How To Become a Police Officer

761 Words4 Pages
I respect police officers; I always have and always will. I have always looked up to and wanted to become part of the The position of representing the law would bring out my pride to large extents that not even I could imagine. Police officers help to protect citizens and their property, maintain public peace, prevent and detect crime. They apprehend those who break the law, process court requirements, handle traffic problems, enforce regulations, and act as agents of social change within the community to promote safer neighborhoods. In their daily work, police officers perform many duties ranging from enforcing the law and apprehending criminals, to controlling traffic and arbitrating domestic disputes. Police work does not always involve a physical act of protection or the apprehension of a lawbreaker. It also involves activities such as crime prevention activities, helping victims of crime, working with community groups to identify and solve policing problems of mutual concern. To add to that police officers will participate in forensic investigations, administrative work (lots and lots of paper work), and court appearances. Police officers make a “well above average” salary. Just a starting salary for a diploma program graduate averages about $19,000 a year (in 1998). However, according to the 1996 census, most Albertans in the “Police officers (Except Commissioned)” occupational group earned from $50,000 to $60,000 a year. These figures include special rates of pay for statutory holidays, overtime and court appearances during off duty hours, and pay differential for evening and night duty. Many Police Officers may work a regular five-day, forty – hour week or a compacted (four–day) work week with twelve-hour shifts. Since police protection is a necessity one hundred percent of the time, there are better shifts to work than there are others. Officers will work
Open Document