I am finally in law enforcement

[JasonJ]

Since my application to the local PD a year and a half ago, I have still just been doin' the bug killin' gig. Back in August, my neighbor who is also an 18 year detective in the PD strongly encouraged me to enter the reserve program. He said that there will be some full time openings coming up in the not-too-distant future and if I want in, the reserve program is the way to do it. That way the powers that be have seen me in action and are more likely to hire me than an outsider. I go to reserve academy starting in January for three months. I start local training immediatly. I should be Level 1 by next summer if not sooner. Level 1 is the same as a regular patrol officer. Same power, uniformed, the car, the full meal deal. I must do at least 20 hours per month (but I don't have to during academy, I'll have no time), but I will do more. I do not get paid anything until I become level 1, then I get paid any time I am in uniform. I know its not full time, and I'll be busting my arse working my current job and doing academy in evenings/weekends, but if this is what it takes, then I'm game.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

Good luck Jason, ya gonna need it. It is a rewarding job for the right person. If you see it don't feel right its time to leave. Remember the "thin blue line" and understand there is a difference between protecting your brothers and protecting yourself. You will be put in a situation that you will question yourself and your morals. Remember that Paul the partner ain't gonna pay your bills if you lose your job covering for him. Sometimes a little discretionary attitude adjusting is neccecary but don't cross the line. Right now you are saying that you wouldn't do that. Just wait and you'll see. <br />I started off as a reserve. That was 8 years ago and I am still a reserve. No biggie here. The regular job pays better and has moe going for it. <br />Remember your family more than anything else. Most LEO's develop into arseholes. Between working in a prison full time and playing cop on the weekends I did the same. You see the worst society has to offer continueosly. It turned me into someone I didn't want to be. I was mean to my wife and kids. I lost all compassion. I turned hard and lost feelings for the most important things in my life. Luckily I have a GREAT wife who could see the real me and has helped me change back to what I was. I'm stil not there and have a long ways to go but its gonna happen.<br /><br />I just read this to myself and thought "Wow, he's gonna quit before he ever starts now" I don't mean for it sound that way. I am trying to give you some insight that they probably won't. Best of luck to you.

 

[Stumpknocker]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

Kenneth Brown is right on target. Been there done that. Cost me dearly. Took about 7 years before I came to my senses and got out. It can do things to your head. The more you care the worse it can be. Be careful.

 

[bubbakat]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

Go for it jason there are tales from every officer that donned the uniform everyone of them are different. Sure you are are going to meet some of the lowest egg sucking poor excuses of human trash you have ever encountered in your entire life. You will learn to separate your personal life from the force. I know I have several years doing this. I love people in general and don't have the thought that everyone is a bad guy. I can look at kids and feel the compassion for them and at the same time arrest their father or mother because they are making drugs with them in the house with them. The mom and dad are the bad guy not me. You will recognize it if you are not cut out to be LEO.<br /> I love this type of work. When I go out to serve a warrant and we have to force our way into a house or building I get the ultimate high. I love living on the edge.<br /> Then there are the times I take a group of unfortunate kids ( same kids that I have arrested their father or mother) out on a all day fishing and cooking trip and when I lay down at night I am pleased with myself.<br />Always remember when you pin that badge on and suit up to go out you are the same man you were before you dressed. The public requires a little more from you. Come home at the end of the shift just as you went safe and sound.<br />sorry about the long post but dang it I love this kind of work.

 

[Stumpknocker]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

Bubbakat, while you might call our posts "tales".... they are from experience. More than you have at present. I probably would have written the same post you did after only a couple of years myself. Same high you describe. Loved it so much I hated to hear shift change called. <br /><br />The warning still goes to Jason. <br /><br />The job can really be a rush, and you feel indestructible while young. But death can come suddenly and without warning. After you bury your partner (God forbid) you will wonder why you ever started. <br /><br />After you knock on doors of complete strangers at 2 am and tell them their dad has been killed it does something to you.<br /><br />After a while the blood and violence eeks its way into your thought processes like a cancer. You can't get the smell of blood out of your head. <br /><br />You start taking showers at all hours to try and get rid of the smell of death. Little things. <br /><br />Don't get me wrong bubbakat, I respect you and what you do. Just be very careful of how much you love the work. <br /><br />Jason do what you feel is right for you. Just try and keep it all balanced. It has a steep price sometimes. Family comes first.

 

[JGREGORY]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

Congrats on the start of your dream. Good luck.

 

[neumanns]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

Movin up from chasin bugs to real vermin eh. Congrats

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

great news, Sandpoint, Ohio has improved their quality of law enforcement. Keep them Honest.

 

[Bigfun]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

Just a warning for anyone wearing an Iboats hat, right?

 

[bubbakat]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

Gil009 said.

Bubbakat, while you might call our posts "tales".... they are from experience. More than you have at present.

I was not referring to what you guys were saying were tales. I said you will hear all kinds of tales. I have been there and done that with all the blood and trying to explain to a kid that there was nothing left to do for a loved one.<br />I don't see how you figure you have more years at then I have right now. I have done this for the last 30 years so there isn't much I haven't did or saw but I still love the work.<br />I encourage any one to try their hand at law enforcement that is how we old timers can retire.<br />I admire you for getting out of it if you didn't like the work. Not everybody is cut out to work in this.<br />BTW we can't live forever and who would want to anyway.

