Why do people become cops?

[Dream Girl]

I'm not being facetious. I've been really curious about this for some time. Is policing considered a "good job" secure with nice benefits, health care and retirement. One of my neighbors has a son who is about to graduate. He has never been a good student and had a LD...I believe related to nonverbals. His family has already pretty much decided that Mikey will be a cop. He and his dad are hunters and he knows how to handle a weapon. But he has no friends and aside fro a brief period when he and my son were much younger never did. They are good neighbors, nice folks blah blah blah. But I could easily see him involved ia no justified shooting someday. The kid knows nothing about people. Also, wondering why so many white cops in a place like Baltimore. Reminds me of the slave catchers in the 19th century. I'm assuming Blacks just don't want to be cops. BTW I'm black myself.

[onecaliberal]

1. My SIL is getting a criminology degree and planned on going to the academy

After. He is great with people and especially troubled youth. He and my daughter do a lot for homeless and young people. After Ferguson came to public attention he decided he no longer wanted to be a police officer. His reasoning is that he wanted to become a police officer to help people but he no longer believes the police help people. He told us the police destroy lives and worse. We are white.

[RandySF]

2. Well

For many years it was the best job that many working class kids could find after finishing school. Back in Detroit, if one had a friend or relative on the force, they should get some help getting their foot in the door. Whether it's a good job or not can largely depend on where you are. I once looked over the police contracts in suburban Detroit and, while the hourly rate may not be great at first, there are a lot of benefits:

-Overtime
-Shift Premium
-Holiday Pay
-Court Pay
-Gun maintenance allowance
-Uniform Allowance
-Health and other associated insurance
-Five day weekends to accommodate shift changes
-In some jurisdictions, a fitness bonus of you can accomplish a certain number of routines such as push-ups in a fixed amount of time.

Many states have good pension systems as well. If you can rise through the ranks nd make Lt., the pay can be quite lucrative.

Like I said, most of my expereinces are based in the suburbs, but for the most part, the people I knew who joined the force did so with good intentions, but mostly because it's a good living.

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. The perks ( in many locales, including this one) rival a Scandinavian "welfare state".

Biggest attraction of all: "20 and out".

20 years service equals full life-long pension.

Eat your heart out, you peasant Swedes!

[cloudbase]

3. Some do it for the power.

Some for a belief that they'll really help their communities.

All wind up getting swept up in the culture. Go along, don't make waves, get a nice pension check.

[elleng]

4. To do good, of certain kinds.

My son in law became an EMT, and is now a deputy sheriff and also works for U.S. Marshall's service. He's great with people.

Few weeks ago, went to execute a warrant (person had several matters pending in court) and he discovered she had an almost newborn baby who was not properly cared for (my son in law is a new father, my grandson is 9 months old.) The mother had baby in uncushioned car 'seat,' and her family, parents, didn't want to care for the baby. Son in law carried the baby in his arms til they could reach proper custodial care.

He's white, and tho not IN Baltimore, not very far. Some of his partners are African American.

[hifiguy]

5. Mostly to live out adolescent power fantasies, I suspect.

There is a certain kind of mentality - the bully's mentality - that can never let go of this mindset.

[hrmjustin]

7. in my family it is tradition.

[lpbk2713]

8. They were the kids that took your lunch money in elementary school.

They never changed much.

[romanic]

9. I believe

Most choose to be cops to better their communities and to catch criminals. But there is that number of people that lust for power and want to have the badge to lord over others and a gun to kill whenever.