Question for LEO's w/over 10 years experience

[wan2bcop]

From your law enforcement and life experience, would you become an LEO
again, in today's environment? Why or Why not?

[Monkeybomb]

Yes,

If you can hack it its a good gig.

[mdrdep]

Be a fire fighter, everybody loves them and they get comfy blue chairs to lay about in on duty.


Seriously though, yes I would even with all the changes I've seen in the job. I'll have 20 years in Feb. I still push a radio car (by choice) and enjoy coming to work.

[hemicop]

If you can play the political game, it's a good gig.........

[Baysidegal]

Yes, just wish that I knew then what I know now.

[Surf]

Yes, but in todays world, I would have gone military instead of college before entering into LE.

[M-11]

We don't pick this job, it picks us.

Most of us could easily have been MD's lawers, Nurses, Scientists, Etc...

Can't tell you why, but we know what's for us. And we can rather quickly tell when we meet someone who should not be a cop.

M-11

[Smurfette_76]

Yes. I have never thought twice about my calling. I have had periods of difficulty due to various things, but I never doubted that I was made for this career. It's about having the heart to do it. It's really not about being brave or macho or whatever. To go the distance here, you need to love it, to truly want to help, to care.

[TOMBSTONE]

I just hit 13 years, and to quote Al Pacino's character in "Heat" ..I don't know how to do anything else...and I don't much want to either.

Remember ..If you enjoy what you do, you will never work a day in your life...So Im doin pretty good. 12 to go.

[Retired96]

If I could start over, because of my love for the outdoors, I would liked to have worked as a Game Warden, or the US Forest Service..

[SgtCHP]

My career in LE fulfilled my childhood dream. It lived up to all that I thought it would be and gave me the personal satisfaction of contentment and giving. Would I repeat that profession? In a heartbeat! A great career and opportunities galore.

[tactical208]

Yes, it's a great job minus the political, and touchy feely stuff, but other than that it's a great experience and there are opportunities after you leave the job.

[mpls finest]

Honestly, I would not. Too much of a toll on a family.... for those of us that wanted families of course. Or maybe I should say this. Exactly ten years ago a man said to me the following, " Policing and Lae enforcement is for single people!" I thought I knew more than he. I was wrong. If you think about it oppurtunites that come up in this job create a lot of chaos in a family setting. Late hours, odd hours, etc. etc.........the only part of law enforcement that is for maried people is patrol........everything else is up in the air. For those about to give stupid comments, this ie third generation policing, two shootings and a coupld departments worth of experience talking

[TOMBSTONE]

I concur with MPLS Finest...holding together a marriage in specialty units can be tough...so get thoat experience in your folder while your young...Then concentrate on your family.

[1042 Trooper]

It is a younger person's calling for a number of reasons - it fits their lifstyle better. When you have a spouse and kids waiting at home, it's hard to cut up, hang or go party with the guys like part of you wants to do. It's easier to throw yourself completely into a violent incident without having the baggage of worrying about you family losing you, your income and your embrace.

With that in mind, it always filled my heart with gratitude when I made it home to my family - especially after a rough shift with gruesome death, bloody incidents or domestic conflict - and we shared those first few moments of genuine joy and gratitude to be hugging one another once again. To them, it was just Daddy coming home from work. To me, it was a gratefulness to my God for having a wholesome and loving and healthy and unaffected family waiting for me as my reward for my service to man.

So, while I had other talents and interests, I stayed with it for my 20 and once a pension was in my pocket, I stepped out because it truly is a younger person's calling. I had had enough.

But oh my, there are some days I do still miss it so.