 

[Elmer Fudge]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

just make sure that you use pepper spray and not bug spray <br />congrats jasonj, go for it

 

[JasonJ]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

There was a lot of things that happened to me while in the military that would leave a lot of people jaded, and I am still alright. I think I'll do okay, but I am smart enough o keep an open mind. One thing I am sure of, I am not in it for the high. I got all that out of my system in the military, so I can approach this more level headed. That is the main reason they wanted me. They sought me out for this, I didn't go looking. They really felt that I was more grounded than the average person they deal with. They have some young officers that are a little too gung ho, too agressive, and they prefer someone who is a bit more enlightened. I am looking forward to it, it will be a lot of fun, and it will be challenging, and it wil suck too. My better half is in the sheriffs department part time so she fully understands what to expect.<br /><br />I have had to do a lot of the bad things law enforcement deals with when I was in the military. I dealt with suicide of my soldiers, soldiers who were wife beaters, thieves. Soldiers died while training. The military always seemed to bring the worst out of people. Guys killing their kids and wife. I am not a virgin when it comes to a dead body. You would be amazed what a person looks like after an M1 tank flips and crushed them, or a humvee being ran over by a tank in the middle of the night. Guys being ran over in their sleep because they didn't pick a smart place to sleep. No, I am not a cherry when it comes to things that suck, but I know that there will be plenty more to come. For whatever reason, I am drawn to the sort of jobs that have a lot of stress and responsibility. I get bored and discontented otherwise. I have spent years considering this, the pros and cons, and the pros win out. Its all good....One good thing is I am cutting my teeth in a town with les than 10,000 individuals. Drugs, domestics, burglaries, that sort of thing. the occasional hostage situation, but pretty much mostly bar fights and traffic stops. It gets spicy once in awhile, but it seems pretty calm in this area. It is no LA, thats for sure....

 

[Stumpknocker]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

Bubbakat, you are correct. I was thinking you had only two years in for some reason. You have many more years than I did. It was the right decision for me to get out. I have second guessed it at times, because like you it was my dream job for several years. But it was the right time for me to leave. Probably losing a partner put an overly pessemistic outlook on things as well. Jason will be fine.

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

CONGRADULATIONS!!!!"

 

[crab bait]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

i'm real glad for you..<br /><br />i think you'll be very good at it.. you got good horse sense an seem very levelheaded an fairly patient.. all good charactoristics of a good policeman..plus your military background..<br /><br />start out good.. end up good..<br /><br />just stay away from the doughnuts..

 

[Bob in Calif.]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

JasonJ.......<br /><br />Were you influenced by some of the resident's and neighbors up there to get into the business? I have several friends who retired from the S/O I retired from, move there.<br /><br />I understand L.A.P.D. opened up a credit union branch there, as there were so many retiree's from their department who moved there. <br /><br />...Bob in Calif...

 

[wonderphil]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

Jason as a former LEO my best advice is to develop and trust your instincts. If you do you'll soon find you have eyes in the back of your head. OH yeah it sounds silly but never forget to look up, happened at a B&E in progress everyone was looking around up one of us happened to look up and there he was setting up to snipe at us. Why did that officer look up? Instincts? Whatever it was it saved someone from getting shot. Congratulations and keep a positive attitude.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

Congradulations to you!<br />10 years ago i started as a reserve, but as luck would have it I got a full time offer before academy training started. Had 2 days to get ready to leave my family for 3 1/2 months of training academy. Most days it was worth it.<br />The hardest thing I see in all my officers I train as FTO, keeping things from getting personal. You will see things you thought were not possible. Children and babies ripped up by car wrecks are worse than anything, children burned and beaten by parents, babies covered in days worth of fecies, all kinds of stuff. BUT you will also see great things that nothing can ever compare to. You will feel a frusteration that nothing can compare to, and at the same time a satisfaction that can not be matched.<br /><br />Things to remember, when those little hairs stand up on your neck, trust that feeling. When someone talks to you, they are lying in some degree. Never ever get personally involved with anyone no matter how sad, happy, or convincing their story. You are never wrong, even if you make a mistake, you are still right. Never back down even a step. Never say you are sorry for anything you have done on the job. <br />Stats show that an officer sees more human tragedy in 3 years than a normal person sees in their lifetime. <br />You have the right attitude going in, you will do great for your department and the people you serve. <br />Good luck to you and remember to always go home with less holes in you than when you left.<br />Remember your family left at home. My wife used to cry every time she heard sirens flying across town, every time she heard me calling for help on the scanner, every time I came home injured or witha uniform covered in blood (others blood). Become good friends with your local EMS and hospital staff, they will clean the blood for you so you don't contiminate your home.<br /><br />Good luck, this will be the best adventure you can ever wish for.

 

[KRS]

Re: I am finally in law enforcement

Congrats, Sandpoint? I'm originally from Pocatello, you ever know any Hunsaker girls from up there?