Law Enforcement Academy Prep Questions

reply to post by Restricted


How does it feel, Restricted?

Not a felon here nor do I have plans to become one.

Maybe one day when you are the victim of police brutality you will change your mind though I hope you never experience that trauma.

Kallisti

reply to post by jude11


You are absolutely right, I fully expected this sort of response. But, I'm completely capable of discerning between the people providing what I asked for and the flak.

I certainly hope people here realize that not everyone who wants to be in law enforcement fits the bad cop mold.

I don't see myself as the itchy trigger finger kind of person, nor am I going to shoot your dog just because he's smiling at me through the door. You're not going to see me beating either.

People here at ATS are a unique crowd, that's what makes the site what it is. But the intense hostility toward police can get very extreme in many instances. It's real world responses like that which cause the police to become a more intensive force. It's basically a feedback loop. Someone has to back down first, whether it's the public threatening the police, or the police backing down on their defensive stance. Maybe it's time for a sit down between the police and the public so it can be worked out, and agreements can be made. Police only work when the public allow them to, they're severely outnumbered and really are public servants. Instead of shooting at them, why not talk?

Anyways, regardless of your opinions, thanks for the responses.

Restricted
As I said, the demographic is pathetic. Probably a bunch of felons anyway.

A star for you sir! If that's where your best thinking takes you, stick around.

You need this.

reply to post by Mapkar


While for the most part your response is admirable, I can't help but wonder...

Why do you say public?

You make it sound as though the public is just busting off shots at the cops everyday. When in reality it is criminal elements within the community at large.

Honestly, I hear more about police violence against civies rather than vice versa.

Kallisti

Mapkar
reply to post by jude11

 

I certainly hope people here realize that not everyone who wants to be in law enforcement fits the bad cop mold.

I would guess that most people don't fit the bad cop mold initially, however, the problem is that the person with good intentions GOES INTO THE MOLD.

Most people who run for congress, I believe, have good intentions, but the problem is that when they get there, they become like congress, or they get weeded out, passed over, or otherwise made irrelevant.

Even if you are a good cop, and I believe you would be, you're going to be entrenched with bad cops inside a bad system. Are you willing to defend, or at a minimum turn a blind eye to things you witness that are not on the level? No one likes a rat, and you gotta go along to get along.

Are you willing to do that?

reply to post by CagliostroTheGreat


I say public because i can't think of any better word. There may not be violence against cops from the "public" as a whole, but there's an awful lot of discontent and bad taste out there.

No meant meant offense in anything I said.

reply to post by Mapkar


None taken.

But perhaps, "criminal elements within the public" will suffice for next time. As I am a member of the public and have never even considered violent confrontation with LEOs.

Regardless of discontent and/or "bad taste" I think we can all agree that the majority of police are crooked in one way or another.

And don't get me wrong with our current sociological paradigm we, as a society, need GOOD police. The straight laced cops do a lot of good for a lot of communities but when are the good guys going to stand up against the bad?

Kallisti

reply to post by CagliostroTheGreat


The police have been nothing but kind and respectful to me because I treat them with kindness and respect.

As a psych patient, I've had some very serious encounters with them. They've been nothing but professional.

As a poster said before study your state statutes and city ordinances.

Maybe visit the department that you are interested in working for and ask if you can have a copy of their departmental general orders/standard operating procedures.

Study the use of force matrix.

Most importantly start developing a thick skin.

The constant bashing and ridiculing can take a toll on you emotionally and physically. Be prepared to be hated, to be spit on, to have your buttons pushed, to be insulted in person, in the media, be prepared to be stereotyped, be prepared to have people flick you off as you drive down the street, be prepared to have your house and car egged, your tires slashed, be prepared to be physically harmed. All of this happens even if you are a good constitutional abiding/community oriented officer.

Be prepared to work long days, be prepared to go 12+ hours without being able to eat and sometimes not even being able to use the restroom.

Be prepared to deal with the worst part of society and be crapped on by all of society.

Be prepared to see death. Abused children, exploited elderly, rape, come in contact with communicable diseases, etc.

Being an officer is probably more mental toughness then anything else.

And most likely prepare to do it all for crap money. Don't let people fool you, California and New York pay scales are not the norm.

If you still want to be a cop, you can PM me with any questions.

And watch out for those Oath Keeper guys.

They're aggressive.

Read the oath. Look around you and see if anyone's keeping it. Politicians? No. Military officers? Maybe, but why do you think so many of them are being fired? But you know, they're old school.

Civilians never take that oath, much less read it and understand it. Being a civilian who has taken that oath multiple times, having that perspective, and looking at what we've come to is telling. The constitution begins, "We the People," and for good reason. The people are the boss, and if they're not represented accurately, or they're exploited by greed and corruption, it is their duty to rectify the situation.

It is well misunderstood that this is all according to plan. Running out of time, here...

reply to post by Mon1k3r


The police are people too.

See this? vvvvv

TorqueyThePig
Be prepared to deal with the worst part of society and be crapped on by all of society.

Focus on this. ^^^^^

You will deal with this until you are fully indoctrinated. Then ... you won't be who you were anymore.

reply to post by Snarl


Really? So are you saying that I don't deal with the worst of society (which is a small fraction)? So are you saying that I don't get constantly bashed, judged, and stereotyped by the good and bad parts of society?

I didn't mean that every citizen treats me like crap. I meant that there are BOTH good and bad citizens that treat me like crap simply because of my job title.

