Stress is higher than any other job. Law enforcement has the highest suicide and divorce rates. Normally you’re assigned to bad neighborhoods not prissy clean suburbs that have health wrap cafes and juice bars at every corner. It’s much harder to pattern your meals and keep track while your radio is constantly going off for a domestic or shooting.
Yes, I am coming up with a few excuses but honestly they’re legit. The fat, dumpy officer is actually the exception when it comes to those who are younger (under age 40).
PGA, I completely understand you’re point of view. However it’s difficult to have these types of standards you mention with many departments having more than 13k sworn officers (males and females) ranging from age 21 to 60 plus. Looks good on paper but realistically it won’t pan out. A guy gives 20 plus years of his life to servicing his community, takes some damage here and there, can’t walk well anymore, puts on weight and can’t pass a minimum standard for running. Then what you fire him?
One of the greatest instructors I encountered at the academy was definately on the hefty side. However, he was the cream of the crop when it came to teaching you firearms and had a reputation for “diffusing threats” that were directed to a couple of his past partners. I don’t want that kind of guy fired.
[quote]Go-Rilla wrote:
Requirements to become and remain a police officer are too low. A college education should be required and the academy should be at least equal to that of any state trooper class. Probabtion periods should be doubled.[/quote]
I agree, most Florida agencies require college degrees now, however I work with several officers that have 4 year degrees and they have ZERO common sense. You need common sense more than a piece of paper to survive out there.
I’m sure you can get a better paying job with a degree so why be a cop?
Vast majority of smaller agencies in Florida still pay less than $25,000 a year. They are the ones I fear. As the old adage goes. ‘You get what you pay for.’
[quote]johnny_law wrote:
Go-Rilla wrote:
Requirements to become and remain a police officer are too low. A college education should be required and the academy should be at least equal to that of any state trooper class. Probabtion periods should be doubled.
I agree, most Florida agencies require college degrees now, however I work with several officers that have 4 year degrees and they have ZERO common sense. You need common sense more than a piece of paper to survive out there.
I’m sure you can get a better paying job with a degree so why be a cop?
Vast majority of smaller agencies in Florida still pay less than $25,000 a year. They are the ones I fear. As the old adage goes. ‘You get what you pay for.’
[/quote]
Holy dogshit. Up here in Canada, they’re making 72K after three years with sweet benefits. And that’s 72K w/o OT.
[quote]t officer wrote:
Stress is higher than any other job. Law enforcement has the highest suicide and divorce rates.
[/quote]
What you stated isn’t competely true, however, many consider suicide statistics to be partially informative and not to be formed into grand sweeping generalizations.
Either way, the medical profession has actually been found to have the highest suicide rate which is directly related to the stress involved. The stress on your job is no higher and possibly lower than the stress on an ER physician or several other fields that have nothing to do with law enforcement.