Potential cop post

[zdashamber]

I'm back hale and well from ACUS. To address the immediate wonderings I fancy kittentikka and a2macgeek may hold: I made my flight fine. Even though I got to the ticket counter after the 45-minute cutoff, the Frontier lady was on my side, "Here are the directions to the gate, go! Move as quickly as you can!" This is why Frontier is a good airline, unlike United, may its name moulder in infamy.

ACUS was great fun. Slowly I will work on getting the quotes and report out. In the meantime, there are a couple questions I've been meaning to put to you all.

For today, I'll start with the most dramatic: I'm considering becoming a cop. What are your thoughts on the job, and my potential relation to it?

I'm bored with my current job, having conquered all its challenges a year and a half ago. (Currently, I'm a tech at a research institute, tracking mice for alcoholism studies. This came about because I got a degree in biology with the intention of being a genetic engineer, and then found this job, listed as genetic engineering on mice. And having tried it, it's not really what I want to do.)

The vague plan was to keep the current job, build up money, and use the free off-hours to start a business. No movement has been occurring on that so far, however. Then I came across an article in the paper about how Oakland is frantically scrambling to find and train police officers. Pay while in the academy is listed at $62,245, and then $69,162, rising to $87,172 after three years (or possibly one if they really scramble).

Currently I make about $38,500 (I still need to do taxes, ai!). I have enough to live on and put stuff aside and buy pretty much anything I want. In part this is because I don't want much. I thank all my cheap ancestors. ;) Still, another (guessing) $15,000 a year after taxes could put me on the path to having a down payment for a house in a few years, which would be nice... Then I could pour all my money into things like insulation and roof repairs and shed building. Yeehaw! (Yeah, all of you who don't live in the Bay Area where the median house costs $637,000, laugh it up, furballs...)

As to the job itself, I looked into the details as far as I could find on the web. Looks like the work week is generally 4 consecutive days of 10 hours each. Shifts and patrol areas are chosen in a yearly drawing based on seniority. The FAQ says "days off" are drawn, too... I suppose that means Christmas and Thanksgiving are for the less senior people to work. Hopefully it doesn't mean that I'd have to know all the vacation I was taking a year or more in advance. Mom points out that since the department is understaffed I'd probably be in for mandatory overtime; I wonder if I'd have control over when that was scheduled.

Reasons I'd want to do it: I imagine it'd be different things every day. I'd get to help people and be decent in times of stress. I like driving around. I could nail people for the things I personally find reprehensibly dangerous, like tailgating. I like Oakland, and it'd be nice to give back. If the work environment was welcoming, the congeniality of it sounds appealing. It'd be good fodder for stories, or if I ever wanted to go into politics. I'm already planning to be a rock of prepared stability during a major earthquake or disaster, so the job is sort of a natural for me when it comes to that. Three-day weekends would let me get a ton more done.

Reasons I'd perhaps not want to do it: Largest on the list is the potential for a work environment dominated by macho pinheads. Hopefully in a big diverse liberal-ish city like Oakland that wouldn't be so much a problem. Mary points out that I'd run into crap from the people I'd be arresting regardless of whether the other cops were cool or not. I'd have to get in shape, though that would be good for me anyway. People would always drive slow around my car. My job might alarm people I'd randomly converse with.

I surely have not thought of all the aspects, and you folks are clever and varied. What do you think?

Comments

[cochese.livejournal.com]

While I find chick cops sexy, my first thought is: Do you think you could pass the physical requirement? You've always struck me as a tiny wisp of a thing, and most of the female cops I've met are pretty fawking buff. Hell, same with the female firefighters.

What's your exercise regimen like? Can you run a mile? Do a bunch of push-ups?

I think the point abuot catching hell from people you arrest is valid. They also might not take you seriously. I mean, I can't fight, but I'm certain that if I accidentally fell on you I'd break something.

I don't have any beefs with the law-enforcement profession. I met a lot of cops when I worked loss prevention. (In fact, loss prevention is often a first step for people looking to become a cop.) But I know it might cause some friction with people you know. Though I've been clean for some time, I imagine there's more than a few herb-friendly people in the gaming community. What would be your reaction to that sort of situation? Would you arrest them if you knew they were doing pot? Would you arrest them? Would you risk losing your job if it came out you were fraternizing with "criminals?"

Me, if I wanted a physically demanding high-risk job that involved helping people, I'd become a firefighter.

[zdashamber.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was thinking about that this morning. I'd be much more likely to have people try to run or fight when faced with me. I suppose I'd have a taser, but it'd be a shame to have to use it all the time.

As for herb, thank god, I think we in Oakland voted a few years ago to make it the least priority of anything possible for our cops to be doing. It might get me more freedom from the stink of pot to be a cop, but I don't think I'd be expected to arrest people who were being moderate.

[cochese.livejournal.com]

Sorry if my earlier comment was a little disjointed. I was late for work, and rushed through it.

I guess I often view being a cop through the lens of my experience in loss prevention. And I really didn't like loss prevention. It really takes a certain mentality to want to do that, and I lacked it. I don't thrive on danger or risk. I don't thrive on catching crooks. You're also held up to a higher standard than Joe Shmoe. Who you associate with and what you do in your free time can be an issue.

The pot thing was just one example of that last. I've known at least one person who's gotten in trouble with the law because their roommate/boyfriend/whatever was doing something illegal/illicit.

