What is Law Enforcement?
Were you one of those kids that said, “I want to be a cop” when you grew up? There are SO many other areas of Law Enforcement that provide exciting and fulfilling opportunities to serve and protect American citizens.
Law enforcement individuals are responsible for apprehending criminals, maintaining public order, preventing and detecting crimes. They keep society safe through the enforcement of local and federal laws.
Areas of Specialty Within Law Enforcement
- Security
- Animal control
- SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics)
- Highway Patrol
- Forensic Science
Perks
- You protect and serve people to the fullest extent of the law. Police officers are the glue that holds our society together. Without them, laws wouldn’t matter.
- As a police officer, life is full of interesting opportunities and interesting characters. Read: no cubicles.
- You stop criminals whether it be a serial killer, a rapist, a thief or a drunk driver from hurting or killing another human being.
- Many agencies pay all or part of the tuition for officers to work toward degrees in criminal justice, police science, administration of justice, or public administration and pay higher salaries to those who earn such a degree.
Law Enforcement: Show me the Money
Things to Think About
Police officers have unpredictable hours, they deal with dangerous people and dangerous situations, in a high-stress environment.
Education and Training
To enter the law enforcement field, one generally must be a U.S. citizen, usually at least 20 years old, and must meet rigorous physical and personal qualifications. A high school diploma is required and college level training varies from state to state but most of the time it is between 2-4 years of Criminal Justice studies or attending a police academy. In criminal justice classes students learn about local ordinances, state laws, crowd control, forensics, undergo physical and safety training, and are trained the use of firearms and weapons. Who doesn’t want to get paid to pack some heat? When hired onto an agency, students are required to take competitive written and practical tests.
Law Enforcement Personality Traits
To begin with, a career in law enforcement is founded upon a genuine sense of honesty, integrity and sound judgment skills. Successful police officers deal well with stress and are able to deal with emotional situations in a logical way. They are protectors and they believe in justice and are willing to bring justice to those who hurt others.
Law Enforcement: By the Numbers
- Police and detectives held about 861,000 jobs in 2006.
- 79% were employed by local governments.
- State police agencies employed about 11%, and various Federal agencies employed about 7%.
Law Enforcement Occupational Outlook
Employment of police and detectives is expected to grow 11% between now and 2016.
Interested?
Visit www.mycollegesandcareers.com for more information about criminal justice studies!
