The last I checked, current location has a higher rate of violent crime than some of the country's largest cities, and the population is only around 200,000. 'Shootings and stabbings' are routine. Entire city is drowning in drugs, and I've not known anyone in our age groups who haven't had involvement in it. As for trained professionals, one example: a screwball former neighbor went at officers with a knife; while in my opinion they had every right to shoot the jerk, they used a taser instead.
Agreed, except few law enforcement officers in average cities in most western countries ever need face such a circumstance more than do a fireman,nurse,teacher or gas bar attendant not to mention the military and lumberjacks,fishermen and see list. Now as a cop supporter with such in the family I must reiterate it IS the few that face danger and (ONLY) very few who act irresponsibly that I and others are criticizing. Most dangerous job USA Cops not in the top 10 More than 4,800 annual workplace deaths From the relatively exotic to the seemingly mundane, certain occupations carry an underlying danger that can reach up to 110.9 fatalities per 100,000 workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' most recent figures, there were 4,821 fatal occupational injuries in 2014 (the latest figures available), 239 (5%) more than reported in 2013. The majority of these injuries occur in a handful of sectors representing the most dangerous ways to earn a living in the country. Given the danger involved, a surprising number of these occupations pay only about the mean annual wage for all workers, which was $48,320 in 2015, according to the BLS. And with these risky jobs, many might think life insurance is out the question; but it isn't, it just might cost a bit more. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/10-most-dangerous-jobs-us-1.aspx
The problem with statistics (on any subject) is it's impossible to say 'average'- it all depends on the environment. As an example, a longtime friend from school recently retired from a long career in law enforcement, and it's quite likely that he never faced any life-threatening situations. In contrast, law enforcement in this kind of environment are in danger every time they go on duty.
I'm concerned with the exceptions to good policing. Some think that is a condemnation of all law enforcement. Why the special consideration for cops? If the cops failing in their job duty why support him/her. Cops behavior can be judged as any other profession. A cop accepts the pay, the benefits and the responsibility that goes with it as did we all, well, most.
So in simplified terms most cops are good,a few are proven to be bad. Cops are paid and trained professionals with rules,protocols to follow and they applied for the job which mostly is not as dangerous by comparison to many others.
I'd never defend those who do wrong- but I've noticed 'condemnation of all law enforcement' is 'the way' these days. As one example, I happened to see a commercial on tv not long ago where a young woman said every time she sent her child off to school she worried about what might happen to him if he were to encounter police... giving people the idea that cops are out there waiting to blow away kindergartners. Also, a local news story had a couple in their twenties remark that they panicked whenever they went out someplace and saw cops. I see police similar to any other group: hold wrongdoers accountable, yet realize wrongdoers are not the majority.
In general, yes. But bad environments are bad environments, and it can cover police as well as the general population. I wouldn't want to run into cops in 'Chicago' or 'Baton Rouge' either.
It's there command, as in Captain's, Lieutenant's, and Internal Affairs that judge each of them, not so much the public. If it was left up to much of the public, there wouldn't be any law enforcement at all. Call 911 and only get medical or fire help. "Why the special consideration for cops?" you ask. They are the ones in "harms way". For the job they have to do, "special consideration" should be applied. Bottom Line is: Do an officer's job for one day. Take in the dangerous calls they take in. Just TRY to do their job!
@Cody Fousnaugh Why do people aspire to enter Law Enforcement, do you suppose? What compels them to even consider it, given the extensive training necessary as well as the danger inherent in the work? IOW, what kind of mental drive, what mentality might desire and pursue Law Enforcement? Surely not the money. Frank
A member, or members, of their family were in law enforcement. Just like a lot of careers that get carried down from one generation to the next. The also want to serve their community, just like people in enlist in the military want to serve their country. That answer your question?
