Becoming A Cop -
The Blue And You
by George M. Godoy
A police
officer's world is populated by unsavory characters, regulated by laws,
regulations and policies, and powered by spikes of adrenalin. A police officer's
life is a balance between work and home, like every working person, but an
officer's work is more than just their jobit is also who they are.
The uniform,
badge and gear may come off when an officer reaches home, but the authority,
sense of duty and commitment to community can never be laid aside. The training
and dedication every officer carries with them is, and must be, ready to be put
into action at a moment's noticewhether the officer is on duty or at home
sipping a cool drink and grilling steaks.
Police officers
operate in black and white, good and bad parametersa necessary environment for
their exacting duties. Enforcing laws and abiding by regulations leaves no room
for errors, yet every officer is asked to find the pinpoint balance of judgment
that enforces exactly, but also addresses the greatest good. Officers' mental
and physical resources are finite, but their desire to achieve is infinite. This
desire transforms stressors that would disable many into opportunities to excel.
Quick-thinking,
tremendously controlled and highly adaptable, police officers see their work as
an on-going professional and personal challenge, to be met with gusto and
initiative. This life approach integrates deeply, making them keen competitors,
able teammates and steadfast friends.
Innovative and
insightful, police officers develop uniquely personalized coping techniques to
manage the rigors of police work, keeping goals attainable and rewards
self-defined. Establishing a solid personal identity that translates smoothly
from 'on their beat 'to' in their home is all-important to an officerenabling
the core of their personality to remain strong for the demands of their duties
and for the needs of their loved ones.
Punishing,
brutal and raw, the events officers are required to control and resolve define a
human reality whose existence is not lessened because an officer goes off duty.
Knowing that their daily battle is but one step in a continuing war, officers
believe that their battle is just and honorableand worth returning to.
Perils abound in
the life of a police officer, yet those that make the choice to enforce the law
accept those perils and perceive them as an opportunity for courage; and an
opportunity for courage defines life behind a badge.
About the
Author
George M. Goday is a 22 year veteran of law enforcement. During the last five
years of his career, he was a recruitment specialist and back ground
investigator directly involved in the police officer hiring process. His the
producer of the video for potential police recruits:
Police Exam 911
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