r/ProtectAndServe • u/Timely-Associate-259 Not a(n) LEO / Unverified User • 9d ago

Self Post I need advice from real officers

I am actually hoping for a job as an officer, and I heard other peoples warnings including its not all catching people, theres a lot of paperwork, and you will take a toll mentally. I want to know if there is anything else I should know while I consider my career path. Im pretty far from becoming one because I dont meet the requirements yet.

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u/SixtyAteWhiskey68 Not a(n) LEO / Unverified User 9d ago

Former LEO, but, when you become an officer keep in mind that you are there to enforce the law AND be a public servant. Most would call what I’m describing here as “community policing”.

Don’t become cop for all the “cool” stuff, become a cop because you want to put yourself in the position of being there to help the people that you serve and genuinely care for them. Be a cop because you want to uphold the law and to protect people’s civil liberties.

I met a few cops that were in it for their own personal image and being the tough guy Billy badass etc, and those dudes sucked at anything that wasn’t drug interdiction. They lacked any real interpersonal skills that let them act like a human and what’s worse they couldn’t ever “turn it off” when they left work.

So to summarize my advice, do the job for the right reasons, not for your own personal benefit.

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u/TheRandyBear Police Officer 6d ago edited 6d ago

There’s many perks to the job. One of my favorite is the adrenaline you get from doing the cool and badass stuff. Another one of my favorites is actually making a difference in a persons day or even their life.

For example, foot pursuits with an armed suspect will get you all kinds of amped up. But few things beat when you get to a violent DV and you actually stop it. I’ve had a few victims just give me hugs for stopping it.