Anyone here a cop or know somebody who is one personally?

[StageLeft]

What's the lifestyle really like? I'm looking for real opinions based on fact here!

 

[pyonir]

what do you mean? i know a few cops, ones aspiring to be cops, and federal agents.

what do you mean by 'lifestyle'?

 

[thawolfman]

Originally posted by: pyonir
what do you mean by 'lifestyle'?

the style of their life?

 

[MacBaine]

I'm a police explorer, so I know most of the cops in my town. If you want to find out what it's like, go to your local PD and ask if they do ride alongs. Go out for a day with an officer, see what it's like, ask him yourself.

 

[Rallispec]

my dad is a DC cop... what do you want to know?

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Rallispec
my dad is a DC cop... what do you want to know?

oh yeah, you got the perfect person right here. Lives in the 'lifestyle' more or less.

 

[Imported]

Person across the street from me is a CHP..

 

[911paramedic]

Worked with Sheriff's dept for five years, and a medic for seven, what do you want to know??

 

[bernse]

What do you mean by "lifestyle?"

12 hour shifts, 7-7. Own a house with a garage. Typical middle class.

Can you be a little more specific in what you're looking for?

 

[StageLeft]

I mean what is their life like? I mean the average day then - is stress really high? Do a lot of them love or hate their jobs? Is it very boring...?

 

[amnesiac]

I had 2 good friends that joined the police, and they were great guys when I knew them. They are now both complete a-holes.
I don't know if it's the power trip or the general mindset that being in the force produces.. but for some reason it's been my experience that cops are a lot more susceptible to "corruption" in terms of personality and power abuse than Sheriffs (I know a couple of them too).

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
What's the lifestyle really like? I'm looking for real opinions based on fact here!

My brother in law is a cop in Brampton, Ontario. This is supposed to be the worst area around Toronto.

He has been on the force for about 5 or so years. He and I talk about it all the time because it interests me so much.

When he started, he was really excited about the opportunity he would have to improve society. Now, he is disheartened. He hardly ever sees something good in his job. He routinely deals with the worst people society has to offer. People are hardly ever happy to see him (when he is doing his job ). It is not a job for the faint of heart. I would definitely doing recommend doing a ride along or talking to a few cops before deciding to become one.

 

[Mill]

Skoorb I suggest you should pick up some true crime books written by real cops or people following them around. You can find them on Amazon, Barnes And Noble, or Books A Million.

 

[Entity]

One of my friends is a cop.

Yawmark, a member here (don't know if he posts anymore) was a cop. You should ask him, Brooks.

Rob

 

[Thegonagle]

Being way underpaid and underappreciated. Moonlighting as a security guard at gas stations, grocery stores, and bowling alleys in tougher parts of town to make ends meet.

 

[StageLeft]

garetjax Toronto would be the area I'd apply for if I considered doing it. This is really just an idea. I toy with it from time to time and if we end up moving to Toronto in a week or two I'm going to look into it.

amnesiac How old were they when they joined the police force?

Personally I know only two cops. One is a high up in the RCMP and he seems like a really nice guy (neighbor for some years) and I have an uncle who is a cop in England and is a nice guy as well (a detective). I met one other cop once who'd been working for about a year and he seemed to enjoy it.

Still I'd like ot hear more on it "corrupting" people...

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Garfang
Being way underpaid and underappreciated. Moonlighting as a security guard at gas stations, grocery stores, and bowling alleys in tougher parts of town to make ends meet.

If you can't live on 35-45K a year, you are in the wrong job to begin with. I know cops that do none of that, and actually do enjoy their jobs.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Entity
One of my friends is a cop.

Yawmark, a member here (don't know if he posts anymore) was a cop. You should ask him, Brooks.

Rob

Unfortunately I havne't seen him post in many, many months.

Being way underpaid and underappreciated. Moonlighting as a security guard at gas stations, grocery stores, and bowling alleys in tougher parts of town to make ends meet.

Come on now that's not true I happen to know that cops in Toronto get paid pretty well. Start at $37k which isn't great but up to $42-45 almost immediately and hit about $60k once they are 1st class rank which happens around 3 years or so. At least that's according to their website.

 

[pyonir]

if you are going into police work for the appreciation or the money, then you are in the wrong profession. that is why good officers get such a bad rap. Some only join to get that power, some do it just to make money, some do it cause they think they will be a hero.

All of those reasons are the wrong ones.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: pyonir
if you are going into police work for the appreciation or the money, then you are in the wrong profession. that is why good officers get such a bad rap. Some only join to get that power, some do it just to make money, some do it cause they think they will be a hero.

All of those reasons are the wrong ones.

I'd do it mainly for the power

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I'd do it mainly for the power

haha, Skoorb, i had no doubt.

 

[RossMAN]

I would imagine it can be stressful, rarely boring, lots of tedious paperwork and it's not a job for anyone.

Here's what the Portland Police Bureau in Portland, Oregon is paying.

 

[joohang]

If you become a local RCMP around Coquitlam area, I'll buy you Tim Horton's once in a while.

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Entity
One of my friends is a cop.

Yawmark, a member here (don't know if he posts anymore) was a cop. You should ask him, Brooks.

Rob

Unfortunately I havne't seen him post in many, many months.

Being way underpaid and underappreciated. Moonlighting as a security guard at gas stations, grocery stores, and bowling alleys in tougher parts of town to make ends meet.

Come on now that's not true I happen to know that cops in Toronto get paid pretty well. Start at $37k which isn't great but up to $42-45 almost immediately and hit about $60k once they are 1st class rank which happens around 3 years or so. At least that's according to their website.

Yeah ........ whenever I look in the papers they are always looking for more police officers......... not matter what city.......... just today I've seen ads for Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, & Halifax.

Good Luck if you decide to join.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
I would imagine it can be stressful, rarely boring, lots of tedious paperwork and it's not a job for anyone.

It is stressful and rarely boring. You're right. The paperwork isn't isn't as bad as one might think (from what i've seen). And most of the better departments have the paperwork all done on computers.