I had an opportunity to interview a police officer while at work since the organization I work with has a good relationship with the El Paso Police Department because they provide informational workshops for our participants. Even though this particular police officer is now dedicated mostly to doing these types of informational trainings, he still practices regular police officer duties from time to time. When asked if being a police officer was something he always wanted to do, he responds “yes”.He knew from a very young age that policing was something he wanted to do and states that one of the first things he learned when he became a police officer was that the role of an officer was not a symbol of power but of peace. Even though it is a difficult job, he has learned to love his job.
He has been an officer for 8 years and states that he has gone through excessive trainings and been involved in many different situations that have helped him grow and become the professional he is today.One of the most memorable situations he has ever been through was during an accident on the freeway, which happened when he first became a police officer. His unit was one of the first ones to arrive during a car crash where the victim in the crash was still inside the vehicle and he was able to help get him out to safety. He has been involved in other not so memorable situations, where he has had to use excessive force and these are the most difficult for him, since it takes a lot out of you, not just physically but emotionally.
He goes on to say that this is just a typical day for many police officers but it does take a toll eventually. Although being a police officer has it risks, great risks because you are risking your life, you learn to live with this important factor in order to get the job done. But then again, this is just what a typical day is like as a police officer. Another question asked about the many of the different situations he has been involved with while at the department is about police discretion. Police discretion is something police officers practice all the time.
And yes, many factors do influence the discretionary decisions officers will make during their daily activities. Police discretion is something learned and practiced during the many training sessions they go through. He hopes to continue learning and training as much as possible and also continue with policing. Although not sure what or where his job will take him, he only knows that he will retire from the police force. One question that he is really sure of is that “no, it is not true that police officers have a quota for writing tickets, nor are there any repercussions for not writing them.
”
