toughen up!

[Emily]

I have wanted to be a police officer since I was a little girl. Law enforcement is the only career that interests me... everything else seems boring. But there's a problem:

EVERY person I have told about my plans basically laugh in my face. I really don't even feel like telling people anymore, just because I'm sick of their reactions. The common response is, "you need to toughen up."

What's that supposed to mean? Is there a such thing as being too nice of a person? I'm wondering if law enforcement looks for one type of personality, or what.

I know there are some things that I need to work on; like being more aggressive. Any suggestions on that?

I'm usually a quiet person and keep to myself. I've read on here that some officers are like that. Do those types of people make good police officers?

I'm so confused! I just want to be a police officer. Nothing else interests me.

[That Guy]

Well I suspect that maybe its your personality. I'd recommened taking a martial art or perhaps joining the ROTC at your school. They may build some aggressivness.
Many officers are the not the "quiet types" and are Type A's. Doesn't mean you will not be a good cop. Just keep in mind that you will be engaging people on different levels.

TGY

[Emily]

I'm in college. I don't believe they have an ROTC program. I've thought about joining a kickboxing class, would that help? Thanks for your feedback.

[wayno1806]

The psychological exam will reveal if you are an active aggressive or passive aggressive. Read sheep, wolves, and sheepdog by Ltc dave grossman. Which one are you?

Nevertheless the profession you have chosen "law enforcement" requires an aggressive breed. Think about it, your out there chasing bad people, and taking them to jail. You are writing tickets, and keeping the peace because the individual does not have the common sense to do it on their own.

You cannot be a left wing liberal and do police work. In my opinion, you need to be a right wing conservative. "Throw all those god dam paroles, child molestor, criminals in jail." I wish there was another continent so we could just send them all there and let them be.... kinda like "Australia back in the 1200 AD.

www.****************************

[Emily]

I read that article awhile ago and have never really thought that any of it applied to me. Sure, I'm a sheep now because I haven't had the proper training to become a sheepdog.

Do you think it's possible for someone who is the quiet type, like myself, to become aggressive? I have the drive.... I just don't know if it's possible to change personalities.

[BigDaddy]

One of my best friends had the same apprehensions you have. A lot of our friends laughed when she told them. She had all the same reactions you are getting you're too nice, your voice is too high..etc. I told her to go for it. She is now an TI at the Delaware State Police Academy. Go For It!

[Gibbmusic]

Keep this in mind: Many people have two personalities when it comes to police work. I had a lot of people tell me the same things when I was getting into law enforcement...you're too nice, you're not cut out for it, etc.

It didn't take long for me in this job to realize one thing, you do have to have an agressive personality in order to excel at the job (you can be passive and get by, but you probably won't be the best officer you can be). You have to be nosey, curious, competitive, relentless, and agressive. If you want to catch a bad guy, you have to go out and get them, they aren't coming to you. A lot of mediocre cops would be GREAT cops if they were a little more agressive...get consent on more cars, dig a little deeper, get out with more suspicious people.

That being said, here is my point...your working personality does NOT have to match your off-duty personality. I'm still the same person off work that I always was...nice, caring, and non-agressive (although I am much more cynical and untrustworthy that before I got into this job). But when I put on my uniform and duty belt, I become Officer Gibbmusic (not my real name of course). I become an agressive personality and get the job done. I love my job and I love doing the job right, and being agressive is part of that.

But you must also be careful to understand what I mean by "agressive". I definately don't mean being a hard-*** that is always trying to get in people's faces and demand that they respect your authority. Sure the times come around where that is the appropriate response, but that is not what I mean by being aggressive. I mean you have to go out there and catch the bad guys, they aren't gonna come turn themselves in. You have to stop a lot of cars, search a lot of cars and people, get out with perps, chase people, TALK to people a lot, and generally look for the unusual.

I like to think of it this way...there are generally three types of police out there and I think of them as hunters:
#1: This probably makes up the majority of officers, at least it does in my department. A lot of officers take the "tree stand" approach. They wait for the bad guys to come to them and then they take their shot. The will answer their calls, stop a car here and there to write a ticket, and they'll come up with arrests here and there. They usually don't search many cars on vehicle stops and most of their arrests happen because it's obvious what is going on. You won't see many of these guys or gals making a large bust or major arrest, but they are fine to work with because they get the job done.
#2: Your "agressive" hunters. These officers like to stalk down their pray and take them out. They know that the bad guys are out there to be caught, and it is their responsibility to take them out. These officers frequently ask for consent, stop many cars a shift, and dig a little deeper on every call they go on. These officers tend to be the ones in the paper with a large drug bust or making some dramatic arrest.
#3: This last group is often times made up of "old timers", but not always. These are the hunters that climb up the tree stand, pull down their hat, and sleep until it's time to go home. These officers might answer their calls, but they aren't going to stop a car unless it hits them. Even when they do answer a call, there could be a sack of week on the table and they'd be happy to pour it out instead of taking the charge. Even though they are superior officers, these officers are often loathed by groups #1 and #2 because they have to take up the slack from group #3.

I hope this clears things up for you. Just remember agressive=good but agressive is a state of mind more than a physical presence.

Gibbmusic

[Emily]

Wow, thanks guys! I have a much more clearer understanding.

[co911]

EVERY person I have told about my plans basically laugh in my face


Why?

[Gibbmusic]

co911...I can't answer for those people but I will say that a lot of people have a hard time understanding why we would do this job for the chicken scratch that we make.

Gibbmusic

[pkagel]

Hmm, low pay, junky benifits, everyone hates you, get to get shot at, endless paperwork, video shown on the evening news in slow motion, what's not to understand

[Blatant]

You cannot be a left wing liberal and do police work. In my opinion, you need to be a right wing conservative. "Throw all those god dam paroles, child molestor, criminals in jail." I wish there was another continent so we could just send them all there and let them be.... kinda like "Australia back in the 1200 AD.

www.****************************

Just when I thought I'd read it all ...

Pretty sure your personal politics has little to do with your ability to perform police work. And also pretty sure that you don't need to be a right-winger to have the drive to lock up dirtbags.
d