Police Academy

anon37909890 · March 9, 2006, 1:48pm

[quote]snipeout wrote:
To prevent this thread from turning into a pissing match with PGA I will stay on topic. Background info: 6 years as a cop, split time between street and working the jail. The Paramilitary approach isn’t the best approach towards training but it does tend to weed out the bottom of the barrel, you should see what doesn’t make it.

The problem with Interpersonal communication skills(how you deal with other people) is that you really can’t teach them, you either have them or you don’t. Maybe if more time was spent on the importance of IPC skills and diffusing a situation there wouldn’t be as bad of a rep for police officers.

As for the physical standards, some departments ahve them but the PBA is strong and they squash them in most Dept’s. What you have to keep in mind is that law enforcement is an ever changing field. If 7 out of every 10 people you speak to are a thief, a liar, an asshole, a member of ms-13, a blood, a latin king, a nyeta, a crip a murderer, or a child rapist its hard to turn that off for the other 3 honest people out there.

Police officers are a direct product of the environment they work in after the academy, not the 5 months they spend in the academy. If something were needed to be changed I would say a more in depth psychological profile of people entering the academy to weed out the people in their for a 25 year power trip.

Once that process was finished I would think maybe some form of psychology class for the recruits to better understand the people they will be dealing with to better prepare them to be a dick to the gang banger then flip a mental switch and not offend the oh so sensitive types out there who think cops only beat down rodney “I’m high on PCP” king and that we don’t protect and serve the community from the above listed scum(sorry for the run on).[/quote]

They DEFINITLY should have mandatory psychology classes for cops. For some of the things they/you have to experience after the academy there has to be some form of therapy. As you said, they/you have to deal with scum often and it becomes hard to “flip the switch” when dealing with someone who doesnt warrant aggressive behavior.

As far as the physical part of the after academy life THAT should be mandatory. Its sad the unions fight against it. After all shouldnt they/you be in tip top shape to protect us? There are a few cops around here that I cant believe are cops. There is one lady who is 5 feet or under and easily 50lbs over weight.

What could she possibly do to a criminal that really needs to be restrained besides call for back-up? Yeah yeah she knows “moves” but c’mon those are impossible against anybody given her stature and shape. I’ve also seen some fat as hell male cops that couldnt run 100 yards without stopping. Its sad to see that and that shouldnt be the case. There definitly needs to be much stricter guidelines there.

That aside a good friend of mine is in the gym almost everyday lifting and he also plays ball with me on occasions. He’s how every cop should be. Respectful, fit and a good head on his shoulders. He’s definitly a model police officer. He knows my gripes and he agrees with them for the most part.

Kal_El2 · March 9, 2006, 7:45pm

I believe that cops should keep themselves up as far as physical fitness. I have a few in my department that are you typical COP… overweight,uniform looks like crap, the works. Along with the out of shape figure most of the time comes a out of shape attitude.

I am not the pinnacle of health but I try and maintain a slight standard for myself. It also helps that the Capt. in my dept. used to be a PL champ in his day. He then blew up to well over 300 lbs. In the last 1 1/2 years he lost over 120 lbs and is currently competing in bench meets again.

As for the officer that has a bad attitude towards the other posters here , don’t be to hard on him even us so called good guys have a bad day from time to time.

The best advise I can offer anyone coming into lawenforcement is this
“KEEP HOME LIFE AT HOME AND KEEP WORK LIFE AT WORK”
Now that doesnt mean that you cant come home and tell stories to your spouse. It simply means if you are having spouse problems dont take it out on Joe Public. He had nothing to do with what happened at home. And visaversa dont take out on your spouse what Joe Public did to you.

Spouses dont know what we do in the field. Most people dont. Some of the things we do most humans are not supposed to do. I unfortunately had to shoot a man a few years ago in the line of duty. It never goes away.
I will remain a good cop for the sake of good cops everywhere!

GOOD LUCK!!!

redfreddy · March 9, 2006, 8:50pm

[quote]PGA200X wrote:
Cops have a bad reputation how did it become like that? I dont know many people that respect cops as a whole how was this brought about? My guess, questionable actions.

[/quote]

I think cops as a whole do have a bad reputation, and I think it is a shame. As you said, like in any other line of work, you have the good guys and you have the assholes that break the rules. Unfortunately, in a position where the job is to enforce the rules, those who break the rules stand out pretty badly.

I think as a whole, police do not get the respect they deserve. A police force is a government run entity, thus can be prone to lots of fuckups and mistakes. Some of the shit that officers take for procedural stuff is well deserved, but then again, a lot of it isn’t.

Police have to perform some seriously tough, but necessary jobs. Let’s face it, dealing with irrational, often drugged up, often armed, and often belligerent individuals for a living is a son-of-a-bitch of a task.