Plus, you find yourself having to bust people even if you totally empathize with their plight. One of my first arrests during training in loss prevention was an old homeless man who was stealing a six-pack of beer on his birthday.

My recommendation, if you're really serious about this, is to (a) find out what the physical fitness requirements are and start working towards them and (b) take a martial art. I don't mean one of those spiritual chi-channelling ones like tai ch'i or aikido. I'm talking about one of those self defense courses where you do a lot of push-ups and spar with other people. The more nights per week, the better. Learn what it's like to be in a fight in a controlled environment. Maybe go out paintballing a few times. It's fun, and it can be a little humiliating to realize how unprepared you are to run around and shoot other people. =P If you do those two things and think, "This ain't so bad" then you may be able to handle being a cop. If you think "I totally hate this" I'd take that as a sign from above.

[zdashamber.livejournal.com]

The Javert thing would suck, yes.

I have actually taken some martial arts; about this time last year I started taking Kali, a Philipino martial art like Escrima except with longer sticks, for four hours a week. I stopped around November... I was the only new person in the small group, so I felt like someone was wasting their time with me every class I was at, and also 7ish months is apparently about as long as I can go being the suckiest at something in a reasonably supportive environment. I like being good at things. ;) But I wasn't inspired to practice outside of class to get better, so, vicious cycle. And I didn't necessarily get that "oo it feels so nice to have moved around" thing that people talk about, and I found I had things I'd rather do with my time.

I like the thought of paintball, but I don't think to go do it. If I did, my tactics would be more along the lines of ambushes and snipers.

It is my impression that fighting and shooting people is not a terribly large part of the job, which is a plus for me.

[cochese.livejournal.com]

Javert? I get that this is a Les Miz reference, but I've not seen/read Les Miz.

I'm not saying that being a cop means a lot of fighting. But there's a lot of opportunity confrontation when you are a cop (verbal, emotional, physical). The martial arts and paintball and stuff? Exposing yourself to confrontation. Me? Not a confrontation guy in any sense of the word. I couldn't handle the shitty confrontations you get when dealing with shoplifters in a department store. I cannot even imagine the bullshit cops deal with.

A routine traffic stop could get you shot at. Coming in to deal with a domestic dispute could find you on the receiving end of some drunk and pissed off dude's attitude and/or fists. Just a concerned check-in on a homeless guy could get you a whole lot of attitude. As a little white, blonde-haired woman in a cop uniform, some people will just hate you on sight. Don't you live in Oakland? How do low-income ethnic neighborhoods feel about the police? Do you feel you can handle that situation?

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Les Mis geek here to clear up the Javert thing -- he's the police inspector who arrested Valjean for stealing a loaf of bread, and the one who pursued him through the rest of the story. He's Justice in opposition to Valjean's Mercy. One of his key lines is "I am the law and the law is not mocked."

Not a pleasant fellow, although I have some sympathy for him anyway.

[cochese.livejournal.com]

One other thing I thought of was: If you want to come up this summer, we can wrassle (in a non-erotic way) and you can see what it's like to deal with someone three times as heavy as you. I'm always reminded of my half-brother's half-sister, who is taking a martial art, has advanced rapidly through the ranks, and couldn't fight her way out of a paper bag. She's 8 years old. She can break boards in a controlled environment, but if I get my hands on her she's SOL. Because she's just a tiny whisp of a thing. (On the other hand, Irene from ACNW is a black belt in karate who teaches it and could probably kick my ass.)

[zdashamber.livejournal.com]

I think Irene's about my height/weight...

Anyway, my plan for an actual fight with someone your size involves subterfuge and eyeball crushing. It's probably not applicable to sparring, or most police work. I get the impression they teach techniques that are acceptable.

[cochese.livejournal.com]

Irene's probably your build. She also has a strong "I can kick your ass vibe." I don't honestly have any thing to indicate that she *could* kick my ass. I just get the sensation that she could. A lot of that is probably attitude. I seem to recall her saying there's a lot of fights she couldn't win, but there's a lot of attitude.

Irene is also a very small, tight bundle of muscle.

Again, my general thought is: You may be attacked by someone much bigger than you. I imagine with discipline and training, you can learn to defend against that. But the bigger question is: Are you comfortable with that?

[miabarimen.livejournal.com]

I think you're a little taller than I am, but yeah, we're about the same build. As re cochese's remark: if I got in first, yes I quite possibly could win, but if not, well, height, weight and reach do make a difference. On the other hand, tazer and a uniform make a difference too. I worked security for heavy metal concerts before I ever had a black belt, maintaining order purely by force of personality.

In other words, I'm a class-A bitch.

[cochese.livejournal.com]

But a sexy class-A bitch!

[ameer-tavakoli.livejournal.com]

::laughs::

Yeah, when I describe you to other people, the first words out of my mouth are, "she can kick my butt" (editor's note: verbiage cleaned up for those reading this at work ... though if you are reading this at work, you are a slacker).

The seconds words out of my mouth are, "and she can totally drink me and almost everyone else I know under the table."

Wait a minute ... is this a toast or a roast? I always get those confused.

[tlatoani.livejournal.com]

Paging kittentikka...

[zdashamber.livejournal.com]

Dude, first in warfare and endurance? Unfair...

[badgerbag.livejournal.com]

Bah - I don't think being a cop has a "brawn" requirement. You could pull it off, you're good and bossy and you'd have a gun. I also think you could handle the macho pinheads. Who better?