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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:17:28 PM EDT
[#1]
I retired after 20 years with a medium size city police department but I am still in the national guard with 25 years and still counting. Working for a police department is the true definition of doing the impossible for the ungrateful.
Bad pay, hostile work environment, horrible hours. Law Enforcement and military are in your blood or it's not. I would have done it all for free. It is about being a man among men. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:18:18 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryQuoted: After this passes, there will be some new disaster where Leo and first responders are seen as heros again. The cycle always repeats. This. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:18:31 PM EDT
[#3]
It's too late in my life to become one.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:18:42 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 24+ as a LEO in a major city For evil to triumph.... good men only need to stand by and do nothing I'm beat down, tired, feeling unappreciated and stereotyped with little support from the top.... but I'm not broken and I still believe in right and wrong I've lost several friends to gun fire and I was there for a few of them... in their memory and for the guys and gals that do the right thing daily... Me too, but I'm so fucking tired. Lost a friend last night. Maybe we're just dumb. 
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:20:56 PM EDT
[#5]
Very few.
We can't keep up with attrition now. The number resigning and or retiring is overwhelming. We typically run 25 to 30 in a recruit class. Our current class is 18. The next class is 9. Pay cuts, days off without pay, minimal if any retirement benefits, and if you get health care its expensive. Can't keep up with the private sector. We have a number of smaller agencies that pay minimum wage. You pay for your own academy training, uniforms and equipment. It costs a bunch to get started. Academy tuition is between 8k and 10k. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:21:04 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: % of cops that died on the job or ended up in jail for crimes committed while on duty compared to those who retire with a pension? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Pension and health benefits Won't help if you're dead or in jail. % of cops that died on the job or ended up in jail for crimes committed while on duty compared to those who retire with a pension? If you're one of those percentages, dead is dead and prison can be become a literal death sentence. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:28:23 PM EDT
[#7]
I never would have wanted to and now even less. But young people will do it.
Some like the power. People coming out of the military seem to like it. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:29:11 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Antifa types will. It will be very bad when that happens. You're saying that there are not any now? |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:29:47 PM EDT
[#9]
Couldn't pay me enough, I'm too white to survive.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:30:19 PM EDT
[#10]
I doubt the counties where I lived back in NY will have any trouble finding people.
 Bellone aides said the top step in base salary for all officers will be $155,693 a year, up from over $139,000 now. Quoted: You guys act like cops get millions of dollars during retirement and a health/dental plan that allows a colon cleanse of pure diamonds with gold teeth as a possibility. Some do. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:34:38 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:  I will say that over the last few days I’ve gotten more one finger salutes than normal, but also more passing offers of appreciation and support (and not just rich old white people). I was on a perimeter yesterday in a poor area and had a young black woman stop and thank me, I've had the opposit, been stopped and thanked more than before this crap started. I've only dealt with one person (domstic call) who pulled out his phone and started to film stating "i have to do this, you all keep killing blacks". |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:37:11 PM EDT
[#12]
https://clarionproject.org/guns-police-fear-how-antifa-is-changing-the-face-of-america/
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:50:07 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Pension and health benefits And a great union that helps get your job back with you get fired for excessive force. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 3:59:04 PM EDT
[#14]
Sure glad I didn't become one. Ended up in a career with better hours, pay, and benefits.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:00:27 PM EDT
[#15]
People probably said the same thing about the military after vietnam. We now have the greatest, all volunteer, military in the world.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:00:31 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Leftist politicians will start issuing badges, handcuffs and guns to Antifa. They will become the new Cheka/Stasi. This. BLM types too. And those guys will love to take your guns. Cop threads in GD will be glorious when those guys are policing your neighborhoods. That is if ar15.com isn’t shut down as a white supremacist terrorist hate website by then. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:06:19 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Any sane person would not subject them selves to lack of support from their department? Look to officer Mader, whose Marine Corps training and Afghanistan experience helped him understand that just a gun doesn't create a threat. He was able to identify the person as a non-threat and so didn't shoot. And was fired for it https://features.propublica.org/weirton/police-shooting-lethal-force-cop-fired-west-virginia/ |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:07:16 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I wanted to be a cop growing up Man Im glad I didnt That about sums it up. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:11:26 PM EDT
[#19]