@Cody Fousnaugh "That answer your question?" Only partially; when viewed through rose-colored lenses, sure, there are folks exactly as you describe them. Tell you what: ask some people randomly if they would consider, or perhaps did consider, pursuing work in Law Enforcement. Vast majority I've asked over the years immediately answered emphatically NO. I have a good friend in Farmington, NM, who has 5 brothers. 3 of those 5 pursued becoming police officers. 2 gave it up very quickly. The remaining 1, trying to be a "good cop", was gravely ostracized by his fellow member cops, and the Chief. It seemed the way my friend's brother told it, he was EXPECTED to think like the others. It was GOOD to make a little money on the side.....know what I mean? GOOD to shake down citizens to keep them in line. IOW, GOOD to be a crooked cop. He wound up being run out of the force after a year or two, because he wanted to be a "good" cop. Ever hear of Cook County, Illinois? I grew up there. Witnessed the "machine" at work all my 30 years there, when I left there for good, having become so disgusted by the widespread graft engulfing every facet of Mayor Daly's in Chicago, and the Crook County Sheriff's Department, I couldn't live with myself if I remained there. What do I mean by this? Motorist pulled over for some infraction, invariably the practice being universal, before the cop approached the motorist's vehicle, he was as likely as not to lay a bill, currency, up on the dash, where the cop could see it. If it was acceptable to him, he took it, and the "charges" were immediately dropped. Not acceptable, he beckoned for more, or shook his head, and wrote the citation. Acceptable payments were well-known, ranked by severity of the infraction. A DUI was "buyable", but only through the court system. A well-known lawyer, Pete Ritsos, was the best-known for handling DUIs. My co-worker, charged with DUI, enlisted Ritsos, who secured a court date. As the date approached, Ritsos called him: they had changed judges scheduled for that date, a new date was set. Case was thrown out by the judge, with whom Ritsos shared some of the booty. Attempted bribing of a cop was almost unheard of as a formal charge. I'm not making this up. I SAW it all my life there. Were all other parts of the country exempt from this behavior? Frank
Bad things can and do happen anywhere- but more in some places than in others. When I hear 'Cook County, Illinois,' the very first thing that comes to mind: it was bad enough that it made the news all the way out to CA- 'doctors' at Cook Co. Hospital were 'experimenting' on pregnant women without their knowledge, giving Depakote to healthy women to see if it'd cause birth defects (it does), and passing it off as prenatal vitamins. Then there's the mess that went on at a hospital called Rush something- how many people and lives were destroyed by 'Dr' Bennett Braun and his staff of crackpots with that 'multiple personality disorder' and 'satanic ritual abuse' nonsense. So, while law enforcement in that area may not be good, I wouldn't know, but underhanded incompetent greedballs in the medical profession certainly haven't been.
@Janice Martin Agreed, and understood. I had my own share of "doctoring greed" which happened when I was 19. Long story short, I had a terrible painful abscess in my upper molar, Good Friday, our good old regular family Dentist was closed. Went to a young guy recommended by my sister. He shot about 12 X-rays, gave me an antibiotic, and sent me to an Oral Surgeon, appointment the following Tuesday. Meantime, the abscess burst through a day or two before that, and I had immediate relief from the pain. My Mother accompanied me to the Specialist, who had complete X-rays done of my skull. He stated he would be doing a Cauldwell-Luc operation, then described the horrifying procedure. Real money-maker, involving a hole cut through the cheekbone, requiring being filled with a plastic plug, which must be replaced by successively smaller ones over a period of several years. My Dad, being less gullible than either me or my Mom, called the "Specialist", and called off the operation. Our Family Dentist removed the bad molar without consequence. Search that operation, if you dare. The Specialist went on to be a Board Member of Chicago West Suburban Hospital, a fact I found out when I travelled there from Phoenix, to visit my dying sister, 34 years after the proposed surgery incident. Dr. Nicholas Choukas, Member of the Board, proclaimed a bronze plaque in the entry. In wondered how many innocents the man had butchered over all those years. Off-thread. Sorry. Very bad time in my young life. Frank