I may be in the minority, but I, for one, respect police officers as a whole.

old_graymule · March 10, 2006, 10:21am

I’ve been in law enforcement 30 years next month. Twenty five as a Deputy Sheriff and five as a chief of police. I’ve seen it go from one end of the spectrum to the other. My training was around 168 classroom hours with very few physical requirements. Everyone was at least six feet tall and the only women were in the office or jail as matrons. You were expected to be big and brutal. There were several night clubs in the county and it was the only “wet” county for miles. You knew that on Friday and Saturday nights you would be in a fight or two. It was always an interesting mix of whites, native americans, blacks and Hispanics none of whom seemed to enjoy the other’s company after a few drinks. I can think of very few occasions that I saw unnecessary brutality. Our policy was to contain the situation and move on.

u knew pretty much who was going to require extra attention. To say all cops use excessive force is like saying all Catholic Priests and school teachers are child molesters. Sure they are out there but by no means are they the norm.

When I became a Chief the very first thing I did was put in a physical requirement policy. The only complaints I got were from the ones that didn’t really take their job seriously. One of the most hideous things I’ve ever seen was an obese cop getting a bullet-proof vest fitted. Why was his department worried about him getting shot when obviously his heart was at much more imminent risk?

Now, in the state I live, training is in excess of 605 hours and I hear it is going to be expanded further. Many departments are also requiring at least an Associates Degree prior to employment.

Shakey_D · March 10, 2006, 10:34am

[quote]etaco wrote:
I apologise for being so far off topic, but I thought you were posting about this:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418068/

Notice the date listed on it. You may be asking yourself, as I did, “Why? For the love of god, why?”
That’s like asking “why” about genocide or the clubbing of baby seals; no answer can fully satisfy.[/quote]

Wow it’s actually the whole original cast, guess they don’t have anything else to do. Would this be Police Academy 7 then? Steve Guttenberg, lol.

Sarge131 · March 10, 2006, 10:00pm

[quote]sic wrote:
I have a research paper to write on recommendations for training programs for new police officers.

Now I know everyone likes to bitch about cops and what they do wrong… so here is your chance to try to think of positive changes to training systems in order to produce better officers.

Do you think a militaristic approach to training translates well to civilian encounters and policing?

Should officers have more training in the community and less classroom training?

Any and all comments are appreciated as I’m really trying to brainstorm some good theories.[/quote]

I’m in my 17th year as a police officer. I’m not going to respond to the cop bashers, it’s really not worth my time.

My department does not have a physical fitness standard after graduation form the police academy. Most don’t, for the reasons previously stated, and it’s a shame.

Police officers should be physically fit throughout thier careers, regardless of thier age, sex, rank or assignment. I feel that we should have annual physical fitness tests. If you can’t pass, you are unfit for duty, it’s that simple.

I know it will never fly, but since there is only one standard on the street, shouldn’t there be one standard in tests? If a male officer is required to do 10 pull-ups, for instance, a female officer should be required to do the same. If an officer is sent to break up a bar fight, the officer, in my mind, is expected to do his or her job regardless of sex or age.

As it is now, police academys have seperate standards for men and women. I just don’t understand the logic. Were all making the same money, called to the same situations, and expected to win every physical confrontation. Cops who don’t win a physical confrontation usually wind up dead.

Lately, many more officers are staying physically fit. You don’t see many of the stereotypical overweight, smoking, donught eating cops anymore. Sure they are still out there, but not in the numbers there were before. Let’s hope the trend continues.

sic · March 10, 2006, 10:18pm

I fully agree with your opinion that standards should be just that, standard. I am annoyed when I read a department’s differing requirements for men and women. I’d hate to feel that I didn’t measure up to the male officers I was supposed to be able to back up when needed.

sic · March 10, 2006, 10:24pm

There is something else I would like to ask those of you who are current or former police officers.

What is your honest opinion of women in the police field? Do you think this is one area that does not need to be “equal opportunity” or do you think they have as much of a place as the men do?

What do you see as good qualities in a female officer?

What are some reasons you would/would not want to work with a female?

What qualities do you think a woman needs to posses to be a successful police officer?

I was told by a friend that most male officers will not respect a female and that I need to go into any situation, including an entrance interview, as if I have a chip on my shoulder and something to prove. Thoughts?

snipeout · March 11, 2006, 12:36am

[quote]sic wrote:
There is something else I would like to ask those of you who are current or former police officers.

What is your honest opinion of women in the police field? Do you think this is one area that does not need to be “equal opportunity” or do you think they have as much of a place as the men do?

What do you see as good qualities in a female officer?

What are some reasons you would/would not want to work with a female?

What qualities do you think a woman needs to posses to be a successful police officer?