The laws that will soon be changed will put an end to the police force in Colorado. Just have investigators to show up and try to determine who needs arrested, then text the criminals to turn themselves in. Going to be glorious in the city.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:16:18 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: People probably said the same thing about the military after vietnam. We now have the greatest, all volunteer, military in the world. Or it will turn into what the military of the 70’s was... the employer of last resort, if you can’t get a job anywhere else |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:20:58 PM EDT
[#21]
I didn't in 96 when I got out of the military after seeing the Rodney King shit in 92. It's worse to be a cop now but for different reasons.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:22:49 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I never would have wanted to and now even less. But young people will do it. Some like the power. People coming out of the military seem to like it. Only rookies think they have power. A jail sgt can refuse charges. A DA can drop charges. On larger departments, there’s public integrity to investigate any criminal complaint, and internal affairs to pick through administrative violations. Then there’s the media. And the FBI/DOJ. Cops with any sense realize they have no power. Not saying they should or shouldn’t but power troopers either have an epiphany or they get ran off. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:23:11 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 24+ as a LEO in a major city For evil to triumph.... good men only need to stand by and do nothing I’m beat down, tired, feeling unappreciated and stereotyped with little support from the top.... but I’m not broken and I still believe in right and wrong I’ve lost several friends to gun fire and I was there for a few of them... in their memory and for the guys and gals that do the right thing daily...  Attached File |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:27:37 PM EDT
[#24]
Quoted: With the present view of mistrust of law enforcement officers, why would any one choose that profession? People who enjoy exerting power over others will always be drawn to positions that allow them to do so. There will be no shortage of applicants. However, there could be a shortage of decent cops. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:38:27 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: People who enjoy exerting power over others will always be drawn to positions that allow them to do so. There will be no shortage of applicants. However, there could be a shortage of decent cops. Many departments across the country had a shortage of applicants before the riots. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:42:22 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Only rookies think they have power. A jail sgt can refuse charges. A DA can drop charges. On larger departments, there’s public integrity to investigate any criminal complaint, and internal affairs to pick through administrative violations. Then there’s the media. And the FBI/DOJ. Cops with any sense realize they have no power. Not saying they should or shouldn’t but power troopers either have an epiphany or they get ran off. Truth... |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:48:42 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Pay cuts, days off without pay, minimal if any retirement benefits, and if you get health care its expensive. Can't keep up with the private sector. We have a number of smaller agencies that pay minimum wage. You pay for your own academy training, uniforms and equipment. It costs a bunch to get started. Academy tuition is between 8k and 10k. Holy shit, you need to lateral to another state. Where I'm at, my pay is very competitive compared to cost of living and our benefits are solid. Minimum wage? Fuck that shit. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:52:04 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Holy shit, you need to lateral to another state. Where I'm at, my pay is very competitive compared to cost of living and our benefits are solid. Minimum wage? Fuck that shit. This. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:52:48 PM EDT
[#29]
We usually get 5-9 applicants for 7 openings, We might be able to hire one.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:56:25 PM EDT
[#30]
They already have a hard time hiring people, they will just lower the standards.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:56:32 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Very few. We can't keep up with attrition now. The number resigning and or retiring is overwhelming. We typically run 25 to 30 in a recruit class. Our current class is 18. The next class is 9. Pay cuts, days off without pay, minimal if any retirement benefits, and if you get health care its expensive. Can't keep up with the private sector. We have a number of smaller agencies that pay minimum wage. You pay for your own academy training, uniforms and equipment. It costs a bunch to get started. Academy tuition is between 8k and 10k. There were some rural departments in Tennessee that had insurance plans that had premium family plans that were unreal expensive and no retirement....Why do that? Find a county that is mid-sized and has decent benefits/ People would quit state corrections at better pay for the glory of the road in some tiny county, and then realize they needed EBT to survive and many went back because of state benefits. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:57:15 PM EDT
[#32]
Yes, people who become police officers don't get into the job because they see it as a chance to crack skulls and shoot people, they do it to help their neighborhoods and neighbors.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 4:57:26 PM EDT
[#33]
Will your pay and benefits, be enough outweigh the possibility of being sued or left out in the cold by your department.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:00:17 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Leftist politicians will start issuing badges, handcuffs and guns to Antifa. They will become the new Cheka/Stasi. Would imaging in communist countries that is exactly how it's done.. When there is only two classes of people...those in the camps and those watching those in the camps... The watchers get 3 hot meals a day and a warm place to sleep at night...winters up north get mighty cold. Far better to be a watcher than a slave in a forced labor camp. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:03:39 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Pension and[color=#ff0000] health benefits[[/color] My city's insurance was hot garbage. I plan on going back to it in a few years. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:09:08 PM EDT
[#36]
The mistrust isn't universal.
