Why are you a cop?

[griffin]

If you are a law enforcement officer, I would like to know why you chose that profession.

I am not using this thread to abuse you or deride your chosen profession. I honestly want to know because I do not understand that choice. I will give some background before I open it up for replies. (If no one replies, then so be it).

My assumption is that most fall into it because they can't do anything else. They were not good in school, or they wanted to be authority figures for whatever reason. I base this on a couple of things. One, I watch COPS. They usually ask officers why they became cops, and they almost always answer that they floated around from job to job after high school, not really finding a home, and then they did a ride-along or something and then they knew what they wanted to do.

There are also some older cops who got into it by way of the military because a judge gave them a choice of joining the Army or going to prison, but I am not including them. That's "my" generation. I don't think they can do that any more.

Then I have my kids' generation. I have a step-son who was a fast-n-furious scofflaw. Frequently in trouble with the law or creditors. He's now a Marine Staff Sergeant. Been to the sandbox twice. (I think being given an order to annihilate a group of "something" with his M249 woke him up). The reason I bring this up is because his mom always said he would make a good cop. WTF? What she saw cop-wise about his character is what I saw bad about his character.

I could go on, not sure where to stop. So to jump around I grew up in NW IN/Chicago. Cops were corrupt. That's all I'll say about that here.

I also know people who are or have worked at the NSA and DHS. In fact, one of my close friends (hm) is a GS15 making $150K at DHS, and I am not happy about what she tells me. Well, that may not be accurate. For all I know she may be SES now. I stopped conversation with her a while back. I spent two weeks in VA with her.

For my part, I wanted to be an engineer. I took advanced math, chemistry, physics, English, etc. in high school, but I didn't get to do that right away. I got married and had three kids first. In the mean time I was an industrial electrician. I used to repair radios, stereos, and TVs in high school (this was back in the early 70's when repair technicians actually figured out which components were bad, unsoldered them, and soldered in new ones). I worked my way through school, first at Purdue W. Lafayette, then finishing at Michigan State University. Zero student loans, a wife and three kids.

So I have to assume that people choose the course in life they take. So why did you choose a career in law enforcement?

I am going to give myself homework. I know a guy who is Lansing, MI SWAT. I have never talked to him about it (because I don't talk to cops) but I am going to ask him why he became a cop and I will post it here.

 

[mbills2223]

 

[hopper68]

Good luck getting any serious replies with the phrasing of your post.

 

[Mosinguy]

 

[mbills2223]

No body asked you, mosinowner!

 

[griffin]

Good luck getting any serious replies with the phrasing of your post.

So be it. I would think they'd want to express the reasons for their choice, but it is not incumbent upon any LEO to reply. They can if they wish. If not, that's okay, too. I will still post the answer I get from the SWAT guy. I only see him a few times a month, so it may a little while.

I could tell you all sorts of stories related to me choosing my profession, including designing a pirate radio station (and by designing I mean designing the actual electronics, as if anyone cares). One day I got my finger burnt (accidentally) on an RF coil. The burn was from freq not temp. People don't just go into a profession blindly or willy-nilly or as a default occuptaion...or do they?

 

[Hoosier8]

My assumption is that most fall into it because they can't do anything else.

Got to that and could not get any further. Pretty arrogant statement. You know what they say about assume.

 

[jdmack79]

IBTL

 

[45calibre]

im sure a few actually want to help people and make the world a better place.

 

[griffin]

Got to that and could not get any further. Pretty arrogant statement. You know what they say about assume.

Fair enough. If you don't want to read the post and reply I have no problem with that. Be well.

 

[rgrimm01]

Do you not see that lumping all LE in the same group is the same thing the antis do to all firearm owners and how silly they look for doing it?

 

[Liberty Sanders]

Most get into it because they can't do anything else?

This deserves no response.

 

[vitamink]

Not a cop...but i can give you my really close friends story.

He grew up on the west side of indy and attended Ben Davis HS. His grades were mediocre at best. He later had a plan of action and attended IU part time for a year then full time for 5years...He spend his last 4 years on the Dean's list and graduated with 4 majors. His goal was to graduate college, join the army and fly Blackhawk helicopters. When he went to MEPS they told him because he was such an extreme teenager and broke his spine at 16, he couldn't join even though he signed a waiver and various other forms. He then tried the coastguard to fly their dolphin helicopters but was told the same thing. He had no problem getting a job with NOAA in Key Largo Fl where he would travel to various highschools and teach marine science scientific sampling methods (secci disks, nisken bottles etc). He would then take the kids out snorkeling. Though he liked his job it was repetitive like groundhog day. He enjoyed talking to and teaching the kids as well as being outside. Eventually Nasa wandered through the Noaa doors looking for a diver with welding experience, and the ability to work alone. He was hired immediately and began work on their GPS/GIS relay tower. After it was constructed he had to core drill the ocean floor, cement in some threaded stainless rebar, then bolt the tower to the ocean floor. Apparently GPS satellites calibrate off of it.

The boat he was working on shared the same dock as the florida marine patrol and he developed a rapport with the officer that would come and go. The officer asked him why he never tried to be a cop as he was fit, liked working outside, was good with people, and frequently engaged in dangerous activities. My friend would then make fun of the officer and point out that he made far more money than him and didn't have to dress like a dork and do nothing but write tickets all day. After a few weeks of these conversations, the officer offered him a ride-a-long and stated, "let me show you what the world is really like".

Those words stuck with my friend as they went out to Miami Dade. He saw shootings, prostitutes, drunken domestic batteries, naked people whacked out on drugs bloodly and running down the street and the list went on an on. By the time it was over he was exhausted and he hadn't even done anything. He was impressed that the man was able to be a quiet professional while he stood in the middle of absolute chaos by himself and outnumbered while the rest of the world slept.

Seeing the world for what it is got him motivated to help. He applied immediately for IPD and, being the pompous ass that he is, assumed that he would be hired immediately with all his schooling, experience and the fact that he left a job making twice as much to be a public servant... and he failed. He felt like crap as this is the first job EVER that he's applied for that he didn't get. So he tried again and got it however ran into the same situation with his back. He had to sign a waiver as well as a separate form stating that if anything happened to his back regardless of what it was it was his fault and not the departments.

While in the academy he met 30 other individuals that were all at the very least on par with his intellect and life experience. He learned that almost everyone in his class was prior military and all but a couple were college grads as well and of them many had higher levels of schooling.

 

[public servant]

 

[griffin]

Most get into it because they can't do anything else?

This deserves no response.

Not exactly what I said, but fair enough. It is my perception and I am looking for answers. I tried to be honest up front. If no one wants to reply, so be it.

 

[griffin]

Do you not see that lumping all LE in the same group is the same thing the antis do to all firearm owners and how silly they look for doing it?

I am not lumping all LEOS into the same group. I am giving them an opportunity to tell me their individual stories. How did you miss that?

 

[griffin]

Not a cop...but i can give you my really close friends story.

Thanks for your friend's story. I don't really understand it, but that's what I'm trying to do here, understand what makes people want to be law enforcement, whether that be a local cop or FBI or DHS. Thanks for sharing.

 

[public servant]

My assumption is that most fall into it because they can't do anything else.

Most get into it because they can't do anything else?

Not exactly what I said, but fair enough.

That is exactly what you said.

 

[j706]

Oh boy this is gonna get good.

 

[griffin]

That is exactly what you said.

You are correct. I thought I added something else to that but I did not. My apologies, that is exactly what I said.