I was told by a friend that most male officers will not respect a female and that I need to go into any situation, including an entrance interview, as if I have a chip on my shoulder and something to prove. Thoughts?[/quote]

Never go into any interview in law enforcement like you have a chip on your shoulder or something to prove. If I were on your panel my first thought would be “penis envy” power tripper. Be sharp and well spoken, you don’t have to know all the answers. I have worked with many women officers I actually would prefer in situations than other fat lazy shit male officers. My best partner ever was a female, she is now unfortunately on midnight shift. As for good qualities in a female officer, they are the same standard for males. Honest, trustworthy and not have a fear of dangerous situations.

Sarge131 · March 11, 2006, 3:21pm

[quote]sic wrote:
There is something else I would like to ask those of you who are current or former police officers.

What is your honest opinion of women in the police field? Do you think this is one area that does not need to be “equal opportunity” or do you think they have as much of a place as the men do?

What do you see as good qualities in a female officer?

What are some reasons you would/would not want to work with a female?

What qualities do you think a woman needs to posses to be a successful police officer?

I was told by a friend that most male officers will not respect a female and that I need to go into any situation, including an entrance interview, as if I have a chip on my shoulder and something to prove. Thoughts?[/quote]

In my opinion, you really have to be a special woman to be a police officer. First, to work in a male dominated enviornment, you can’t have thin skin. I’ve never heard a derrogatory comment made to a female officer. Derrogatory comments around female officers, on the other hand, are heard every tour. If you can’t let these comments roll off your back, you should probably find another career.

Alot of women come onto the job with something to prove. They try too hard and often get involved in situations where they suddenly find themselves over thier heads. Everybody needs backup from time to time, but I don’t reccommend any officer, male or female, to walk into a domestic or a bar fight alone, that’s just stupid.

I’m a sergeant on a night shift in an urban area in New Jersey. The officers on my platoon are sent into dangerous situations every night, and they are expected to do thier jobs, regardless of sex. My officers understand where I’m coming from. When I was a patrolman, I’ve seen officers going in the opposite direction of shots fired calls (male officers, by the way).

Females are unique, in that they deal with children, rape victims, and victims of domestic violence better, generally, than male officers. I don’t care if it sounds sexist, that’s just the way it is. Many of these special types of victims, actually prefer female officers.

There are a lot of officers that feel that there is no place for women in law enforcement. Most of the officers I know however, feel that as long as they can do the job just as well as a male officer, they are accepted. Male cops however, resent female officers who: Don’t pull thier weight, flirt with the supervisors to get special assignments, expect special treatment because they are female or can’t live up to the same standards of male officers. On my shift, you are a uniform, just like everybody else. Show me that you can’t do the job because of physical, emotional or whatever reason, and I’ll do my best to send you packing. You can be an incompetent letter carrier and some guy gets his mail a few days late, incompetent cops get other cops killed.

johnny_law · March 11, 2006, 5:32pm

[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:

keaster wrote:
who do you call when someone robs your house, steals your car, or rapes your sister?

If the cops would actually spend the majority of the time stopping real crime instead of writing tickets etc. they would get much more respect.[/quote]

I don’t think that’s the main reason we don’t get respect…maybe just for you…heavy foot maybe??.. I found a meth lab in the trunk of a car on a traffic stop last week. Traffic stops lead to 70% of my ‘real crime’ arrests.

Zap_Branigan · March 11, 2006, 9:19pm

[quote]johnny_law wrote:
Zap Branigan wrote:

keaster wrote:
who do you call when someone robs your house, steals your car, or rapes your sister?

If the cops would actually spend the majority of the time stopping real crime instead of writing tickets etc. they would get much more respect.

I don’t think that’s the main reason we don’t get respect…maybe just for you…heavy foot maybe??.. I found a meth lab in the trunk of a car on a traffic stop last week. Traffic stops lead to 70% of my ‘real crime’ arrests.
[/quote]

When I get pulled over for doing 8 MPH over the speed limit and I am completely respectful and the cop acts like a complete asshole I lose respect for them.

When I have to pay the price of the ticket plus court costs up front in order to plead not guilty I lose more respect for the system that puts them on the road.

Same police force refuses to even respond to the nightly car break ins in my old apartment parking lot.

Three nights in a row cars are broken into. Three mornings in a row the cops are called and they refuse to come out. They just take the reports over the phone.

The fourth night my neighbors stake out the parking lot and get videotapes of the kids doing it. They identify the kids. The cops finally come out to pick up the video tape. No arrests made. The cop actually gives the guys who made the video a hard time and threatens to arrest them if they “engage in vigilatism.”

I know the guys that made the tape. They are harmless and said nothing to the cop that would set him off like that.

This is all in a very affluent suburban area with a large police force for the size of the town.

Some cops risk their lives and have to deal with the scum of the earth every day. That is a hard job and I respect them.

Far too many cops spend their days writing tickets in order to generate revenue.

I have no respect for that.

old_graymule · March 12, 2006, 9:46am

[quote]Sarge131 wrote:
sic wrote:
There is something else I would like to ask those of you who are current or former police officers.