Even though this is true, I still fight the good fight. I still help people, I still defend the Constitution, I still care.

So if I was truly being "indoctrinated" and brought to the dark side (which I am not), it would be because of the emotional/mental abuse I receive from the good citizens. I expect the criminals to treat me like crap.

reply to post by TorqueyThePig

Oh no. I was pointing out 'the most' important truth (based on my recollections) in your post.

reply to post by Snarl


Humor me, what would that truth be?

TorqueyThePig
reply to post by Snarl

 

Humor me, what would that truth be?

That one who carries a badge often gets in over one's head ... in terms of responsibility. How you deal with that is by adopting the herd's mentality ... or you're shunned by everyone.

Why do I sense you are challenging me? Is it my avatar?

reply to post by Snarl


No challenge. Just curious.

I didn't even notice your avatar until now.

By the way, I don't agree with how that officer handled that situation.

Mon1k3r

Restricted
Doesn't say much for the demographic here. And people wonder why the police feel they are in a hostile environment 100% of the time.

This thread isn't about inappropriate police behavior.

They feel like they're in a hostile environment all the time because they have very little real-time intelligence as they do their job. They don't know if they're pulling over a car that just got stolen, or what kind of drugs the driver is on. At least in the suck, we knew generally type and size of force, offensive capabilities, etc.

Beat cops don't have that luxury. Add that to the fact that a lot of them literally work in what could be considered war zones right here in this country, and you have a recipe for some pretty jumpy mofrackeys.

Eventually, the only people you can hire to deal with those places are mercs who get off on combat. Hear me now and listen to me later.

edit on 22-1-2014 by Mon1k3r because: lost time

I hear you now...... there is still no reason to act like serving a warrant in a quiet suburb is like serving one in the ghetto.

There are different places with differing environs all over, if the local PD doesn't know the difference, they need to find other employment.

I came from Indianapolis Indiana, the Indiana legislature passed a rule making it so if the police bust in the wrong door and you kill them all, you are not at fault, or able to be charged, because of how many times they busted the wrong door, and killed innocent people, who were surprised and got up, moved, sat forward, grabbed X...............etc.

They were not serving warrants on the east side or downtown ( the two bad spots, in a city with few bad spots really).

Context man, it is all about context. Every traffic stop isn't a cop killing fell on, every warrant service isn't for a mass murderer. Treating them all as the absolute worst case scenario is the reason this crap keeps happening.

99 out of 100 go pretty easy, so we should always act like it is the one bad time? Is that what your saying?

Mapkar
reply to post by jude11

 

You are absolutely right, I fully expected this sort of response. But, I'm completely capable of discerning between the people providing what I asked for and the flak.

I certainly hope people here realize that not everyone who wants to be in law enforcement fits the bad cop mold.

I don't see myself as the itchy trigger finger kind of person, nor am I going to shoot your dog just because he's smiling at me through the door. You're not going to see me beating either.

People here at ATS are a unique crowd, that's what makes the site what it is. But the intense hostility toward police can get very extreme in many instances. It's real world responses like that which cause the police to become a more intensive force. It's basically a feedback loop. Someone has to back down first, whether it's the public threatening the police, or the police backing down on their defensive stance. Maybe it's time for a sit down between the police and the public so it can be worked out, and agreements can be made. Police only work when the public allow them to, they're severely outnumbered and really are public servants. Instead of shooting at them, why not talk?

Anyways, regardless of your opinions, thanks for the responses.

From your posts I have established, that you are probably going to be one of the "good officers", much like many I know personally.

We do talk often, almost daily, about the news, what's going on.......bad cops comes up sometimes.

I know many, around 35 actually very well, out of them, I could only name 3 bad apple types. Most are quick to smile, fast with a joke, and honestly are out to do the right thing, which is we all really want. The law need not be enforced to its fullest extent in every situation, they put a maximum in there for the most heinous of offenses for am reason, not every single time it happens.

Yes sometimes, a person is " uncooperative" and an officer must go "hands on", at this point though seems to be the issue with a lot of officers, where they over escalate the power curve, and instead of physical take down or pepper spray or the teaser, they go full on lethal force for no good reason except the suspect didn't comply quickly enough or show enough "respect" for their authority.

Never forget, the authority isn't yours personally, it is granted to you by the same folks your interacting with, on an individual, not group basis.

Do these things, always tell the truth, and you will be a great officer. Your career will last a couple of months after don't lie for a dirty cop, and you can leave with a clean conscience.............

Good luck brother, it is a tough world your entering!

Snarl
See this? vvvvv

TorqueyThePig
Be prepared to deal with the worst part of society and be crapped on by all of society.

Focus on this. ^^^^^

You will deal with this until you are fully indoctrinated. Then ... you won't be who you were anymore.

Exactly, this is what takes a good officer and turns them into am bad cop.

All day everyday all you see is the bad side of humanity, eventually you think this is the only side of all of humanity......it messes with folks.

Honestly, how often do the police get called to a good situation?

They almost always see people at their worst, we all screw the pooch sometimes, but they deal with it every time. It is hard, and wears on one more and more over time.

Please remember, just because your last 5 calls had a douche beating his wife and kids, doesn't mean the next isn't just the wife claiming it when it wasn't happening.

Compartmentalize it all, they are all different, separate situations, they are more likely than not unconnected in all but the rarest cases.

Don't take a bad situation earlier in the day to mean YOU need to make a point this time.