do you have to be tough to be a cop?
828956
well yea they do. they have deal with people that are way to stuck up, and r hard to get along with
466363
You can just go to the police station and ask. Or talk to one when they pull you over. \n My mother has been a cop for almost 23 yrs. When you reach 14 yrs of age you can become a Explore (which is like a cop in training)  I use to be one. This gives you the experience and the knowledge you need to become a cop. Just ask your local station if they have this program! (Explores program)       Most do! Good luck!
330436
You know, it's probably best for me not to vocalize on this subject but I'm going to take the plunge and do so.\n\nI have had the same problem so far in my life.  I find that the Police are very arrogant and misuse their authority.  I know policemen that break the law regularly: smoking pot, taking steroids, and blowing off illegal fireworks on the 4th.  Yet, turn around and give me a ticket for going 5 miles over the limit.\n\nTruly, someone needs to do some undercover type work and expose many of the corruptions in the police force.  They are in a position to abuse authority...and they do so, and don't get caught.  They don't seem to view the public the same as other people do.  They have exalted themselves, in some way, above the public.\n\nIn the average cop, you'll find a good portion of Arrogance.
490513
no. cops save lives. I am sure there is a crooked cop or two out there but honestly. They dont get paid shit and they put their lives on the line every single day. Why would you do all that and deal with shitty pay just to make peoples lives miserable. If you need to ask this question you are silly. Cops are heros.
853230
Yes, recording the police is a good way to keep down police brutality.  As a matter of fact, we record our own officers becasue we make it mandatory that our officers video record themselves when making contact with most people.  Then, supervisors like me review the tapes and look for the officers mistakes and if we find questionable contacts, then they are repremanded for such actions.  Police brutality is rare and most officers don't put up with fellow officers who are even a little out of hand.  Things have changed over the years.  I've been a cop for 22 years and I can remember when the police actually received more respect because we were more heavy handed back then. Today, most people know that we are not like that anymore and they push us to the limit.  However, there are some officers that are burtal, and those officers give the rest of us a bad name.
1096550
Yes. On occasion.\nNo. Because I am the cop that does the rare pull over.\nWhy. Because if I let you go by me, and you make it...I am wrong.\nIf I let you go by and you hit and kill someone...we are wrong.\nYou will go to jail and we will have to live with the consequences.
615721
I do hate cops, I do dislike some, I do be-friend some, ....\n\nI'm a Firefighter/Paramedic and there are some cops I'd like to bash in the head with a fire hose.  However, there are some cops that do their job wonderfully but that doesn't mean I'd want to go have a beer with them after the shift is over.  Then there are cops that I know and hang out with that I could almost consider my best friends.\n\nIt's not all about the cop or being a cop, it's the personality behind that badge that counts.
1120910
Great question, Josh.\n\nI have had good encounters with police every single day of my life for the last 19 years.  They have been some of the hardest working, most decent, caring, giving, ethical and sensible people I have ever met.\n\nThey have been uncles and aunts to my children, they have been best friends to my wife, and they have been brothers and sisters to me.\n\nI don't know a group of people anywhere in the world I would trust more with my life or my family.\n\nHave there been exceptions?  Sure...a very few.  And you can all take heart in knowing that if you didn't like the cop you dealt with, chances are pretty good the people he/she works with don't like them either.   \n\nIt puts a hole in my heart to read some of the stories here about how some of you have dealt with police officers who have been rude, corrupt, obnoxious, liars.  I know there's bound to be some of them out there, but I haven't met them yet.  \n\nI have been - and I know no better word for it - blessed by the company I've kept for the last 19 years.  The men and women I have worked with in this profession are the most remarkable people I've ever met.\n\nJosh - thanks for the question.  Those of you who have answered with positive answers, you did this old cop some good tonight.
1061189
In my opinion I believe that there are some bad cops out there, but that is besides the point. Usually cops don't go on rampages killing people, if they feel they are in a situation where their life is in danger they usually warn someone and then if they are forced and have no other choice then what happens..happens. The reason it is such a big deal when a cop is killed in the line of duty it is because they were doing their job to protect and serve and they did it all while trying to protect society.
289160
Absolutly not! My father was a police officer and a deputy for years. It is unbelievable how many oportunities there are for people in these positions to do just that. It takes a lot of integrity and determination to fulfill these positions.
