do my job. Believe me i’ll do my job. I just don’t want to be the officer that writes citations and thinks everyone is slinging dope. The only officer that seemed like the latter was a young rookie cop, so he didn’t have much credibility,

There is a difference between taking the job seriously and becoming obsessed with it. Take the job seriously and find balance in your life.

What do you mean by tested everytime there is a use of force incident? If you think people aren’t going to fight you because you’re bulky, think again. One of my former partners was 6’5" 240lbs and I’m 5’9" 180. The guys who came out swinging always focused on him and it was like I wasn’t even there.

Im not a cop, but I think you should use some common sense. You have a duty to keep the peace and protect people, so regardless of what other people tell you, you should exercise good judgment and integrity. I can understand why youd want to join the force to pay for your education (people do this for the military) but understand that with your choice you signed up for extra responsibility too.

Police have no specific duty to provide protection to individuals of the general public.