Small towns like mine have a lot of respect and trust for the local town police department, small towns like mine also pay well and have a good budget so they can pick and choose the best candidates and train/equip them properly. Maybe I'm naive but outside of inner city / poorer income areas (where policing is often underpaid/understaffed/under-trained/overwhelmed) I don't see the hate. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:12:53 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The mistrust isn't universal. Small towns like mine have a lot of respect and trust for the local town police department, small towns like mine also pay well and have a good budget so they can pick and choose the best candidates and train/equip them properly. Maybe I'm naive but outside of inner city / poorer income areas (where policing is often underpaid/understaffed/under-trained/overwhelmed) I don't see the hate. People here generally love cops and want them to take care of scumbags right quick. Wealthy area, tough to get hired, lot of guys work part time gigs a long time until they get hired full time. I knew a guy 20 years ago wanted to be a local cop, just got hired on full time in his 40s. Worked for a bigger dept before getting the dream job. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:16:03 PM EDT
[#38]
Showed my kids a bunch of riot and looting clips to alleviate them of any illusions of nobility or righteousness of the current “protests”. My 11yr old son immediately said he wants to be a cop.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:16:45 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I would not do it again. Majority of the population does not support you. Agency does not support you. Government does not support you. Retirement really isnt that great. Nah.....would not do again. Ditto. I am also done with that career field. The us vs them mentality during shift briefing was getting to be too much and too stupid. Now with these riots I am sure it's 10x worse. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:17:49 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Very few. We can't keep up with attrition now. The number resigning and or retiring is overwhelming. We typically run 25 to 30 in a recruit class. Our current class is 18. The next class is 9. Pay cuts, days off without pay, minimal if any retirement benefits, and if you get health care its expensive. Can't keep up with the private sector. We have a number of smaller agencies that pay minimum wage. You pay for your own academy training, uniforms and equipment. It costs a bunch to get started. Academy tuition is between 8k and 10k. And after today you may get criminally charged for something you didn't personally do. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:18:47 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yes, people who become police officers don't get into the job because they see it as a chance to crack skulls and shoot people, they do it to help their neighborhoods and neighbors. I'm not really sure if you're familiar with the context in which this discussion is taking place. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:25:22 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Many departments across the country had a shortage of applicants before the riots. Yup. Where before we'd get hundreds, now we get ten or twenty and more than half of those are cut immediately. 
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:26:44 PM EDT
[#43]
Happily retired.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:31:18 PM EDT
[#44]
The right tends to thrive on good things/news
The left on tends to thrive on bad. Lower standards lead to more bad cops. That benefits their narrative. "Our police keep us safe and stable" is the language of the Right. "Our police cause harm and are biased" is the language of the Left. One side is invested in trying to keep things from fucking up. One side is invested in things fucking up. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:33:27 PM EDT
[#45]
You’re an idiot if you sign up to be a cop in today’s America. No question
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:35:22 PM EDT
[#46]
Maybe there are still some americans that have a sense of service and duty for their community and state. Pick a good area, in the south and you will be fine.
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:42:55 PM EDT
[#47]
The same phenomenon of people not wanting to go into law enforcement happened during/after the Viet nam war. The government came up with the Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP). Under that program, student loans were made available to anyone who might be interested in a career in law enforcement. It didn't have to be police work only, corrections, parole and probation, and any other law enforcement agency would qualify.
If the student went into a qualifying law enforcement agency, 25% of their loan balance would be forgiven for each year they worked full time in law enforcement. So, after four (4) years the loan obligation would be forgiven in total. It worked out great for many people. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:45:52 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The same phenomenon of people not wanting to go into law enforcement happened during/after the Viet nam war. The government came up with the Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP). Under that program, student loans were made available to anyone who might be interested in a career in law enforcement. It didn't have to be police work only, corrections, parole and probation, and any other law enforcement agency would qualify. If the student went into a qualifying law enforcement agency, 25% of their loan balance would be forgiven for each year they worked full time in law enforcement. So, after four (4) years the loan obligation would be forgiven in total. It worked out great for many people. The State of Texas pays for an undergrad for Texas cops. It has to be from a qualified school. I think that means the State Universities, which are plentiful and has to be a qualified degree, I think that list is pretty long. |
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Posted: 6/3/2020 5:54:43 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I wanted to be a cop growing up Man Im glad I didnt After college, just because it sounded fun....I took PA's ACT 120. It was interesting and after I was offered two jobs. Both paid less than the $5.25 I was making at that point as an Environmental Resource Manager, so I didn't take them. All pay sucked there back then. As the areas grew, so did the pay for police. I could have tried again and now they make a good buck back there..... But I'm glad I didn't do it. Now....I find myself siding more against the police than with. |
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Posted: 6/5/2020 11:15:48 AM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Holy shit, you need to lateral to another state. Where I'm at, my pay is very competitive compared to cost of living and our benefits are solid. Minimum wage? Fuck that shit. I'm too old. I'm 60 now. I'm to young to retire and too old to switch agencies. I work for the state. Several state agencies are now being told that they will take pay cuts and unpaid days off. We did that several years ago. In addition, most agencies now are asking for a BA or better, in sociology. LE degrees are not in demand. The only reason anyone belongs to FOP or some other group, is for legal protection. In our state, the existence of unions does nothing for pay and benefits. |
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