569774
Yes only if you are in their jurisdiction but if it's a Trooper they gotcha.  Usually they'd get another officer there to pull you over in some cases but not a rule.  They are never off duty, technically.
1102890
Excellent question.  I was a reserve (volunteer) police officer for 3 years.  We were given the same training as regular, paid officers.  \n\nThe easy part first: No, being a firefighter does not qualify one to be a police officer.  Fighting fires is not the same as dealing with law breakers.  Completely different training.  This is not to say that a person cannot be trained in both.  If they are trained and authorized to do both there is no problem.  I have heard of communities that have tried this, but I can't recall which ones.  The idea was that they had these firefighters sitting around for long periods between fires, so they put them to work at other things.  My thought was, don't have a fire at the same time as a bank robbery.  \n\nA police officer need to be trained.  It is usually the jurisdiction who needs the officer who see to that training, sending them to a qualified school, but it is the state that authorizes (swears in) the officer.  The person can then go to work for any agency in that state be it local, county or state.  The feds do their own swearing in.  To have a police officer, to say nothing of a chief, that is not trained is asking for a huge liability issue.  I suppose a person could be sworn in without the training, but what a mess that could be.  This would imply no training on use of lethal force, high-speed driving, legal rights of persons of interest, chain of custody of any evidence, etc.\n\nIt is actually legal for almost anyone to arrest another person.  In fact, the only difference on this point is that a police officer can arrest someone for something the officer did not witness.  Any citizen can put another person under citizens arrest if they witnessed the  crime.  The arrest is as valid.  With a warrant, a police officer can arrest someone without witnessing the crime.  \n\nAs far as hiring a felon, are you sure the person was convicted of a felony and not a lesser crime?  Either way, I suppose it could depend on the community and relevant regulations and laws.\n\nI can't advise you on what to do.  Maybe if you contacted a lawyer it would help.  Perhaps a news media would be interested in what is going on in their community.
1060022
If the police had law degrees why would they want to work as cops? They would all get more lucrative, less dangerous jobs in the legal profession.... I agree that police should be better trained in the nuances of the law but let's not go nuts. Plus I think the average cop is probably not smart enough to earn a law degree.
439094
Not too hard, but very demanding... i took the courses for a year and i am now a paralegal. You just have to be determined. It will be a lot of work, but it is not hard....
897619
police officer=high stress job.
1106720
As a 17 year veteran of the Security Business, I believe they feel threatened by us in that here are a bunch of untrained louts (which may have been true long ago) acting as Cop-wannabes. Police have a tendency to be a rather exclusive group, and they don't like any competition, and feel that they are the only ones to do the job of protecting the public and acting as a uniformed visible deterrence to crime. The difference is that we (Security Officers) protect private property, and the Police protect the public and public property. True, we don't take as extensive training as they do, and the reality is that some Provinces and States don't require any training at all. I live in British Columbia, Canada, and our initial and ongoing training is more extensive than most other Provinces. We don't carry any weapons, handcuffs or restraining devices, no pepper spray or taser devices and we don't wear any body armour, but are often expected to approach and restrain (until the Police arrive which could be 15 to 30 minutes where I am) the same dangerous criminals that the Police deal with, and they have all of the above equipment, including firearms, to protect themselves. I have been attacked by both unarmed and knife wielding assailants and luckily due to my extensive hand-to-hand combat training I have survived said assaults. So ultimately, I think it is jealousy and a "Good Ole' Boys" mentality that drives this attitude, and I mean no disrespect as I have a lot of respect for the Police and they do have to put up with some pretty horrific situations, that clearly has an effect on how they see the world around them. Not all Police officer think this way however and I have been at times both glad and disappointed at their response to our work. Chin up and be proud of what you do as we do provide a valuable service, and were created to fill a hole the Police were unable to as the crime rates increased and property crime was something they were no longer able to effectively deal with these crimes. Our Motto is "People, Property and Information" are the things we protect in that order without exception. Be Careful out there OK !!!!
542115
ABSOLUTELY.  Cops have been given entirely too much power and abuse it on a daily bases, AND they get away with it!  Most cops are those guys who were kicked around and stepped on in their school days...so they are out to get even when released into society with their shiny new badges!  Also, it doesn't matter if you are the victim or not, once they judge you, it's all over and then THE COPS victimize you one way or another!